Anglers Paradise

Anglers Paradise in a neighbourhood located at the southern end of the suburb of Runaway Bay. Prior to its incorporation into Runaway Bay, Anglers Paradise was a residential estate originally subdivided and sold by Robert George Oates.

Oates was a real estate investor and one of the first residential developers on the Gold Coast. After having started a land development scheme at Mermaid Beach in 1910, he built a two storey brick home on the beachfront at Currumbin in 1914. In the following years, he went on to subdivide and sell land at Currumbin, Burleigh, Tugun, Palm Beach, Miami and Southport.

Oates’ business was based in Brisbane and he was involved in subdivisions of various sizes at Darra, Rocklea, Yeronga, Coorparoo and Redcliffe. In 1928 he undertook an extensive tour of the United States of America to view the development of their cities and learn from the trends in their real estate market. He was also interested in music, offering free concerts in Brisbane Town Hall, publishing music related to his development at Darra and supporting the South Coast Band with the gift of an allotment from the Anglers Paradise Estate.

In addition to his interests in residential development, Oates was also a contractor and was involved in constructing the first bitumen roads on the Gold Coast. Despite extensive land holdings, in the 1930s, Oates faced bankruptcy when buyers of his land were unable to make payments during the Great Depression.

In 1939, Oates purchased land along Biggera Creek and facing the Broadwater. He initially used the land as camping grounds and allowed ex-servicemen to camp there.

In total, the Anglers Paradise Development Co consisted of 350 acres of residential land. Oates gave land to Council in order to straighten Hollywell Road, but his offer of additional land to create an esplanade was not accepted.

By the mid-1950s, the estate had forty homes and a town water supply. Local residents and holiday makers with weekend homes in the area attended regular meetings of the Broadwater Progress Association in the aim of improving amenities.

Additional allotments were offered for sale at an auction on 26 December 1956, however it was not until a bridge was constructed over the mouth of the Biggera Creek at Lands End in 1960 that the development potential of the estate was realised. Construction moved forward, including the creation of canals.

Oates died at the age of 98 in 1970, at which time new houses were still being constructed on his Anglers Paradise Estate.

Sources of information and further reading

1. “Gold dredging leases.” South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1949) 23 Jul 1937: 6. Web. 21 Jan 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133668172
2. “Southport Town Council.” South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1949) 4 May 1934: 11. Web. 21 Jan 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133767160
3. ” Southport Town Council.” South Coast Bulletin(Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1949) 5 Dec 1945: 1. Web. 21 Jan 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188317068
4. City of Gold Coast, Gold Coast History, Suburb History, Biggera Creek http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/thegoldcoast/biggera-waters-history-2614.html
5. NEW RESIDENTS WELCOMED (1954, September 29). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved December 27, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226327974
6. R. G. Oates’ Contract (1930, June 20). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136470619
7. R. G. OATES SYNDICATE. (1928, October 20). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 14. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21326333
8. R. G. Oates Estates. (1925, May 16). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 5. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20926983
9. ENTERTAINMENTS. (1922, December 15). Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), p. 4 (DAILY.). Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111136033
10. R. G. OATES ESTATES LIMITED. (1925, February 22). Truth (Brisbane, Qld. : 1900 – 1954), p. 17. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198674086
11. R. G. OATES’S TOUR (1928, August 30). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 15. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182355361
12. R. G. OATES’ ESTATES. (1924, December 10). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), p. 7. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182831321
13. R. G. OATES EXAMINED IN BANKRUPTCY. (1933, April 5). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), p. 7. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185455430
14. Bankrupt Discharged. (1935, February 20). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), p. 8. Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186172208
15. NOTICE OF SALE OF LAND FOR ARREARS OF RATES (1938, March 26). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), p. 14 (SPORTS FINAL). Retrieved December 28, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article183435657
16. G. OATES’ CONCERT. (1922, December 16). Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), p. 10 (DAILY.). Retrieved December 29, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111136897
17. MANY HAPPY RETURNS (1957, November 20). The South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld.), p. 11.
18. MR.R. G. OATS CELEBRATES 85^TH BIRTHDAY (1956, November 21). The South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld.), p. 18.
19. HE MAKES HISTORY AS THE FIRST IN GOLD COAST REALESTATE: DADDY OF THEM ALL (1965, October 1). The Gold Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld.), p. 1.