Neil Fisher says Frenchville's still the best walk in town
Cr Neil Fisher takes his health in hand by walking a different Rockhampton suburb every day
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AS he strives to recover from colon cancer, Neil Fisher is on a personal mission to get people outside and walking.
AS a horticulturalist, father-of-four and Rockhampton Region councillor, he is convinced his home area around Frenchville has some of the best walks in the city.
The councillor described mornings in the Frenchville valley, at the foot of Mount Archer, when "a sea of faces come through the fog like something out a horror movie... only friendly.”
But the more he shares his experiences, the more people have been sharing theirs and the many beautiful walks around the region.
His own walking adventures began last year after Cr Fisher underwent emergency surgery last year to remove a 16-kilo cancerous tumour from his large intestine.
Part of a trade delegate to China, he fell ill in a Brisbane hotel just prior to boarding an international flight and was flown back to the Mater hospital for tests.
After only a month of chemotherapy for Stage 3 bowel cancer, Cr Fisher returned "too soon” to council duties and compromised his health as a result.
"I pushed myself to the point I had to have more major surgeries and that recovery period was really tough, very painful,” he said.
It was at the oncology department a support staff member first challenged him to take up a little exercise every day.
"And then I attended a function and this bloke from Brisbane said, "I can't wait to get home; there's nowhere to walk in Rockhampton',” Mr Fisher said.
"I thought I'd go out see what walks there are and telling people what you can see when you walk them.”
He started on the CQUniversity grounds which were extensively landscaped by Neil's father, a fellow "native plant nut” who still operates in the family garden nursery in his 80s.
"I was so busy looking around me, I walked a half kilometre without realising it... and I felt good for the first time in ages,” Mr Fisher said.
"That's when I came up with the idea of walking a different route very day and keeping a record of who I met.
"It takes me twice as long to walk each route because I love to stop and have a chat with everyone I meet and learn more about their neighbourhood.”
Cr Fisher's celebrates his 88th walk this morning, with the first 50 shown on The Morning Bulletin souvenir map (right).
His social media feed is filling with comments, suggestions, and queries about the fauna and flora locals see along their walks, and he's even had overseas visitors join him.
"I didn't set out for it to become a phenomenon but, given what I put my family through, I thought any motivation would be a good thing for other people,” he said.
"I've got a beautiful wife and four kids to take care of and, next month, our first grandchild too.”
When he was first elected to council in 2000, Cr Fisher said parents were living in the new housing estate and asked for a walkway along which they walk their children to school.
At first council reports indicated there wasn't enough traffic to warrant the expense but soon enough the "stars aligned”.
Upgrades to the Emmaus College footpaths were put off as Main Roads unfurled new works in that area, leaving a $300,000 budget for the taking. Cr Fisher said council was supportive of transferring the funds towards the Frenchville walkway in the spirit that "if you build it, they will come”.
The annual King of the Mountain walk planted a seed of the walking culture in the area and the Member for Keppel, Vince Lester, was well known for his wacky, walking-backwards fundraising efforts.
Now the Vince Lester Way is a thriving community not only for locals but also for others, such as personal trainers, who travel from all over the area to walk, jog and run along its length.
And the council continues to create funding for the 'missing links' which will open the path all the way from Mt Archer to the Fitzroy river.
"I think it's the friendliest place in Rockhampton,” Cr Fisher said.
"I know of people who've gone to check on residents when they don't show for their daily stroll; that's how they take care of each other.”
FISHER'S FIRST FIFTY DEPARTURE POINTS:
1 CQUniversity Rockhampton North Bruce Highway
2 Col Austin Park
3 Yeppen Lagoon
4 Quay St from Empire hotel
5 East and Archer Sts
6 Edenbrook Park
7 Bencke Park
8 Kershaw Garden Charles St carpark
9 Cedric Archer Sports and Recreation Reserve Ian Besch Drive Gracemere
10 Central Park Cnr Murray St and Gladstone Rd
11 Alan Bray Park Lakes Creek Rd
12 Cnr Musgrave St and High St
13 Victoria Park Sir Raymond Hiush Drive
14 CQU South Campus Cnr Canning and Fitzroy Sts
15 Bouldercombe
16 Summit Mt Archer
17 North Rocky pool Berserker St
18 Lawrie St Gracemere
19 Ski Park Plant St entrance
20 Duthie Park Thozet Rd carpark
21 Cnr Lawrie and Russell Sts
22 Tropical Auto Group Cnr Alexandra St and Bruce Highway
23 Old bridge Cnr East and Fitzroy Sts
25 Heights college Carlton St
26 Mount Archer State School Thozet Rd
27 North Rockhampton Library Berserker St
28 Cheese and Biscuits Coffee Shop Frenchville Rd
29 St Joseph's Cathedral William St
31 Rockhampton Heritage Village
32 Moores Creek playground Sunset Drive
33 Duthie Park Thozet Road
34 Cnr Musgrave and Clifton Sts
38 PCYC Stapleton Park
39 Rigarlsford Pk Thozet Rd entrance
40 Northside Plaza Cnr Musgrave and High Sts
41 Spar supermarket Fitzroy St
42 Cnr Cooper and Paterson Sts
43 Red Rooster carpark Cnr Yaamba Rd and Farm St
44 Dingles Cafe William St
45 Great Western Hotel Cnr Stanley and Denison Sts
46 Haigh Park opposite Rockhampton Hospital North Street
47 IGA Wandal Wandal Rd
48 Bruigom Park riverside
49 Kershaw gardens south end Lucas St
50 Breakspear St Gracemere
Originally published as Neil Fisher says Frenchville's still the best walk in town
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