Pike Park

Pike Park is named after the Pike family. Benny Pike is a well-known Australian boxer. Training from the grounds of Kawana, Benny represented Australia at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, two Commonwealth Games and three World Championships. In fact, the moment Benny found out he had been selected for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he was walking along the streets of Kawana. "I remember walking down the street and one little shop where you could get your paper, coffee and bread. So I picked up the paper and I read that I had been selected for the Olympic Games," Benny said. Kawana holds a significant spot for the Pike family. Benny's father, Geoff Pike, built the first home in Kawana in 1966. Kawana Estates had been building houses prior to 1966 and selling tem, however Geoff was the first individual builder who built a home for his family to live in. This was a massive gamble for Geoff. In fact, the General Manager of Kawana Estates, Noel Burns, visited Geoff at his house and named the building Sahara. Benny said it was named Sahara because the region was surrounded by bloody sand and not much else. Benny said for some unknown reason, Geoff always had a love for Kawana. "I clearly remember him saying Kawana was great, it was going to be the place to be," Benny said. Geoff was a businessman. From 1966 - 1971, Geoff built houses for the Pike family to live in for two to five months, then move into another. He mainly built houses in the Maroochydore region, however his love for Kawana always bought him back. "We lived in Sahara for two years, moved back to Maroochydore before moving back to Kawana in Baltana Avenue in 1970, " Benny said. "My father owned and developed what later became Kunda Park. They named Pike Street in Kunda Park after him." "But he always came back to Kawana. One of the things I remember clearly was how dad would invite people like the Premier of Queensland or a leading state politician or the Mayor to join him for dinner. It was form a business point of view. Rather than go out a pub, he would have them over for dinner at home and talk business. I remember walking in the door and Frank Nicklin or David Low was at the dinner table. Geoff lived on Baltana Avenue from 1970 until he passed away in 1977. The Pike family continued to own the house until 1987. Benny is a tireless community worker for sport on the Sunshine Coast. He initiated the establishment of the Sunshine Coast Sports Federation and continues to work to ensure its long term sustainability. Alongside his successful boxing career competing, coaching, commentating, Benny said Pike Park isn't named purely after him, rather his father Geoff and the family as a whole.