From the Archives - The Making of Gair Oval

In 1932, during the Great Depression, Vince Gair was elected as the Member for South Brisbane. Vince was a Christian Brothers Old Boy from Rockhampton and Chairman of the St Laurence’s College Parent Committee. After being elected to office, he approached the Premier to extend the current use of relief labour that worked on the grounds of state schools to  also assist  denominational  schools.

In Queensland during the Depression, most of the relief work was under the intermittent scheme whereby the men worked on roads, drains, forestry, state school grounds and playing field projects for one day per week. Queensland workers in the Intermittent Relief Scheme who were evicted from private accommodation were entitled to a hut valued at £10. Unemployment reached 30% in Queensland during the Depression. Unemployed men with families could be housed in camps in places like Redcliffe and Southport, but accommodation for single men was difficult to find and large makeshift camps sprang up in public spaces at Victoria Park, Dutton Park, Mayne Junction Railway sheds, and near Brisbane Grammar School. We can only presume that many of the workers at the College came from the Dutton Park camp due to its location.

In 1933 Brother Foley was the Principal and the College had 416 students.  The school was staffed with nine teachers of which only one, Mr Round, was a secular teacher. This was also the year of the first Senior class at St Laurence’s College and consisted of 12 Seniors.

Thanks to Vince Gair’s intervention, the excavation of the legendary Gair Field began in 1933. An inexpensive way to finally carve out a playing field.

Brisbane Architect and Nudgee College Old Boy, John Patrick Donoghue, donated his time and drew plans for this large project. “JP” as he was known, was a well- known Architect in Brisbane for his work for the Catholic Church in Queensland. His work illustrates much of the history of ecclesiastical and educational architecture in the state during that period. The churches which he has left us are his enduring monuments including Holy Spirit at New Farm, St Augustine’s at Coolangatta and the Catholic Church of Mary Immaculate at Annerley. He also designed many schools and convents throughout the state.

It was expected that the relief workers would quarry out a hillside and fill a deep gully and make a level area 150 yards (137 metres) long and 85 yards (78 metres) wide – one side a vertical cliff and the other a steep embankment. Ted Delaney, who worked for the City Council, was engaged as overseer.

On 25 September 1933 Ted Delaney led 100 relief workers to begin the excavation with leading hand and ‘powder monkey’ Ed Bletchey.  Picks and shovels were bought or borrowed and small metal carts called 'tumbling tommies’, with supporting rails were hired from the Department of Railways for 25 shillings.

At first, observers were overwhelmed by the size of the proposed project and called it ‘Gair’s folly’. But as years went by and its size became apparent people spoke more respectfully of ‘Gair’s quarry’.

Before the crew withdrew, a concrete retaining wall was constructed in one section for £250 and a wire netting fence was erected at the top of the embankment for £30.

The men who worked on the excavation did so cheerfully and took pride in the field's progress. The Depression years were hard times when men worked at any task to feed their families. During this time, the Brothers lived on meagre rations, however many of the workers gratefully recalled the ‘kindly Brother Foley’ who regularly cooked a ‘goodly chunk of corned beef’ to provide a filling between two slabs of bread that were the men’s lunches.

In 1937, the Dutton Park camp was described as having a ‘colourful profusion’ of the ‘most picturesque and best- constructed tin and bag houses’, and some men slept in the open without blanket bags. Hundreds of men lived in the park and the park seats were ripped up to provide firewood. The men shared the small rations available. The number of relief workers fell as the economy improved, and by 1939 the relief work scheme was abolished.

Relief labour at the College finished in October 1938 and the school was left with a ‘table of rock’ which remained for years to come. This table of rock became Gair Oval in honour of Vince Gair and his assistance to the College. Eventually, soil was spread over the rock base and the oval became a favourite space for the students for many years with them making good use of the cricket practice nets and tennis courts.

70 years after the work was completed the field was once again excavated to build a carpark in partnership with the Mater Hospital. No picks or shovels were used in 2008 rather heavy earth-moving equipment and trucks. The top of the carpark was covered with artificial turf and Gair Oval became Gair Field as we know it today. Once again Gair Field has practice cricket nets and tennis courts installed along with a football pitch and is still a favourite space for students.