Sea Glint

Sea Glint was the first private holiday home built in Surfers Paradise. Located on land that eventually incorporated Appel and Alison Streets, the house was constructed around 1885 on a large parcel of land subdivided by Johann Meyers. At the back of the property was a swampy area with a tidal creek running through a gully.

For many years, Sea Glint was the favourite property and home of the Honourable J. G. (John George) Appel, his wife Ruth and their family. When writing letters for publication in local newspapers, Appel often gave his address as Sea Glint rather than his other home in New Sandgate Road, Clayfield or his farming property in Nerang.

In the years prior to the name Surfers Paradise being officially used to describe the area, Sea Glint was referred to as being in Meyers Ferry, Southport, Elston and Main Beach. Both the property and Appel family were so well known in the region that the Lands Department put forward the name of Sea Glint instead of Surfers Paradise when choosing a new name for the region. However, the local residents including Jim Cavill, preferred Surfers Paradise and were successful in lobbying for their preference.

Sea Glint hosted many functions over the decades it was owned by the Appels including a party for the local children of Meyers Ferry who were entertained with games on the lawn. J. G. Appel also had a motor launch, the Alert, and was often seen cruising around the Broadwater and Moreton Bay.

J. G. Appel died in Brisbane on 19 March 1929 a few weeks after drinking tainted water from a tank at Sea Glint. His wife and private secretary, Isobel Hannah, continued to spend time at Sea Glint until the property was sold in 1938 to Messrs. L. Clement Hill and Co. and subdivided into 36 house allotments. Prior to the final survey being completed and the lots sold, the Main Roads Commission contacted the new owners to resume some of the land to improve dangerous bends on a section of the Pacific Highway between Ferry Road (Cavill Avenue) and the Roman Catholic Church.

The house itself was purchased by Charles Winter of Waverley Station in the Hughenden district who frequently holidayed on the Gold Coast. During World War Two, the Winter family offered the house as a military rest home for officers. While it was not given military status, Sea Glint was used as a convalescent home during the war and was managed by Mrs C. Steadman. It was not the only soldiers’ convalescent home in the area. Monte Video at nearby Main Beach was also used by recuperating military men.

In 1948, Dr W. H. Nette commenced his private practice at Sea Glint using the phone number of Surfers 284. The property also served as the Nette’s family home.

Sea Glint remained in central Surfers Paradise into the late 1940s when it received a regular delivery of milk from the South Coast Dairy in Southport. From the mid-1950s, it fades from newspaper reports and the date of its sale is unknown.

Sources of information and further reading

ELSTON POSTAL ADDRESS (1932, October 14). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133665904

CHANGE OF NAME DESIRED (1932, October 21). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 7. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133660858

SOUTHPORT ON THE AIR (1946, March 6). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article194851634

SOCIAL. (1910, December 27). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 7. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19673697

JOINT MEETING FIXED. (1924, March 15). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 7. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20662125

SOUTHPORT. (1925, March 30). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 10. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20903551

MOTOR BOATING. (1925, June 18). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), p. 4 (SECOND EDITION–3 p.m.). Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185191289

SOUTHPORT. (1926, July 1). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 19. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21034495

LAW REPORT. FRIDAY, JUNE 14. (1929, June 15). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), p. 16. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21416704

NO MAN’S LAND. (1940, June 14). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188880124

SOUTHPORT TOWN COUNCIL (1938, May 6). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133765602

SEA GLINT PROPERTY SELLING WELL (1938, April 22). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133764489

SOUTH COAST REAL ESTATE (1938, February 22). The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 – 1954), p. 8. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39740568

EAST SOUTHPORT (1937, December 17). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 6. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133669369

SOUTHPORT TOWN COUNCIL (1938, January 14).South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 10. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133762588

SOUTHPORT TOWN COUNCIL (1940, February 16).South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 11. Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188882730

J. C. H. Gill, ‘Appel, John George (1859–1929)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/appel-john-george-5042/text8397 published first in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 15 February 2017.

OBITUARY (1929, March 22). The Week (Brisbane, Qld. : 1876 – 1934), p. 12. Retrieved February 15, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187917627

SOLDIERS’ REST HOMES (1942, February 27). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188312074

RED CROSS SOCIETY (1942, June 19). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188314932

PERSONAL (1948, July 7). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 1. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article187683000

SOUTPORT TOWN COUNCIL (1938, January 28). South Coast Bulletin (Southport, Qld. : 1929 – 1954), p. 10. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133763021

Southport People and Places written by Colleen Yuke. Manuscript LHM 6473. Manuscript held at the City of Gold Coast Local Studies Library.