By Tina Wilson (nee Daly)
In the 1960s Cottesloe surfer Tina Daly, her cousin Jeanne Abbott & friend Stef Meyer, and some other girls lived and surfed at Cottesloe. Tina, Jeanne & Stef competed in the inaugural State Championships at Yallingup in 1964. The woman’s event was won by Jenny Shackley (Scarb) & Stef (Cott) came second.
1963 Cottesloe beach girls L-R Tina Daly, Jeanne Abbott & Stef Meyer. Image courtesy of WA Newspapers.
1964 Cottesloe and City Beach girls in the Cottesloe Beach car park. Bert Moriarty pic.
L-R Nola Smith, Glenda Higgs, Stef Meyer, Tina Daly, Jeanne Abbott, Andrea Spence, Sue-Ellen Anderson (in front), Deanne Smith and Gail Spence.
Glenda Higgs was killed in a car accident in Cambridge Street a short time after this photo was taken. The ‘City Beach girls’ in fact all came from Floreat including sisters Nola and Deanne Smith. Andrea & Gail Spence are also sisters.
In the late 1960s Tina married Joe Wilson (Dec’d) from the Yallingup Board Club and they ran the Wipeout Nightclub located on the beach front at Cottesloe in the early 1970s.
Tina’s memories of the WIPEOUT Nightclub
The Camp Association approached my husband Joe Wilson to see if they could hire the venue once a month on a Wednesday night. Joe approached the owner who was a very respectful gentleman, can’t think of his name at present, but he said that was great. Thinking it was the Boy Scouts. They all got a shock when it was the gay association. The people who ran the Camp Association were the nicest people you could ever wish to meet. They turned up in suits and were so respectful, etc. In those days the early 1970’s gay people were not really acknowledged. The Wednesday nights turned out a great success and the most alcohol ever consumed in the club. Therefore, a very big money earner! They had a stripper called Jason who needed someone like me to talk to, as he would get very nervous before performing. Because his tiny weeny leather outfit was so precious to him, he asked me to stand in the front, so he could throw it to me as he knew I would return it to him 😊.
The club was very popular with the SAS guys as it was close to Swanbourne army barracks. One of the bouncers Rick, was an ex Golden Gloves boxing champion and he loved a fight. But then Rick did a total turnabout from being an enthusiastic bouncer and turned to religion. Rick ended up trying to convert everyone and would come up to Jurien Bay and baptise us in the ocean, until it all got too much and Joe had to have a word to him. Unfortunately, Rick died in the Philippines doing mission work. I could tell you so many stories, but they may not go down too well. Outrageous days for us all.
1964 Tina’s husband Joe Wilson with Smokey the dog and his two-door Standard Eight sedan (1938-59) at the Cove Cottesloe. Photo courtesy of Arthur Sherburn.
1972 Joe Wilson with daughter Lisa & son John at Hideaway Holiday Homes Yallingup. Photo Tina Wilson.
Note: Tony and Carol Harbison started constructing Hideaway Holiday Homes in 1972 on Yallingup Hill. This photo was taken prior to construction of the duplex units.
Thanks for sharing your story Tina.
————————————
