Parkdale

In 1932 council decided to help beach goers with somewhere to store their bathers and buckets. Fifty concrete bathing boxes, named the ‘James T. Denyer Bathing Boxes,’ were built opposite Antibes Street, a short walk from Parkdale station. Now you’ll have to store your picnic snacks in the car though, as a car park replaced them some years ago. Kingston Historical Website.

Shirley Burke Theatre is a fantastic venue to see some of Kingston’s live performances, especially due to the diverse history of the building. The theatre as it stands today is the latest iteration of a century long evolution. If we venture back almost 100 years ago, in 1928, we would see the building in its first form: a cinema. Before long, it was used as a textile factory during wartime, perhaps responsible for keeping some of the ANZACs warm during the dark days of World War 2.

In the years that followed it would go on to serve as a Library and Community Centre. In 1962, the Mordialloc Theatre Company had its first production, "The Man Who Came to Dinner," and the building finally settled into the theatre we enjoy today. Mordialloc Theatre Company.

In October 1922, council purchased a parcel of land for a reserve. Three years later on October 1925 Mayor Blanche declared the Parkdale Recreation Reserve open. You can see the Parkdale Vultures Football Club training and playing on the home turf of the reserve these days, but there’s been all kinds of exciting charity, community and other events held there over the years.

Early in 1930 they held motorkhana (a type of motorsport where the driver weaves in and out, sliding and spinning through a course as fast as they can). By 1935 Mordialloc Cycle club used the reserve during the cricket season, although cricket had priority so the cyclists would have to jump out and pedal in between cricket innings. After 30 years the spot was renamed the Gerry Green Reserve after, you guessed it, Gerry Green. He was the mayor of Mordialloc three times in 1966, ’67 and ’70. Take a read here to find out more! Kingston Local History.

You’ve likely read of or even seen the Shirley Burke theatre for yourself by now. But who was it named after? Well, before she became ‘Shirley Burke’ she was Shirley Dunn, born in Warragul on May 21, 1921. She started work as a typist in a law office (Here’s a question: what do you think she might’ve typed on? This is before computers or tablets existed, remember). Shirley was encouraged to study law, enrolled at Melbourne University and went on to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor (two different types of lawyers). She married Colin Burke and had three daughters who grew up around the streets of Parkdale after the family moved there in the early 1950s.

Shirley was the third woman elected to the Mordialloc Council and continued her service as the second female Mayor of Mordialloc in 1961. She worked hard to establish that Mordialloc Youth Centre we read about earlier as well as the Parkdale Kindergarten, Beach Pavilion and the Parkdale library and theatre – we’ve got a lot to thank Shirley for and so it’s no doubt why the Shirley Burke Theatre was named in her honour. She passed away on March 15th, 1975 at the age of 53. For more information, access the Kingston Historical Website and The Australian Women's Register.

I don’t know how many people have slid down a staircase bannister and ended up standing face to face with the Queen, but Kevin Coote of Parkdale makes one at least. How did he end up in that bizarre situation? Well, Kevin was born in Parkdale on April the 27th, 1931. He played football with Mordialloc and swam with the Mordialloc Life Saving Club. These skills and others lead him to represent Australia in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games when he was only 20 years old. He also competed in the Wrestling World Championships held in Tokyo in 1954 and finished fifth in the 1956 Olympics.