Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 9 : Construction of the cultural centre, 1977-1981

T 1~ C,.,,1 i ~1' ,.~ .... ; ',11' , 9t 1 q77 Brisbane's cultural centre looks in good order for the.,official open– ing of the jubilee fountain by the Queen on Friday. Workmen have battled rain and a tight deadline to get the centre in reasonable order. Where the re we re mud and boards last week t h e re is green grass today. Paths have been laid and shrubs planted I n t h e gardens. A canopy has been erected at the . top of the centre. There Is a mud– heap at one side but this will be covered. River ceremony •,• . ends Royal visit BRISBANE kept until last the most spec toculor ·of the 1977 Royal visit occo1ion1 the Brisbone River ceremonies that followed o brief cruise down from Toowong. big day for artists QUEEN Eliaabeth ye • terdoy met first prize– winners in a child art competition that will go an 1haw in mafor centre, of the State, • tarting in lrl • bane an Mondoy. The 30-mlnule func– tion In the Government House ballroom WBII one or the mosL Informal of the 45-hour Royal visit to B r I 5 b ll n e, 8.1 tht! Queen chatted a.nd Joked with Ute )'Outhful artists. Qul!f!n Elizabeth aw the flnt.. second and third prize-winners In the Sliver Jubilee nrt competition conducted by the Education D~art– ment through Queens– land schools, RLLrRcllnr :lO(JO entrle.. These p1llntln1111 and • ·on the sectlon for el~ht years •nd under. Jusl beat the Nort.11 Queen,– J&nd \\'CL with her P" lnt– Jng which had to re,r.h Mt. h& from her r11.m11y·s Isolated grazing propcrL)', La n I re r Station, near Wmton. H" mother, Mrs. ,Joan Little, .aid Christine had flnl•hcd the palnllnR Just two dnys before the clos– ing date - and hRrl IL nlned the mall could noL hnve left the property for a Wl!tlk at leML nlhrr• lrom the cnm- The tiny School nf thr. petition will be dl1played Air pupil, who will not In the Queen•land Art~- mcet her tenchrr Mis., Gallery rrnm !iro"lnhlyar. Ann Reid until a sport.f 18ft!!!_II, ,and tater will ,ro dny In ML. Isa In M•.v on lonr Ln the State'• re- e<lUld not r.nntnln heraell ,rlnnal rdur.atlon centtt•. • whr.n the Queen presen- OhrlstJne Little, 7, who ll'rl h•I' l i\D l'OUCher prize. There was a hHrt-stopping moment for State tour organi11rs when Qu11n . Elisabeth pushed an electric switch ta turn-on the new river fountain. But a., the Deputy Premier •nd Treaaurer IMr. Knox , hesitated - uncertain whether t.o ail'e t.he swltr.h a prod tumsel! - nnd as Prine" Philip looked 11ppre– henslYely . aL hi• wile, water started' · gushing from the Jet.s RO metr!s from the river bank. The reluct&nt founta in was the only obvJoua hitch Jn a Royal pro– Jramme that went off Ilk• clockwork - and had such enormoua crowd appeal thM State of– ficials were delighted, . 'l'he fountain will reRch 75 metres when fully operative. The river scene yester– day WAS Mlflzlng. More than 100 police were on Victor!& Bridge to con– trol the crnwds. Thou,and• lined the nnrlh bank - and •11- hllUlled 11,rurP.a crnwded • ninr-to1111 up and down– stream - and a,, far away H Hl,rh,rate HIil, The Queen and Prince Philip cruised from Too• w n n ,r on the lluch 81\•ordflsh. owned by Mr, D. R. H. Behumann. They were given a cheer– Jnr • end-oft by 1pec1a– tors. The Mines Minister t Mr, Camm I stood in for the Tourism Minister IMr. Hodges! - Ill W1Lh chicken-pox - u the Queen's escorL on the rlver crulsr.. More thRn 100 color– fully decol'Rted craft fol• lowed Swordfish down– stream to the pontoon n ear Victoria Bridge, where the Royal par1.y stepped Mhore on the •outh bank to be met by Mr. and Mrs. Knox. The Q;een, In a red and whlle printed •JI• dm1, and a r'lhY N'd •traw llat with white lln– lnr and white flower,,, oaw the fll'!lt ,tap.11 of th• ,n mllllon r.ultaral cnmples: - a landAC&Pf'd rl•orbank and walkway.. She had lhllt lallslnR wait for the fountain to •tart after she had named It "The Queen· Elizabeth 11 Ju– bllee Fountain". . Advanced "You're lucky the wtnd w&m't blowln1 the otlter way," Prince Phlllp' told Mr. Knox 11111th an eye on the oomeroua craft clut– tered around the river's newest and mOllt etrlklng focal point. The rl ver craft •ounded hooters and sl• rens u lhe fountain came Into piny, aft.er Mr. Kn OX Md told the Queen : "Here "'Ill bp on1t or the mo•t adva.n<:ed and beautllul cultttral centres In Australia/ 1th,er1llle cultural complex, "• 11 In• 1t1nt l • Wft 1 P, •1 Duke'• y • cnt Ylalt, ,. 10.