WE’RE counting down the top 30 most influential people who help make the Wynnum-Manly community a great place to live.
There are so many people in our community who are doing great things and who are helping to make great things happen.
The list is only a sample and people are encouraged to suggest others.
Let’s acknowledge the people who help to make our community the great place it is.
The Wynnum Herald reveal five new people each day until we reach the final five on Wednesday, July 31.
Let us know in the comments what you think of the list and who you would include.
25. Mark Norrish
He was only in the position for seven years but during his time as Wynnum Police senior sergeant, Mark Norrish made the bayside a safer and better place for residents.
Sgt Norrish had a vested interest in the area when he moved into the role in 2012 having grown up in the local area and when he departed earlier this year, he definitely left an imprint on the community.
Sgt Norrish played a critical role in developing a critical relationship between the Wynnum Police and residents in the area, which contributed to crime decreasing on the bayside during his tenure.
He also helped start several important operations whether it be traffic related or focused on crime hotspots such as the Wynnum Plaza and CBD, which has allowed business owners in the area as well as residents to feel safer going about their day to day business.
24. Arthur Eustace-Earle
The Wynnum Bugs Rugby Union Club recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and one of the big reasons why they have been able to thrive over the years and reach that milestone is because of the efforts of people like Arthur Eustace-Earle.
Arthur played his role as the club’s president for almost a decade but has been involved in different roles for even longer than that and is currently the grants co-ordinator for the club.
As a result, the Bugs have become not only a place for baysiders to play and watch rugby union but a club which contributes signifivantly to the bayside community through different charity events each year to make them an important organisation in the area.
23. Bev Weekes
For more than 40 years the Waterloo Bay Leisure Centre has been a central hub for the bayside community; hosting events, classes, and gatherings for young and old.
Bev Weekes has played a major role in what the WBLC has been able to do for the community, running the centre for more than a decade and taking the WBLC to new heights in recent years.
Concerts are held regularly in our auditorium, classes and activities are held in our various activities rooms, and their bi-monthly markets which take over the entire centre keep going from strength to strength.
The WBLC is one of Wynnum’s most prominent not-for-profit organisations and is staffed wholly by volunteers, every cent raised goes towards keeping the centre open to ensure they can continue providing a wide range of activities and entertainment for members.
22. Trent Randel
Six years ago, young girls on the bayside had nowhere to play netball, the Wynnum and Districts Netball Club had fallen over and the closest association was either Redlands or Metropolitan at Coorparoo.
But one man stepped in and said that couldn’t happen and that was Trent Randel.
Randel was already part of the Wynnum Bugs Rugby Union Club but his efforts helped start the Wynnum Lady Bugs Netball Club to give those baysiders a chance to play the sport locally.
Since the club has gone from strength to strength even recently securing a federal govermment grant to upgrade their facilities and cater for growing memberships.
21. David Bateson
The Wynnum CBD is experiencing its first boom in decades with developments happening all around the place including residential unit complexes, the much-needed Wynnum Cinema and more.
There has also been a bunch of new shops move into the area recently and a man, who had a major impact on starting this boom is Wynnum Business general manager David Bateson. Mr Bateson helped draw attention to the fact that the CBD was losing business left, right and centre even though he thought it was an area that should be booming with business.
Since he has helped put several projects together to help business and attract others to the area which has resulted in the boom we are seeing now.
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