Monday, August 22, 2011

Tragedy ends Moreton Bay dream



Image of Wellington Point jetty courtesy BayJournal.



HALF a century ago, a family from Brisbane's southside would cram into their car for weekend trips to the bayside.
They would stop at the farms to buy fruit and veges for the week ahead and often ended up at Wellington Point to enjoy the fresh air and salt water, have a picnic and catch a few fish.
The kids would sleep soundly in their landlocked suburb after such idyllic seaside experiences, dreaming about one day living on the bayside.
The dream came true for Terry Nixon. One of his fondest memories is walking out to King Island at low tide with his brothers and sisters; nowadays he lives just a few streets away.

IT is about 15 years since Terry realised his Wellington Point dream. For the past 10 years his mowing run has paid his bills.
However, a tragedy is bringing his bayside lifestyle to a shuddering halt. Terry's elderly dad is ill with cancer and the son is winding up his affairs and packing his belongings to move to northern NSW.
"I want to spend some time with him before he passes on," Terry said yesterday. "The doctors have told him he has only between two and six months to live."
Terry advertised his mowing run for sale in The Redland Times. The response in less than one week astounded him.
"I must have had about 10 or 12 calls; it was a hell of a response; the first guy who called looks like buying the business," Terry said. Negotiations continued at time of writing.

TERRY said the response had confirmed his long-held belief in local businesses and markets supporting each other.
Terry the mowing man is known throughout the Redland suburbs, including Cleveland, Ormiston, Alexandra Hills, Victoria Point and Wellington Point, of course.
The news of his father's illness has made Terry uncertain about his own future and whether he will move back to the Redlands.
He said he had enjoyed his decade in the mowing business, which he had established, and it had helped to keep him fit, but he doubted he would have the energy to start another.
"I am getting too old," he said. "I am in my sixties and I have just about had enough."

THOSE seaside trips of long ago have had some lovely sequels as Terry has watched his own kids and their kids splash in the Moreton Bay shallows.
With about half of his nine grandchildren living in Redland City, Terry will be a frequent visitor to the region he loves.

Thanks for joining me to meet the people in the marvellous community of classified advertising; this column has appeared in The Redland Times.

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