Humble engineer Peter Goldston who built Expo 88 dies aged 78

One of the pivotal men credited with developing Brisbane’s Expo 88 and cementing its reputation as an international city has died.

World Expo 88 monorail.

One of the pivotal men behind Expo 88 has sadly passed. Peter Goldston, who oversaw the development of the South Bank site, was a well-regarded engineer who was involved in the construction of the Wivenhoe Dam before being appointed to the Expo 88.

Goldston was in charge of clearing the original South Bank area and then oversaw the design, construction and eventually the removal of all the Expo attractions.

A couple of years ago Goldston recalled an interesting anecdote involving the Queen at the opening of the event.

Seated a few rows behind the Queen on the River Stage, Goldston had a moment of pure panic when he saw a damp patch developing underneath the Queen’s seat.

Running down underneath the artificial grass, was a sewerage line and the engineer feared the pipe was leaking, directly below the Queen. With the ceremony being televised to millions around the world, he noticed the patch growing and worried that the pipe would blow beneath Her Majesty.

“We got through the opening ceremony without it bursting,” Goldston remembered with relief. Goldston said there was no doubt Expo put Brisbane on the world stage.

“As to how much Expo 88 helped to establish Brisbane as a significant international city, we will never know the answer. But it is now a world stage player and that was not so before Expo,’’ he said a few years ago.

Goldston was 78 and his survived by his wife Desley. Goldston’s passing comes less than a year after the death of Sir Llew Edwards, the chairman of Expo 88.

Expo 88 engineer Peter Goldston

FISHING TIME

Two of Queensland’s most iconic manufacturers have joined forces for the perfect Christmas stocking filler. Adina Watches, the country’s only mass maker of time pieces, and fishing gear manufacturer Alvey Reels have produced an Alvey Adina watch that combines the strengths of both brands. Adina Watches chief executive Grant Menzies (illustrated) says Alvey’s Con Athans approached his company back in January to create a range of watches.

Appropriately, Alvey is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year while Adina is commemorating its 50th.

Along with a flagship model, Adina and Alvey also are producing junior and stealth models.

Both Alvey and Adina are survivors in Australia’s rapidly shrinking manufacturing sector but are still around because of their commitment to making things in this country.

Menzies says demand for the Alvey watches has been excellent with plans to produce more in the future. What could be more Queensland than going fishing with an Alvey Reel and an Adina Alvey watch?

Adina Watches’ Grant Menzies at his Woolloongabba factory.

CLUB MAN

A cashed-up private club that now boasts the “strongest balance sheet” of any of its rivals has embarked on a reinvestment strategy that includes creating a general manager role.

The Brisbane Club, which this year completed the $32m sale of the freehold of its tower at 241 Adelaide St, has employed Paul Stewart for the role, who previously spent more than nine years with United Services Club Qld in Spring Hill.

Brisbane Club president Theresa Moltoni says the appointment was a way to improve member experience.

“The club has recently completed the sale of our freehold interest in the Brisbane Club Tower. This has given us the strongest balance sheet of any private club in Queensland, and one of the strongest nation-wide,” she says.

“With this in mind we have created this new role which Paul will fill.”