‘We’ve lost a real gentleman of the world’: Photographer dies after alleged attack

Robert Brown was the type of man to sit and hold someone’s hand as he told them about his photography.

The 75-year-old was so passionate about his craft, he would head out every day to snap pictures of Toowoomba’s Grand Central shopping centre.

Photographer Robert Brown loved being behind the lens.Credit: Photographic Society of Queensland

His work, as a collection, was as beautiful and genuine as the man behind the lens.

That’s how Brown is being remembered by Tryg Helander of the Photographic Society of Queensland.

Brown died on Monday, days after suffering critical neck, spine and head injuries during an alleged attack at a taxi rank on Margaret Street, outside the shopping centre he loved to photograph.

“His happy hunting ground, ironically, was exactly where he was attacked,” Helander said.

Brown has died in hospital after he was allegedly attacked at a taxi rank in Toowoomba.

“This is where the circle comes and closes tragically, where he was happiest.”

Four teenagers have been charged over the incident, including an 18-year-old, who last week appeared in court accused of grievous bodily harm. Police expect the charges to be upgraded.

Police allege Isaac Zane Cubby, 18, pushed Brown onto the road while he was trying to hail a taxi.

Footage emerged that showed a car rounding a corner, and Brown lying face down on the ground.

His backpack was also allegedly stolen.

Police initially described the alleged attack as “abhorrent” and “cowardly”.Credit: Nine News

Helander, who knew Brown about seven years, said Brown was a stalwart club member.

“He was a very softly spoken sort of man, you know, and a genuine smile for everyone,” he said.

“He used to come and sit down and hold my hand and tell me about his photography.

“We’ve lost a good one. A real gentleman of the world, who would just give and give and give.”

Inside Helander’s home, he has “hundreds and hundreds” of Brown’s photos, which he says as a collection have merit and worth, and remind him of Australian photographer Max Dupain, famous for his photography of the Sydney Opera House.

Brown loved street photography and would regularly shoot for charities, Helander said, or take candid photos of families in local parks.

“He’d be the happy old guy that would just be walking around the streets smiling at you,” Helander recalled.

“He always had a smile. It wasn’t about notoriety for him ... he took photos because he wanted to give something back to the community. And that makes him 10 times better than any other photographer.

Robert Brown has been remembered as a “real gentleman of the world”. Credit: Photographic Society Queensland

“He was loved and respected.

“People would always speak about Robert all the time. Now people are learning he truly was something treasured.”

The attack sparked uproar in the Toowoomba community, as the state attempts to deal with youth crime, with the Queensland Police, relevant ministers and Youth Justice holding a community safety forum this week in the city.

Helander said many residents felt frustrated by the constant break-ins, attacks and recidivist offenders.

“Our judges and magistrates are hamstrung by laws that just send these people straight out onto the streets because the government counts these 17-year-old mere men as youth?

“It’s going to be pitchforks in the street if the government doesn’t do something.”

Police allege after the attack, the teenagers got into a stolen vehicle, which was intercepted when police used road spikes in northern Toowoomba, a few hours after the incident.