Weirs Park

Five generations of Weirs have called Cotton Tree home since the family moved from Toowoomba in the 1920's and settled by the river. First generation Weirs opened a grocery store on Memorial Avenue in 1931, then their sons Norm and John started an engineering business inside a garage next door. Today Norm's son Bryan has Weirs Surf Shop in the same spot. Norm and his brothers John and Bruce were also key players in the development of the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club as unofficial lifeguards before there was such a thing. The brothers contributed greatly to the rescue of visitors who found themselves in trouble outside patrol hours on many occasions, over the 30 odd years (1935 to about 1967) until a seven day rescue service was established. Norm was an outstanding surf swimmer as a junior, being competitive with Steve Wilkes through 1938 - 1941, to win the Queensland junior surf title in 1940. The second World War robbed him of the chance to reach his full potential as he joined the RAAF. Norm love the outdoors, was a great surfer and a very good fisherman. Today, the popular park along Cotton Tree River bears the family name. Weirs Park is on the corner of King Street and Memorial Avenue, opposite the area where many of the Weirs have owned businesses and lived.