General News
14 March, 2025
NOTABLE VISITORS — Brief but unforgettable, with Brian Lennen
There are many tales surrounding notable people who have come to Maryborough.
Unbeknown to most current citizens, the pool at Princes Park was preceded by a pool opposite the Cambrian Hotel.
It was basically situated along where the amphitheatre is, diagonally opposite the railway station.
Two of the world’s most famous athletes swam a lap of the new pool on its opening.
The first was the American Johnny Weissmuller.
At the 1924 Paris Olympics and the 1928 Amsterdam games, he won the 100 metres and 400 metres freestyle, and spearheaded the winning 4x200 metres relay for gold. A total of six gold medals.
Hollywood came calling. Firstly he starred as Tarzan “the king of the apes”.
These movies were all action. The matinees were packed with excited kids.
Together with his inseparable companion, Cheetah the Chimpanzee, he swung from tree to tree over the jungle, swam in crocodile infested rivers, fought unarmed against crocodiles, anacondas and lions, while capturing the villains.
All the while we sat chewing on Choo Choo bars and screaming at the top of our voices.
As Jungle Jim he overcame similar obstacles.
Jim Hobbs, the local publican’s son, was envied by all, as he sported his Jungle Jim safari hat.
The other athlete was the Australian superhero, Sir Frank Beaurepaire.
At the 1908 London games, the 1920 Antwerp and 1924 Paris games, he won three silver and three bronze medals in the pool.
In business he excelled, founding Beaurepaire Tyres, and served on the Olympic committee and was Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
Queen Elizabeth II visited Maryborough on the Royal Train during her Coronation Tour in 1954.
Unfortunately with all the district’s school children lined up along the track, the Queen remained in her carriage and simply waved.
There had been an outbreak of polio, and it was too risky to expose Her Majesty to such a risk.
Still, the flags were waved and banners displayed, and Alf Leech, the mayor, was able to deliver his well-prepared speech.
Australian movie star Paul Hogan, an Australian comic version of Jungle Jim, filmed some scenes of his movie “Charlie and Boots” in Maryborough.
Certainly the most remembered visitor who stayed for about an hour was Samuel Langhorne Clemens — known as Mark Twain.
His stories along the Mississippi and his characters, leave a permanent mark on English literature and American culture.
Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and Injun Joe are unforgettable characters.
Twain spent a fortune on inventions, especially an automatic printing press.
Family tragedies and unwise investments saw him bankrupt.
A financial advisor suggested he take a worldwide lecture tour.
Twain was a brilliant raconteur. He came on stage alone with simply a chair. Dressing in a white linen suit, a Texan tie and his drooping moustache, he entertained non-stop with tales of his travels.
He was travelling by train from Adelaide to Melbourne on his lecture tour and stopped for an hour in Maryborough.
Declining lunch at the dining room, he lit up a cigar and headed to the centre of town and back.
On his way back a local reporter asked him for his impression of Maryborough and his famous response was “it is a town attached to a railway station!”
