What does a Queensland Politian, a Toowoomba Mayor, a motorcycle champion and the Downs Motorcycle S
This year, eighty years ago, a Downs Sporting Motorcycle Club (DMCSC) member, Mervyn (Curley) Anderson (OBE) won the Senior Tourist Trophy (TT) at Bathurst on the 31st of May 1934 at the age of 25. He rode a Manx Norton and won with an average speed of 63mph (101kph). He was the first Queenslander to win an Australian road race classic and this race win gave him the lead in the championship and was later crowned the 1934 Australian Champion. After losing his leg in a sidecar accident a few years later, Curley ran a service station at Drayton before becoming the manager then director and finally chairman of Western Transport. He was a councilor with the Drayton Shire Council before moving to the Toowoomba City Council. He was the Toowoomba Mayor from 1952 to 1958, before becoming East Toowoomba member of the Queensland Parliament from 1957 to 1966. Curley was named father of the year in August 1971 for aiding the handicapped children of Australia. He was a tireless worker for this cause and State President at the time of his sudden death in November 1971.
