Peter Daenke

Bathed in glory

It is a testament to both the vibrant culture of Flinders and the epic loyalty of Peter Daenke that he still enjoys coming to work at Bedford Park after first setting foot on campus as a science student in 1972.

However, it was as a student that Mr Daenke’s science capabilities were most widely celebrated, as the man who rode a cast iron bathtub to victory in the University’s soapbox derby.

“Flinders used to celebrate Independence Day in the 1970s, to commemorate our separation from the University of Adelaide and there would be all sorts of events, one of which was a soapbox derby,” Mr Daenke said.

“I won the first year with a three-wheeled railway sleeper, but the second year I decided to make something even heavier, using two sleepers for the chassis and a cast iron bath in between. It had hydraulic brakes and we won easily – it really went very fast.

“If it happened now, occupational health and safety would have a fit and rightly so, because it probably was quite dangerous!”

In a lifetime committed to science, the laboratory technician has done everything from running experiments and preparing research samples to helping develop insights into skin cancers. He built a replica diprotodon out of clay for the palaeontology department and has been in charge of running the electron microscope.

The microscope eventually exceeded its useful life, replaced by new technology. Mr Daenke recycled what he could, but when he could find no takers for the central column he turned it into a unique letterbox for his house, ensuring a little part of Flinders science will remain part of the Daenke household long into the future.