Josh Austen death: Family, friends mourn loving dad after Warrego Highway crash

Family, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to a 26-year-old father whose life was tragically cut short. His kind and caring nature will be sorely missed.

The young dad who tragically died in a crash in Ipswich on Tuesday morning “worshipped” his family and would have done anything for those in need of help, according to his grieving father.

Friends, family and colleagues have paid emotional tributes to Josh Austen, 26, who worked as a correctional officer at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

He died when his Toyota RAV4 veered off the Warrego Highway into a trailer parked in a stopping bay at 8.20am.

He leaves behind wife Larissa and their 14-month-old daughter Bonnie.

Larissa, Josh and Bonnie Austen.

Josh followed in his father Brett’s footsteps by working at the prison and started there at the age of 19.

The Karana Downs man was fiercely protective of his four younger sisters and had a second family at the correctional centre, his father said.

“Josh loved everybody,” Brett said.

“He was loyal to his mates. He’d just look after everybody. His wife and his daughter, he worshipped them. He lived for them.

“You couldn’t find a better bloke or a better man.”

Larissa and baby Bonnie are staying with Brett and wife Bernie at their Caboolture home.

Brett said the young parents had been trying to get their daughter to walk for the past two months.

“She’s very cheeky,” he said.

“She’d do one-and-a-half steps and then sit on her bum. (On Tuesday) she walked the whole way around the room.

“He loved her more than anything.

Father Brett said Josh ‘worshipped’ his young family.

“As parents we couldn’t be any more proud of him. His sisters loved their big brother. He always looked after everybody. He loved his life.

“He couldn’t have done anything more for us to be more proud of him.”

Father-in-law Matthew Flanagan said there had been an “outpouring of respect and grief” over the past 24 hours.

The mad golfer and fitness fanatic made an impact on everyone he came into contact with.

“From our perspective as in-laws, he’s just been perfect … a perfect father,” Matthew said.

“It’s an absolute tragedy. Bonnie is just a mirror of him. I couldn’t pick her up yesterday.

“She walked here for the first time yesterday and was looking for daddy to clap her.”

Josh worked as a correctional officer at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

Current and former colleagues from Arthur Gorrie penned a combined heartfelt tribute to Josh.

“Josh Austen was a loving son, brother, husband and father,” it read.

“He adored his wife and baby girl. Our hearts and love go out to Brett, Bernie and his sisters and his wife Larissa and their baby girl.

“He was known to his ‘workmates’ as the baby, having started his career not long after high school.

“Josh will be remembered for his confidence, his huge smile, his laughter but will be most remembered for mucking in and getting the work done, protecting his work mates (you knew Josh always had your back) and especially his cheekiness, always making you laugh.

“He may have started with us as that cheeky kid, but he grew into a beautiful young man anyone would be proud of.

“He loved hard and he is loved just as hard in return by all who knew him. We will miss your cheeky grin Joshy. Fly high brother.”

The couple have been married for just under two years.

Queensland Corrective Services Deputy Commissioner Custodial Operations Gary McCahon said support was being offered to Josh’s family and his fellow officers after this “terribly sad incident”.

“It is with great sadness that we learned that we lost a member of the QCS family earlier this week to a traffic crash,” he said.

“Josh Austen had worked at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre since he was 19-year-old, under the knowledgeable and watchful eye of his father, Brett, who is presently an Acting Correctional Supervisor at Woodford Correctional Centre.

“He was a well regarded member of the centre Tactical Response Unit and a valued friend and colleague to many at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, and will be sadly missed.

“Our deepest condolences go to Josh’s family and friends, our thoughts are with them all.”

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.