Helen's culture of giving preserves the past and secures the future

Mareeba woman Helen Kindt helps keep the heritage of Far North Queensland alive with a selfless dedication to preserving the history of the region.

Helen Kindt, a serial volunteer who founded the Mareeba Historical Society 20 years ago. Picture: Tom Lee.

THERE are 38 cemeteries in the Mareeba region and Helen Kindt has been to every one of them.

She knows their graves, has helped protect their headstones and is familiar with the often sad stories of those buried in them.

Her passion for discovering and preserving the tales of early pioneers buried across the region in ghost towns scattered across the mineral-rich region is matched only by her desire to help the living into affordable community housing.

Two days a week, and often more, Mrs Kindt volunteers at Mareeba Historic Society, which she helped establish 20 years ago.

She also doubles as the president of Mareeba Community Housing, a government-funded community organisation which helps sole-parent, disabled or financially stretched families into homes they otherwise could not afford.

The 72-year-old has also volunteered for Mareeba Information and Support Centre, Mareeba Heritage Centre and been a Neighbourhood Watch street co-ordinator.

It is this selfless dedication to others that has seen Mrs Kindt nominated for a Community Spirit Medal in the 2013 Pride of Australia Medal, a News Ltd program recognising ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Pride of Australia

Fellow Historic Society volunteer Joan Collins said she nominated Mrs Kindt because of her determination to preserve Mareeba's history.

"I think she's inspirational. Her grit and determination to preserve the paper-based history of the region is renown. I was drawn to this society because of her passion,'' Mrs Collins said.

"Helen started out in family history, but that expanded as she realised the depth of history here in Mareeba. She was determined to collect, record and preserve the paper records because no one else was doing it.''

The former Sydneysider has urged locals to donate, rather than dump or discard old documents, calendars, photos, newspapers, receipts, maps, letters, magazines, posters, postcards, videos, diaries and family histories. All give a clue to the past.

"Once it is gone, destroyed or neglected, it is lost forever,'' she said.

"Every item, no matter how small, should be preserved for our future generations.''

She also wants to record the oral histories of older locals so their stories are not lost.

"Helen has made me realise that no item is too small or insignificant,'' Mrs Collins said.

Helen said volunteering was a wonderful way to become involved in the community and "keeps the brain ticking over".

Nominate your unsung hero at prideofaustralia.com.au Nominations close July 16.
Facebook: facebook.com/prideofaustraliamedal Twitter #prideofoz