Photos: Supplied.
BY JO-ANNE O’CONNOR
Back in the early 1920s permission was granted by the Wynnum Town Council for Neville Balgue to build a boat slip that he could use to float his 22ft trailer sailer “Lizzy” at high tide, and at low tide scrape off any barnacles ready for painting. The boat slip became known as Balgue’s Slip.
After many years of neglect the slip needed urgent repairs and on the 21st of October 2012, 12 members of The Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly replaced the ageing timbers and supports – breathing an extended life into this historic Wynnum landmark.
In 2023 many local residents expressed their concerns that the historic Balgue’s Slip was once again in need of repair as the timbers were rotting and the structure breaking away. Permission was sought and granted for the Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly to undertake the restoration with the assistance of a grant from the Port of Brisbane.
It took ten enthusiastic Rotarians, many pieces of special hardwood and several hours working at low tide to completely remove the deteriorated timbers and replace them with fresh hardwood and stainless-steel components ready for another decade or more of life.
Thank you to everybody who worked together to finalise this project and to the Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly and Port of Brisbane for their ongoing community support!
