In Coolangatta, a normally sedate, seaside suburb, on the border between Queensland and New South Wales, the streets were closed to traffic and today the town erupted into a mass celebration of colour, music and nostalgia from that great era of rock-n-roll, the 50’s and 60’s. Thousands of hot rods, custom cars and classic vehicles lined the stunning beachfront
“Cooly Rocks On” had hit town.
Thousands flocked in from all points of the compass. Accent’s from all around the world could be heard joining in the singing and the bouffant skirts showing layers of frilled lace petticoats twirled and flipped to the iconic music of Bill Haley and company. For a day I was transported back to a time when I was a teenager.
It was time to shake the creases out of the colourful retro clothes of the 50’s and parade around town. Remember those stockings held up with a garter belt? No panty hose back then, they had a back seam that was notoriously hard to keep straight. I think this lady may have drawn her seam on…
So much vivid colour and every where things to bring back memories. Remember the old style skates? I do…
Even a sighting of Elvis, the King…
This year is the first time since 2009 that we have seen this rock-n-roll extravaganza. We have been on the road every year since then and especially during our winter we would leave town. It has become much bigger, more cars, more people, but still the same happy, colourful atmosphere. Click here to take a trip back in time to the previous “Cooly Rocks On” or as it was called back then “Winter Sun”
I liked it, all the way down to Elvis- then I just had to shut my eyes 🙂 🙂
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Needed sun glasses on Jo
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Brilliant for the vivid theme, Pauline! I just love the clothes and music from this era 😀
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Me too, but I was more a tartan, tight jeans and bright orange vinyl jacket sort of girl…
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very very cool! american muscle in aussieland 🙂
great post-it i love me hot rod shows 🙂
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If you are a rev head Q you would love this festival…Brmmmm, Brmmmm
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yes i would an also i’d love to go to aussieland to fly the morning glory on my hanglider trike with aussiepilot billo 🙂 http://quarksire.com/2014/06/23/morning-glory-2-u-mate/
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That sounds a great way to go. Our son has a hanglider, not a trike style though, there are some good places for flying around here.
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how so very awesome 🙂
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It is…
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What fun Pomme! And a great trip down memory road with you comments about garters and no panty hose. We tend to forget ugly memories like those things!!!!!
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Oh yes and remember the corsets that came before the garters? Ugh not a glamorous look!!!
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Sadly yes, I remember them well!!!
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They flattened my tummy in but made me bulge in other areas… If you know what I mean, (grinning…)
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Truly vivid in many ways PP. I heard on the radio yesterday that the people born post 1940 have grown up in the best of times. Certainly the late fifties and sixties were fun for teenagers of the day.
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Jack was born 1932 and he maintains his life was blessed being brought up then. I was a teenager in the 50’s and it sure was a great era, I had a lot of fun…
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Is Jack Aussie born and bred? I think in England men still did National Service until the end of 1960 so those born who weren’t called up were the luckier ones.
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Yes Jack is a fair dinkum Aussie Jude and he was lucky to miss out on the National Conscript 1964-1972 as he was too old. He says they didn’t get chance to brain wash him…Interestingly the father of the woman we house sat for at Valla Beach was in charge of the lottery draw for the birth dates that dictated who was chosen. I found some very interesting facts in Wikipedia about conscription. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_Australia
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I hadn’t realised that Australia had it too. Lucky for Jack then 😀
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He calls himself lucky Jack… 🙂
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Hahaha… he’s definitely a lucky man! He’s got you hasn’t he?
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I’m blushing….
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Thanks for putting this one on record, We are so fortunate on the Gold Coast.being Australias play groung there is always plenty of free entertainment. We have it made all we have to do is keep fit enough to participate.
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Yes I agree and we are working on the “keep fit” part…
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Did you take the opportunity to dress up and strut your stuff? I love the clothes from back then and that car is fabulous. Skating was fun. although I was never brilliant at it. A cool nostalgic post 🙂
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I just wore my jeans, I am not a frock sort of girl… I was good at skating though…
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Vivid colours, vivid fashions, vivid memories! 🙂
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Yes especially the memories… 🙂
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WOW! What a colorful and fun celebration. Great photos too!
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We had a great day Cindy.
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Twirly skirts … roller skates and a chance to meet with Elvis 🙂 Happy days Pauline !!
Vivid memories .
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There you go Poppy, Elvis lives on*****
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I love your header, the colour of the cars, the skirt swirl, the overthetop Elvis, and the stocking seams. Thanks for Bill Haley too.
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It was a great time to be alive. I think maybe the last of the innocent years.
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Love that orange auto, and all the circle skirts – fabulous examples – thank you!!!
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I thought of you Del, you would’ve been in 7th heaven looking round all the retro clothes stalls in the markets.
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Oh, my goodness! They had retro clothing, too? 👀 And you thought of me?? You’ve made m’ day! 💕💕💕
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Retro fashion seems to be coming back in fashion over here…
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It seems to be happening all over the globe!
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Every thing old is new again!!!!
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That floral skirt!! Just gorgeous!!
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I think they are coming back in fashion DJ. Do you have one???
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I do not. I have a dress a little like it, but it doesn’t flare out that much unfortunately 😉
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