George Litfin: Beloved Gold Coast photographer, electrician and lifelong Southport resident dies at 95

A long-time Gold Coaster who was one of the last links to the early 20th century and a prolific photographer of the city’s changing face has died. READ THE TRIBUTE

Long-time Southport resident George Litfin, whose historic photographs have given new generations a window into the Gold Coast’s past, has died.

Mr Litfin, 95, passed away last week surrounded by family, including his wife of 65 years, Daphne. Mr Litfin, who worked as an electrician, was also a keen photographer, who took thousands of images in his lifetime documenting the city from the 1940s and 1950s to the 21st century.

Karen Wright, who is married to Mr Litfin’s nephew Brian, paid tribute to her “uncle George”, who she remembered as the lifeblood of the community.

George Litfin, pictured in 2005 with his house and his beloved Christmas lights. Picture: Jodie Richter

“He was the last of the Litfins and everyone liked him,” she said.

“During his working life he did electrical work in pretty much everyone’s houses so everyone knew him.

“Everyone would go to his house for Christmas because they loved to decorate it.

“Uncle George kept working well after retirement age. He just couldn’t say no.”

Looking South Along Marine Parade Southport. Picture: George Litfin

His love of Christmas lights and decorating was so well-known the Bulletin wrote an article about it in 2005.

Mr Litfin was born in 1929 in Southport and grew up during an era in which it was a small township in the years leading up to, and during, World War II.

He was one of five siblings and lived in Windmill Street before beginning work for his brother Joe at Litfin’s Electrical on Scarborough St.

The 1954 Australian Grand Prix was held on a street circuit at Southport. Picture: George Litfin

He married Daphne, his wife of 65 years, in 1960.

Mrs Litfin was also well-known in the Southport community as the manager of the Mathers shoe shop.

While he worked as an electrician, his real passion was photography and he would take his camera with him while travelling around the region on jobs.

The Colonial Store which stood at 62 Queen Street, Southport, Queensland, circa 1970s. Picture: George Litfin.

These pictures captured the region as it grew from being a series of townships to the city of South Coast and, finally, the Gold Coast.

“He started to see a few places pulled down, so he always took his camera with him while doing electrical work,” Mrs Wright said

“It is an invaluable treasure trove of images and he never stopped taking pictures.

A Tropicarnival parade in Surfers Paradise in the 1980s. Picture: George Litfin.

“Whenever you’d go around to their house you’d always get to see the pictures he had taken.”

Many of the images are simple scene shots, depicting local business, residential streets or the skyline.

A large number of the businesses pictured – such as the Krets Soft Drink factory on Davenport St or the Associated Minerals Consolidated Limited completed on Ferry Road – are long demolished.

The Krets Soft drink factory was in Davenport Street Southport. It opened in 1924 and was owned by J.A. Kretschmar. Picture: George Litfin

Other pictures show more remarkable moments, including the 1954 Australian Grand Prix which was run on a street circuit in Southport, the Tropicarnival festival parades in Surfers Paradise in the 1980s, and damage to the Southport pier cinema left by the 1954 cyclone.

The Litfin collection is today held by the Gold Coast City Council.

George Litfin will be farewelled at a funeral at Southport’s Guardian Angels Church on January 20 from 10.30am.