Kinkabool

Looking at the skyline of the Gold Coast today, it is difficult to comprehend that in 1960, there was only one high rise apartment building: Kinkabool, built between 1959 and 1960. What is not surprising is that it was the brainchild of one of the early Gold Coast entrepreneurs, Stanley Korman, who had already built Lennons Hotel at Broadbeach, the Chevron Hotel in Surfers Paradise and Chevron and Paradise Island canal estates in the late 1950s. Korman, a Polish-born 1920s immigrant to Australia, was influenced by resorts he had seen in Hawaii and Florida. Unlike other developments on the coast in the 1960s; Eldorado, Sunset Strip and Florida Car-o-tel, an Aboriginal name was chosen for this new venture. Kinkabool reputedly means 'laughing water'. Built before the introduction of strata title, Kinkabool was sold under company title, with purchasers becoming shareholders in the company. Potential purchasers were required to submit personal references to a board of directors for approval. It was finally converted to strata title in 1999. The building retains many of the features of a 1960s apartment block, including the balconies with timber slats, terrazzo floors, mosaic tiles, and maple features on the stairs and in the foyer. Please note - This is a private residence and is not publicly accessible.