Frock rocks second time
THE last time St Patrick's debutante Olivia Harney's gown was worn in public Joh Bjelke-Petersen was Queensland's premier and Neighbours was making its debut on Australian television screens.
It was October 11, 1986, and Olivia's parents Ross and Leigh (nee Staines) were being married in St Peter's Anglican Church in Gympie.
Leigh had found the dress in a bridal shop on the top floor of the Nolans Meats building in Mary St and bought it "for a song".
The white taffeta dress with dropped waist, fitted bodice, leg-of-mutton sleeves and sweetheart neckline fitted perfectly and Leigh topped it off with a matching hat, veil and gloves.
She and Ross went on to have three children, the eldest two boys Ben and Jacob - talented footballers, and finally a little girl, Olivia.
Growing up the only daughter in a football crazy household didn't stop Olivia from doing the usual things girls do.
Playing dress-ups was a favourite pastime.
Leigh's wedding and debut dresses were both stored at her mother Beth's house, along with Beth's deb and wedding gowns, and right from when she was a little girl Olivia liked to pull them out and try them on.
Leigh promised her daughter years ago that, when the time came and if Olivia was keen, she could wear the wedding dress for her debut.
The time has come and Olivia, now a Year 12 student at St Patrick's, is keen. And the dress fits perfectly.
So perfectly that the only alteration that had to be made was removing the outdated leg-of-mutton sleeves, which will be replaced with shoestring straps.
Olivia will be partnered by St Patrick's senior Mackinley Jackson.
