Waite Electorate

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (15:19): Trevor Conlon was a Coromandel Valley man through and through, having grown up with his brother David in what is now an historic but privately owned home located opposite Winns Bakehouse Museum in Coromandel Valley. Their grandfather was the last working baker there, and their parents were instrumental in their conversion of the bakery into the museum it is today.

The community spirit of his parents became deeply ingrained in Trevor as he went from boy to adult, evidenced by his many years of service in the Coromandel Valley CFS brigade, beginning at age 14 then becoming a volunteer firefighter and later a radio officer serving on committees as a chairperson. In more recent years, he still put his knowledge and skills to use as a Community Fire Safe leader and contributed to the local resilience projects.

Trevor was made a life member of the Coromandel Valley CFS, receiving the national medal for service to the community fire service in 2005 and a CFS medal in 2009. Later, Trevor was determined to bring Coromandel Valley's unique history to the eyes and ears of our local community and beyond, working tirelessly to organise and galvanise others to participate in a year-long celebration of the 175^th anniversary of the founding of Coromandel Valley, a vision that culminated in being awarded the City of Onkaparinga's 2012 event of the year.

Trevor became chairperson of the Coromandel Valley and Districts Branch of the National Trust in 2013 and, after that, he spent many years managing, advocating, encouraging and putting in countless hours working to manage and improve the condition of the three National Trust properties: Winns Bakehouse Museum, the Watchman House and Gamble Cottage. He was always looking for ways to engage our community in its own history: local churches, schools, organising bus tours, guided walks, volunteers, regular and special morning and afternoon teas, spotlight nights and many printed brochures, together with encouragement and assistance to other local organisations and individuals to write their own stories as well.

In 2017, Trevor was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his significant contribution to the promotion and preservation of local history and his long history of serving the community. Trevor had an engaging way of telling the stories from our bygone times to the many groups and individuals who visited the venues, and this will be the way that Trevor is remembered most fondly. I thank Glynis Conlon and the National Trust of Coromandel Valley, as well as Maxine Conlon, for putting together these words to help me explain Trevor's commitment to our community.

Trevor was always warm in his welcome to me as well. He was full of interesting facts and stories and, when I was organising an event at Belair Railway Station, he and his beautiful wife, Maxine, were there to help when I wanted to borrow the statue of Patch the dog. Patch was the station dog who would bark when trains were approaching the station. When the signal cabin at the Belair Railway Station burned down, the statue of Patch was one of the only things left standing, and he was saved and lovingly restored to Gamble Cottage.

We wanted to have Patch at the celebration, and Trevor, although he was not feeling well, came with his wife and helped load Patch into the car, and when I needed to return him, he was there again. People come and go in life, but some just feel special, and Trevor was most definitely special. It was an honour to know him. Trevor passed away on 7 January 2025 and left an amazing legacy.

Also over the holiday period my own neighbourhood of Upper Sturt lost another community treasure in Betty Slater. Betty was a most treasured member of the Upper Sturt community. She gave so much of herself from a young age and continued right up until she was 95 years old. Betty was a life member of the Upper Sturt hall committee, which is where I first met her. She was straight to the point, always wanted to call it as she saw it and never sweated the small stuff. One of her favourite sayings was, 'Just get on with it.'

It was never a surprise to find Betty at the kitchen sink at the hall during events doing the dishes right up until her last days as an active committee member, and she made the best cream puffs. Betty's life spanned almost a century. Arguably, her lifetime witnessed some of the greatest changes experienced by any generation. She was also a founding member of the Upper Sturt CFS Women's Auxiliary, a founding member of the Upper Sturt CWA and a life member of the Upper Sturt Tennis Club.

President of the Upper Sturt Soldiers Memorial Hall, John Halsey, said the following about Betty at her memorial:

Betty's glass was always half full

She wanted to share it with you, whoever, virtually no matter what

She loved children, loved family and having and being with friends

Fundamental things shaped and nurtured her soul—sport, music, community, service, hard work

She spoke her mind and then moved on

She was generous with her time and talents

She knew how to make do and find joy wherever [she could]...

Betty Slater, I want to thank you. I want to thank you for being so instrumental in my commitment to community. We all will miss you incredibly, so much that it is a huge loss to our community. Condolences to Betty's family and may she rest in peace.