North Stradbroke Island resident and marine warrior, Lucy Trippett, passes away from illness

Loved ones of a “proud and protective” mother, marine warrior and North Stradbroke Island local say she crammed two lifetimes into one.

A marine champion, a creative woman who made it fun to be around her, but most of all a “proud and protective” mum — this is how North Stradbroke Island’s Lucille Essington Trippett, known as Lucy, is being remembered.

Beautiful memories of the mother and well-known, and loved, Straddie local have been shared by her family following her death on June 30, the result of a long battle with illness.

The mother-of-one was just 51-years-old when she died but as her family mourns her passing, sister Fran Humphries, brother Lawrence Trippett and mum Janet Trippett, have reflected on just what made Lucy one-of-a-kind.

North Stradbroke Island mum and marine champion, Lucy Trippett, who passed away on June 30.

“She passed away at 51 but crammed two lifetimes into those years and her legacy lives on,” Fran said.

“Lucy grew up in Mt Eliza in Victoria, by the bay — she was always a water baby and felt free within it.

“Our dad played piano in a music hall and for as long as I can remember she would dress up, dance around and belt out show tunes.

“She was a lefty and creative and zany and made people feel good to be around her.”

Lucy went to Monash University to do an arts degree before moving to Townsville, where she found a job as a bookkeeper — a bizarre choice if you ask her family, considering the state of the records she kept.

North Stradbroke Island mum and marine champion, Lucy Trippett, who passed away on June 30.

Her life as a marine warrior and champion was kickstarted when she became a producer and production manager for an independent film company created by David Hannan, where she worked for 18 years.

“Lucy worked with Dave to build a library of thousands of hours of footage of the Great Barrier Reef and other reefs in Australia and overseas,” Fran said.

“They made documentaries like Coral Sea Dreaming, which have brought to the public’s attention the demise and to a lesser extent regeneration of the largest living organism on the planet.

“Their work that began over 30 years ago was a powerful wake up call for issues like coral bleaching, crown of thorns infestations and climate change.”

North Stradbroke Island mum and marine champion, Lucy Trippett, who passed away on June 30.

Lucy more recently worked at the Moreton Bay Research Station for eight years, where she educated students about the wonders of Moreton Bay sea life.

“She was also a skipper with the volunteer marine rescue for 14 years, often risking her life to save others,” Fran said.

“She had some pretty crazy stories about rescues but she lived to help others and was incredibly generous with her time and effort.”

Lucy was also a committee member of the Stradbroke Island Management Organisation and donated her time as well as photos of underwater sea life she had accumulated across more than 30 years for environmental campaigns.

But her proudest moment came in 2016 with the birth of her son.

“Six years ago, she and her partner Tony James-Wallace brought the love of their lives into the world — Campbell Finn James-Wallace,” Fran said.

“She was so proud and protective of her little boy and worked tirelessly to make the world a better place for him to grow up in.”

Lucy Trippett will be farewelled in a celebration of life at the Little Ships Club on Stradbroke Island on July 17 with close family and friends also holding a service the next week.