Caloundra Tourism

Events: Exhibitions

Greetings from Peregian Beach Roadhouse

Wed 21 Apr - Sun 23 May 2010

Early 20th century stories of the Sunshine Coast built environment.

Greetings from Peregian Beach Roadhouse diverts away from the traditional and delivers a rich discussion on Sunshine Coast ‘holiday heritage’. This unique exhibition transforms the art space with social history, architecture, popular culture and art to reveal the character of the coast as depicted through its buildings. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the origins of the coast’s personality and the impact these buildings have had on their communities.

 This exhibition came as a result of a presentation made by Shaun Walsh at the 2008 Sunshine Coast Heritage Forum. The presentation’s hero was Alex Jelinek and the remarkable story of the Peregian Beach Roadhouse. Jelinek was born in Czechoslovakia in 1925. A talented architecture student in Prague who, just days before graduating, fled the communist revolution by hijacking a light plane. As a displaced person in West Germany, Jelinek emigrated to Australia in 1950. Jelinek was one of many European born architects and designers who contributed greatly to the development of Australian Modernism. He was very interested in expressing unique ‘Australian-ness’ in design, rather than replicating styles from overseas.

The Peregian Beach Roadhouse was an adventurous steel-and-poured-concrete edifice, with five triangular roof elements fanning out at differing heights over an outdoor fountain. Jelinek ended up having a falling out with the client and never saw the finished building when it was opened in 1962. For many years the Roadhouse remained concealed under later renovations as part of the Peregian Beach Motel, only to be demolished in 2004. 

The Peregian Beach Roadhouse is just one of seven stories detailing the Sunshine Coast’s built environment from the turn of the century to the 1980s which includes the display of a full size 1950’s replica caravan, archival documents, collector’s postcards etc etc. “I hope that through this exhibition, we can collectively build a better sense of place and memory for our built heritage and the people who have helped shape the character of the Sunshine Coast”, said Cultural Heritage and Collections Manager for the Sunshine Coast Council, John Waldron.

 The exhibition is a partnership initiative between Caloundra Regional Gallery and PLACE Design Group Pty Ltd, curated by Shaun Walsh.