Community mourns as Baffle Creek couple's names released

A heartbroken family has spoken out about their much-loved grandfather's death.

Jack McGlynn was well-loved throughout the St. Mary's Catholic Church. Photo Contributed. Picture: Contributed

A fishing trip at Baffle Creek has ended in tragedy with the passing of elderly friends Jack McGlynn and Mavis Simons.

The body of Mr McGlynn, 89, was found floating in Baffle Creek, north of Bundaberg, on Monday afternoon while aerial and land searches were conducted for his missing 90-year-old friend.

Earlier this morning police alerted the media to the discovery of Mrs Simons' body, found washed up at Rules Beach.

It is believed the pair used the Winfield boat ramp at about 5.30am yesterday to access the creek for a fishing trip.

At 4.40pm the same day a fisherman located the man deceased in the creek, however, the woman and boat were not found.

Police enlisted the help of a helicopter and found a chair, believed to be from the missing vessel, in the water.

At About 7am today, a boat was located upturned in the creek while the search continued for the missing woman.

A boat has been pulled out of the water at Baffle Creek.Photo: Tracy OlivePhoto Contributed. Picture: Contributed

Witness Tracy Olive said she arrived to her home, which sits just near the Winfield boat ramp, at about 6.30pm last night to find out a man's body had been found in the river earlier that afternoon.

"The forensic police followed us in and the SES must have been out searching for the woman until about midnight last night," she said.

"A helicopter was also flying backwards and forwards."

Ms Olive said the area filled with people joining the search efforts yesterday.

"There are about 20 boat trailers here now, three SES boats on the water and police and emergency services," she said.

"People are everywhere."

By mid-morning Bundaberg police inspector Pat Swindells held a media conference, stating the body of the 90-year-old-woman had been found.

"The woman has been washed out with the tide out of Baffle Creek and washed up on to the beach north of Baffle Creek," he said.

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Mr McGlynn was the great-uncle of former Sydney Swans player Ben McGlynn and former Geelong player Josh Hunt.

He and Mrs Simons were old friends from Bundaberg who met through St Mary's Catholic Church.

They shared a love for the water and had been fishing buddies for several years.

Mr McGlynn's family said his death had left them devastated and heartbroken.

"He was a legend," granddaughter Shannyn West said.

Father John Daley, priest at the Bundaberg Catholic Parish, said both Jack and Mavis were very involved within St Mary's Catholic Church and would be sorely missed.

"Jack would hand out all of the bulletins," he said.

"He was very friendly, well liked and a very a spiritual man.

"Mavis was a lovely lady and her and Jack were good family friends."