UA31316 Lumen Spring 2024 Final Digital - Flipbook - Page 13
The perpetrators,
revealed
“What happened was fairly obvious,” Hamish Robson says.
“We hadn’t engineered the chain for quite that load of stress
and, as the bridge wobbled up and down the chain snapped.”
For the second year in a row, engineering students had
“successfully” landed a car in the Torrens.
Memories fade, but those who gathered for the reunion are
certain the following list of engineering students took part in this
prank. There were probably more.
The authorities were notified, anonymously, to ensure
Popeye could navigate the river around this new danger
to shipping.
In no particular order of notoriety, the “perps” were:
Alan Palmer, Dean Eckert, Hamish Robson,Ross Patterson,
Wayne Groom, Geoff Wallbridge, Andy Parsons, Lou Baggio,
Peter Wilson, Brian Saunders, David Fitzsimmons, and
Andy Dunstone.
Some years later, the Adelaide City Council came looking
for the instigators – they had drained the Torrens for a periodic
clean up and wanted someone to foot the bill for dragging
the FJ from the mud. They were unsuccessful in finding the
perpetrators, who now hope the statute of limitations may
have passed, making them safe from prosecution.
If you were also a participant – or know someone who was – please
let us know: lumen@adelaide.edu.au
“It was a rite of passage moment for all of us involved,”
Wayne Groom says. “We actually learned some valuable
lessons about engineering that night, and formed a bond which
has kept us together for more than 50 years.
An amazing
coincidence
“We are proud, delighted and a little surprised that this has
become an enduring piece of Adelaide folklore and are grateful
that Lumen brought us all back together for this story.”
Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed there are people on top of
the footbridge in the famous image of the FJ hanging there, which
was snapped by a photographer from The News (then Adelaide’s
afternoon tabloid newspaper).
Mark Douglas is Editor of Lumen.
Images by Photographic Editor Isaac Freeman.
Lumen thanks Wayne Groom, the President of the University’s
Engineering Club at the time of the prank, for his help in organising
the reunion – and for striking commemorative medallions for the
participants.
Many have assumed they were either the people involved,
police, or council authorities working out what to do next. In fact,
they were bemused pedestrians trying to cross the bridge to get to
or from the University who encountered a new obstacle.
We also thank alumni Bob Wilkeson and Don Loffler who assisted
on the reunion day to arrange a genuine FJ Holden of the right
model and colour as a prop, provided by Michael Gilbert and
driven by Barry Gaghan, all members of the FJ Holden Club, SA.
On the same night as the FJ was dangled, it is claimed
architecture students also celebrating Prosh welded gates across
the footbridge. This was completely separate from the prank
unfolding below. This secondary prank blocked the bridge and
required pedestrians to either climb over or retreat.
If you have other photos or stories of amazing Prosh Day pranks
like this, or other japes and hijinks, we’d love to hear from you
(there are rumours about one involving a crocodile!) – please write
to lumen@adelaide.edu.au
If anyone remembers that prank, or has further photos,
Lumen would love to hear from them.
LUMEN
