{"id":341294,"date":"2023-11-28T15:16:56","date_gmt":"2023-11-28T05:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=341294"},"modified":"2023-11-28T20:37:23","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T10:37:23","slug":"jason-has-expos-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/11\/28\/jason-has-expos-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Jason Has Expo’s Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Two fat ladies? Ah no … Jason Ford and Hugh O\u2019Brien with the “big 8s” that are now a special part of Jason’s collection (Photo: Patrick Warnick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

November 28, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jason Ford is well-known in the South Burnett for his interest in everything culinary … but he’s also the region’s (and possibly the world’s) biggest Expo 88 expert.<\/p>\n

Jason has collected a massive amount of Expo 88 memorabilia, and even curated a special exhibition at the Kingaroy Heritage Museum in 2018 to mark the event’s 30th anniversary.<\/p>\n

His treasure hoard now includes the actual “88” from the front of Expo House in South Brisbane, the building from where the event was planned and administered.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kingaroy-born Hugh O\u2019Brien – who wrote TV, radio and newspaper advertisements to promote World Expo 88 at the time – has had the numbers in his possession for 35 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Expo ended and the site was being dismantled, I saw the big 8s lying on the ground, ready to be dumped. When the security guard\u2019s head was turned, I \u2018rescued\u2019 the numbers and put them in my car. I ended up lugging them around for 35 years and three house moves,\u201d Mr O\u2019Brien said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought if we ever moved to a house that was number 88 in the street, I\u2019d put them on the fence. But alas, no one in our family ever moved to a number 88!<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I learned about Jason and his passion for keeping the legacy of Expo alive, I knew the numbers should go to him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cKingaroy is my old hometown and it\u2019s where I learned the skills that helped me work on the Expo advertising campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh, a former student of St Mary\u2019s Kingaroy, was an announcer, copywriter, sports commentator and news editor at radio station 4SB from 1973-76.<\/p>\n

Jason had a front row seat to the construction of World Expo 88, looking on through the windows of COTAH (College of Tourism and Hospitality) where he was studying to be a chef.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw the site take shape and then I saw the benefit World Expo 88 brought to Brisbane and Queensland,\u201d Jason\u00a0 said.<\/p>\n

\u201cExpo opened up a whole world of possibilities and encouraged us all to dream big. I want future generations to be able to access everything to do with Expo 88 so they too can be inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason has spent countless hours digitising a vast array of Expo material including merchandise, photos, memorabilia and media coverage, much of which can be seen in the World Expo 88 Facebook group<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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