Qld storms: Rugby mates perished in Moreton Bay boat capsize

The third man killed during a wild storm that blew up while he and a group of mates were on an annual fishing trip in Moreton Bay has been identified.

An annual fishing trip in Moreton Bay has turned to tragedy for a group of mates after their boat capsized in a freak storm and killed three men – taking the lethal South East Queensland storm death toll to seven in just two days.

The marine disaster was the third tragedy to unfold on Boxing Day, after nine-year-old Mia Holland-McCormack drowned in floodwaters at Rochedale South, and two Gympie women died after being swept through a stormwater drain into the Mary River.

Since Christmas Day, seven people have been killed across Queensland in wild and destructive thunderstorms – including a Gold Coast woman who was struck by a falling tree while walking to her house in the middle of a storm.

Robert Holden was killed in Moreton Bay while on a fishing trip with mates. Picture: Supplied

Robert Holden, 48, of Alexandra Hills, was today identified as the third victim of the Moreton Bay boating accident.

Mr Holden died alongside former Queensland rugby players David “Mario” Logan and Stephen “Taity” Tait when their boat capsized off Manly on Tuesday afternoon.

The trio were among a group of 11 friends on their annual fishing trip when the vessel capsized in a horrific storm which ripped through the area.

Eight of the men were rescued, but the bodies of Mr Logan, Mr Tait and Mr Holden were recovered in the hours following.

Acting Chief Superintendent Andrew Pilotto said it was a tragedy, and it was lucky there were any survivors.

“There were reports people saw it happen … but the conditions were horrific and visibility would have been down to metres,” he said.

“I know the winds were over 100km/h … I’ve been out on the bay in half that and the swell is insane. I can imagine it was tremendous.”

Robert Holden, pictured with wife Michelle.

Mr Holden’s son, Joshua Holden, shared a heartbreaking tribute to his father on social media, saying “none of it feels real”.

“I just wish my dad was still here,” he wrote.

“If you have loved ones please I urge you to cherish every moment because you don’t know when they will be gone”.

Joshua Holden also launched a GoFundMe to support his mother, Michelle, saying his father was the “provider in our family”.

“Our father was a great man who always put others’ needs above himself,” Joshua Holden wrote.

“He was reliable, trustworthy and a good man through thick and thin.”

Mr Holden went to school in Rockhampton at Emmaus College and graduated in 1992.

He went on to pursue a career in marketing and sales, starting at a daily newspaper when he was 19 years old.

Mr Holden was also the general manager and co-founder of Rubin Sports - a sports marketing agency.

David ‘Mario’ Logan and Stephen ‘Taity’ Tait. Picture: Facebook/Queensland Reds

Former Queensland Reds and Wallabies coach John Connolly paid tribute to Mr Logan and Mr Tait, saying they were “two of nature’s best” having either coached or played with the pair over the years.

“The whole rugby community is so shocked and upset by this,” Mr Connolly said.

“I’ve known Dave all my life. He was a prankster, the type of person who could laugh at himself. You never heard anyone say a bad word about him, Taity was the same.”

Brothers Rugby Club president Geoff Rodgers said Mr Logan was one of Brothers’ favourite sons – “very proud of his beloved club and his old school, St Columban’s”.

“Having been a regular in the club’s first grade teams of the ’70s and early ’80s – and a Queensland representative – he was Brothers to his bootstraps,” Mr Rodgers said.

“One of the finest, most fun-loving, highest integrity people you could ever meet and we’re all so blessed that he was in our lives – something that we can all cherish for the rest of our lives.

“But above anything and everything, Mario was our mate – our great mate.”

The Coast Guard returns with debris after a boat capsized in Moreton Bay. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Former Wallabies and clubmates Tony Shaw and Dick Cocks raised an emotional toast to their friend at the Peregian Beach Hotel on the Sunshine Coast.

“Dave was one of the best guys you could ever know, it’s a great loss,” Mr Cocks said.

He bestowed the nickname “Mario” on Mr Logan because he looked Italian.

“He could be very serious about his footy, but he had a great sense of fun,” he added.

Former Wallaby David L’Estrange also paid tribute to Mr Logan, saying he was full of life, fun and positivity.

“We’d do extra sprints and kicking practice at training in the old days because of his drive to be the best player he could be,” L’Estrange said.

“Off the field, he loved to pull tricks or do the best impersonation you could imagine of our old coach Jim Kenny, complete with a rolled-up match program banging it into his hand.”

Mr Tait, who previously played for Souths, also played for Queensland and debuted in 1987.

Retired Australian rugby player Dan Crowley considered him a great mate and a “fantastic human being”.

“He was part of the 1986 Souths premiership winning side, they haven’t won since … he was the glue that kept the team together,” Mr Crowley said. “He was never stressed and a fantastic human being.”

Mr Tait was also a former teacher at Iona College.

David ‘Mario’ Logan

Stephen ‘Taity’ Tait

The school shared the news of his death to social media, saying it was an “extremely challenging time”.

Member for Capalaba Don Brown said Mr Tait was an “awesome teacher” who loved telling his rugby tour stories.

The 48-year-old Alexandra Hills man was yet to be identified.

Meanwhile, Mia Holland-McCormack’s body was found in floodwaters on Tuesday night after a large-scale search through her neighbourhood.

Mia, who was severely autistic, was reported missing earlier that afternoon after she jumped the fence of her house.

Just hours earlier in Gympie, police located the body of a 40-year-old woman about 7.10pm who was swept into the Mary River with two other women. Police say the three women were exploring a stormwater drain known as “The Love Tunnel” when a serious storm came over, leading to a rush of water in the drain.

The body of a second woman, 46, was found on Wednesday. A third woman survived with minor injuries.

Superintendent Pilotto said people needed to be aware of the weather as the region braced for more storms over the coming days.

“If you’re out on the water things can change very quickly,” he said.