Bruce Small
Encyclopedia
Sir Andrew Bruce Small was an Australia
n businessman and politician. In Melbourne
, he developed Malvern Star bicycles into a household name in Australia, then retired to the Gold Coast
, Queensland
, where he developed property, and as Mayor of the Gold Coast, promoted the area to Australia and the world as a family friendly holiday destination through the bikini clad (parking) "Meter Maids".
, Melbourne from Austral Wheel Race
winner, Tom Finnigan. His brothers, Frank and Ralph Small, joined Bruce in his sales, building cycles at the rate of 5 per week.
The small cycle shop offered prizes in cycle races, resulting in Hubert Opperman
winning a prize in 1921, and impressing Small so much that a job was offered to the young cyclist. Thus started a long relationship, as both friend and sponsor of Hubert Opperman.
With the Second World War affecting parts supply, Malvern Star bicycles started manufacturing many of its own parts for bicycles. Defence contracts help the growth of the business. At its peak after the Second World War, Malvern Star had 115 stores with 1,000 dealers.
After the war, Small's Malvern Star bicycles were ridden by Sid Patterson
, who won the World Championship Sprint in Copenhagen
in 1949, and several other races including amateur World Championship Pursuit in Liege (1950), professional World Championship Pursuit in Paris
(1952), and professional World Championship Pursuit in Zurich
(1953). At the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne, Ian Browne
and Tony Marchant won the gold medal
in the Tandem on a Malvern Star.
and promoted property development in Strathmore Heights
, in Melbourne. In 1956 he bought 40 hectares of flood-prone mangrove land on the Nerang River
, on the Gold Coast. He retired from his Malvern Star business in 1958. From 1958 to the mid 1960s, he pioneered canal developments based on 'proven US methods' from the US state of Florida
, destroying much of the rich mangrove environment in the process.
After a season of cyclonic storms which battered the Gold Coast in 1967, Small was instrumental in promoting this area as a family holiday destination through widespread appearances and promotions of the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids, established in 1965, to attract tourists back to the area.
From 1972 to 1977 he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
representing the seat of Surfers Paradise
for the Country Party
(later renamed the National Party of Australia). He was knighted in 1974 for his services to the Gold Coast and Queensland.
The Gold Coast City Council has named the Sir Bruce Small Park in Benowa, and the Sir Bruce Small Boulevard after him.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n businessman and politician. In Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, he developed Malvern Star bicycles into a household name in Australia, then retired to the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, where he developed property, and as Mayor of the Gold Coast, promoted the area to Australia and the world as a family friendly holiday destination through the bikini clad (parking) "Meter Maids".
Background
Bruce Small was born in Ryde, New South Wales, in 1895. At the age of 24 in 1920 he bought an interest in the Malvern Star shop at 185 Glenferrie Rd, MalvernMalvern, Victoria
Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...
, Melbourne from Austral Wheel Race
Austral Wheel Race
The Austral Wheel Race is the oldest track bicycle race in the world still existing, stretching back to 1887. The Austral race is Australia’s greatest track cycling event. It is held in Melbourne, riders assigned handicaps according to ability over a series of heats. The finals are run over...
winner, Tom Finnigan. His brothers, Frank and Ralph Small, joined Bruce in his sales, building cycles at the rate of 5 per week.
The small cycle shop offered prizes in cycle races, resulting in Hubert Opperman
Hubert Opperman
Sir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE , referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim....
winning a prize in 1921, and impressing Small so much that a job was offered to the young cyclist. Thus started a long relationship, as both friend and sponsor of Hubert Opperman.
With the Second World War affecting parts supply, Malvern Star bicycles started manufacturing many of its own parts for bicycles. Defence contracts help the growth of the business. At its peak after the Second World War, Malvern Star had 115 stores with 1,000 dealers.
After the war, Small's Malvern Star bicycles were ridden by Sid Patterson
Sid Patterson
Sid Patterson was a world champion amateur and professional track cyclist from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. While a teenager, Patterson won every Victorian and Australian title between 1,000 metres and ten miles...
, who won the World Championship Sprint in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1949, and several other races including amateur World Championship Pursuit in Liege (1950), professional World Championship Pursuit in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1952), and professional World Championship Pursuit in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
(1953). At the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne, Ian Browne
Ian Browne (cyclist)
Ian Browne, also known as "Joey" Browne is a former Australian track cyclist who along with Tony Marchant won the 2000 m tandem event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Unusually tall and strongly built for a cyclist, Browne had little formal training and won his first Australian title...
and Tony Marchant won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the Tandem on a Malvern Star.
Property development
From 1945 Bruce Small owned land at GowanbraeGowanbrae, Victoria
Gowanbrae is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
and promoted property development in Strathmore Heights
Strathmore Heights, Victoria
Strathmore Heights is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley...
, in Melbourne. In 1956 he bought 40 hectares of flood-prone mangrove land on the Nerang River
Nerang River
The Nerang River is a river that begins in the McPherson Range in the Gold Coast hinterland and runs through Gold Coast City in South East Queensland, Australia...
, on the Gold Coast. He retired from his Malvern Star business in 1958. From 1958 to the mid 1960s, he pioneered canal developments based on 'proven US methods' from the US state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, destroying much of the rich mangrove environment in the process.
Gold Coast Mayor and politician
In 1967, with the slogan "Think Big, Vote Small", he was elected Mayor of the Gold Coast, holding office till 1973. He was re-elected from 1976 to 1978. Like many politicians during this period, a time prior to the existence of conflict of interest laws, he saw no conflict between his duties as Mayor and his opportunities as a property developer.After a season of cyclonic storms which battered the Gold Coast in 1967, Small was instrumental in promoting this area as a family holiday destination through widespread appearances and promotions of the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids, established in 1965, to attract tourists back to the area.
From 1972 to 1977 he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
representing the seat of Surfers Paradise
Electoral district of Surfers Paradise
The district of Surfers Paradise is an electoral district of the State of Queensland in Australia.-Members for Surfers Paradise:-Election results:-External links:*...
for the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
(later renamed the National Party of Australia). He was knighted in 1974 for his services to the Gold Coast and Queensland.
The Gold Coast City Council has named the Sir Bruce Small Park in Benowa, and the Sir Bruce Small Boulevard after him.