With Dan beginning an important journey of his own (starting Year one at St Bernadette’s Primary school at Scarborough), 1988 also saw Cooke & Hutchinson make the move to the address we would become synonomous with: 19 Redcliffe Parade, Redcliffe. From it’s humble beginnings nearly 15 years before, Cooke & Hutchinson Lawyers, under the leadership of John and Gary, had become the pre-eminent law practice North of Brisbane and the time had come to set up a long term base that would also accomodate the firm’s continued growth. 

This sprawling waterfront office complex would remain home to the Cooke & Hutchinson family for the next 23 years and became an integral part of the fabric our firm. It was from this site that our firm truly started to flourish and was also the scene of many birthday, Christmas, welcome and farewell parties as the 80’s turned into the 90’s, the 90’s into the 2000’s…

1988 also saw:

– The Redcliffe Mall opens in Sutton St

– World Expo 88 begins in April and runs for 6 months, with over 70 countries hosting pavilions along specially reclaimed industrial land on the South bank of the Brisbane River. The event launches Brisbane back into the international spotlight, which had faded since the 1982 Commonwealth Games

– The nation celebrates its Bicentennial throughout the year, kicking off officially on Australia Day, with the re-enactment of the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour

– Queen Elizabeth II opens the new Parliament House in Canberra

– A Current Affair debuts on Channel 9, hosted by Jana Wendt

– The Brisbane Broncos join the NSW Rugby League competition, recording a huge victory over the defending premiers Manly in their opening game at the historic ground Lang Park

– US Navy warship USS Vincennes mistakes an Iranian airliner for a jet and shoots it down, killing all 290 passengers and crew on board. Presidential candidate George H W Bush refuses to apologise for the incident on behalf of the United States, saying “I don’t care what the facts are… I’m not an apologise-for America kind of guy.”

– Bush is later elected President in a landslide win for the Republicans over Massachussets Gov. Michael Dukakis

– The terrorist bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie generates much more outcry than the earlier disaster. 259 passengers lose their lives as well as 11 people on the ground

– Benazir Bhutto becomes the first Islamic female Prime Minister after being chosen to lead Pakistan

– CD’s outsell vinyl records for the first time

– NASA scientist James Hansen warns US Congress of the dangers of global warming and the greenhouse effect

Mississippi Burning, Rain Man, Who Framed Roger Rabbitt? And Die Hard are released

Births: Stephanie Rice (17 June), Emily Browning(7 December)
Deaths: William McMahon (31 March), Chet Baker (13 May), Luis Alvarez (1 September), Roy Orbison (6 December)