Casino man Bill Martin on going from FIFO miner to full blown garden gnome

Truckie by day – mythical creature by night. The Northern Rivers’ own garden gnome wasn’t always so “camp and colourful”, having battled the fear of coming out in the “rough” world of FIFO mining.

Casino’s very own garden gnome, former FIFO miner Bill Martin. Picture: Supplied/Facebook

Casino’s very own garden gnome says he was not always this “camp and colourful” – but you could say he turned over a new leaf.

Seventeen years ago, Bill Martin was slogging it out in the “rough” world of FIFO mining when “some deads--t” burst his bubble by outing him in the workplace.

The 65-year-old, who has been gay for as long as he can remember and “won’t change a thing”, said he was “fearful” of what colleagues may think of him if he revealed his sexuality.

“That all changed when I was “unceremoniously outed”, he told this publication.

“More than anything, it p--sed me off. I was like a rat up a drain pipe and unsuccessfully tried to sue the company.

Mr Martin stopped caring about what other people thought of him years ago. Picture: Supplied/Facebook

“But what I quickly realised is that no one cared at all. They accepted me for who I was.

“It also allowed me to start wearing more colour to work. I was done with the greys, blacks and high-vis – I wanted rainbow.

“After that experience I went and worked for BHP. On the first day I mentioned to a bloke I love ironing and he responded ‘oh you must be gay’. From that day forward I just fully unleashed the queen.”

Mr Martin, who has been seen on the streets – and in gardens – around Lismore in his trademark gnome costume, said he wanted to bring a bit of joy to the Northern Rivers region after the shocking 2022 floods.

He said at first, he was afraid what mining colleagues would say if he came out as gay. Picture: Supplied/Facebook

“It’s a real conversation starter and you get to talk to people who normally wouldn’t give you the time of day. The oldies love it and so do the kids,” he said.

“Last week I said I was available for garden parties – and I’m dead serious.

“I also bleach and dye my hair many different colours and the locals notice when I’ve let it fade. They want to see me rocking it all the time.

“I was young and gorgeous but now I’m just gorgeous.”

Mr Martin says he is “loud, proud and bearded” and “looks on the bright side of life”.

He has had his fair share of personal tragedy, having nursed his brother in his dying days after he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

“I really just want to help people. If you see me out in the community I’m always offering to help the elderly take their shopping to the car or to hold their arm crossing the road. I’m all about joy,” Mr Martin said.

There’s no shortage of colour in Mr Martin’s life. Picture: Supplied/Facebook

“To do something good for someone needs no gratification, it’s just about lifting their mood.”

And while Mr Martin said the gnome get-up was a “recent thing”, he plans to bring it out in full force over the next few months.

“I was gifted a three inch gnome from a friend and then asked a costume designer friend of mine to design the real thing,” he said.

“So we went down to Spotlight and the gnome was born.

“I was the MC at a tropical fruit fair in September and definitely have a few events over Christmas and New Year’s in the pipeline.”

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