Gympie mourns death of Show Society, Rotary stalwart Bill Bishop

Community leaders have paid tribute to long-time club and show stalwart Bill Bishop, who joined Rotary in 1956 and will be ‘tremendously missed’ after his death at age 95.

Gympie Show Society stalwart and grazier Bill Bishop has died. Photo Renee Albrecht/Gympie Times

The community is mourning the passing of a community icon following the death of Show Society “stalwart” and long-time cattle stock agent Bill Bishop on Wednesday.

Mr Bishop, who was married to OAM Australia Day Award recipient Shirley Bishop, was 95.

In a statement on its Facebook page the Rotary Club of Gympie said it extended condolences to the Bishop family after the passing of the club member and former president.

Fellow member Spencer Slatter said Mr Bishop was the longest serving member of Gympie’s Rotary “by a margin” having joined the club in 1956.

His legacy extended well beyond that, though.

He played a key part in helping the Gympie Turf Club recover after it was deregistered in 2000.

“Bill and his business partner Jim Connolly led the recovery process for getting the club back on its feet,” Mr Slatter said.

OAM Australia Day Award recipient Shirley Bishop with husband Bill. Photo Tanya Easterby / The Gympie Times

Mr Bishop made a significant mark on the region’s cattle industry too.

He started his own business and then worked for Elders when it was sold to the company.

Mr Bishop then eventually left to start another business, Bewick, Bishop and Connolly.

Gympie Show Society president Deb Brown said Mr Bishop had been “influential” in how the Show Society and the event itself had developed.

“He was such a stalwart for the Show Society,” Mrs Brown said of the man who was a former president, life member and patron of the Gympie District Show Society.

Bill Bishop (second from left and pictured here with Tom Grady, Keith Gate, Alain Henderson) was a key part of the region’s cattle industry through his work as a stock agent. Photo Renee Albrecht/Gympie Times

“He will be tremendously missed by all.”

Gympie MP Tony Perrett said Mr Bishop’s impact extended well beyond Gympie and he had “enormous respect” he and his wife Shirley.

“I knew Bill before we even moved to the Gympie region,” Mr Perrett said.

“I held him in very high regard as someone who contributed highly to the region.”

Long-time rural property agent Lex Townsend said Mr Bishop had “a lot of input into the local area” through his community and club commitments.