Family of Damian Taylor, 27-year-old who died at Finke Track, remember a ‘larrikin’ with a ‘heart of gold’

Friends and family have shared their memories of Damian Taylor. The ‘larrikin with a ‘heart of gold’ died in an accident on Good Friday. The family has revealed his funeral will be held soon.

Damian Taylor, pictured with wife of almost nine years, Lea Taylor, died in a tragic collision between a motorbike and a quad bike on Good Friday.

Family of Damian “Damo” Taylor have described the 27-year-old killed in a tragic accident on Good Friday as a hard worker with a heart of gold, ahead of his funeral on Wednesday.

Mr Taylor died in a collision between a quad bike and motorbike on Finke Track, near Alice Springs, while camping with friends.

Mr Taylor’s parents, Marty and Anja, described him as a boy that “got on with anyone”, a “bit of a Steve Irwin” who didn’t love school but loved learning.

They said he had a huge passion for motorbikes, getting his first Yamaha at four years old.

“We (Marty and Damian’s uncles) used to ride motorbikes and he didn’t like staying at home with his mum when we were out riding as a toddler,” Marty said.

Damian Taylor on his first motorbike at four years old. Friends and family said biking was his passion, although the 27-year-old had started looking into getting his pilot's license.

“So we got him a Peewee 50 when he was tiny, he learnt to ride on that.”

He competed in his first Finke Desert Race at 16 years old in 2012, going on to complete two more in 2013 and 2015.

“He was going to be the youngest rider but then somebody was born a few days before him,” Marty said.

“He was the second youngest person to do Finke, and he placed 131.”

Marty Taylor, left, and Damian Taylor in his first Finke Desert Race in 2012.

Mr Taylor met his wife Lea, originally from the United States, in 2012, when she was living in Alice Springs with her family, who worked on the army base outside of town.

“They met and went out, and then Lea’s family had to go back to the States, and they were on opposite sides of the planet,” Marty said.

“So guess what, she came back, it wasn’t even six months.”

He proposed a month after he turned 18, on Valentines Day, and the couple married in a courthouse ceremony a few months later.

Damian Taylor and wife Lea Taylor the day of their wedding just a few months after he turned 18.

“As much of a manly man as he was he had such a soft centre, I’d find in his little work diary he’d still doodle my name in the corner with a bunch of love hearts,” Lea said.

“It was random teenage-style stuff but we never grew out of that level of love, I always felt really blessed, because I know lots of people don’t find that, especially with a bloke like him.”

Lea said Mr Taylor always had an affinity for animals, in particular his dog Ashley.

Mr Taylor’s mother Anja agreed, saying as a boy he “cried for hours” when he found out about the death of Steve Irwin.

“He was tough, but he was an incredibly soft soul,” she said.

Damian Taylor and his beloved dog Ashley. Friends and family have described Mr Taylor as a ‘bit of a Steve Irwin’, who loved animals, often stopping work to remove birds nests from trees.

Mr Taylor’s uncle, Simon Ingram, described him as an “incredibly hard worker”.

A diesel mechanic by trade, Mr Taylor started a contracting business last year after being involved in earthworks and generally helping family and friends around town with projects.

Lea said his next big project was flying, with a certificate course for paramotoring the last tab open on his computer.

“I’m sure he would have done it, he wanted to fly, because his dad is a pilot,” she said.

All agreed that he loved his mates, in particular his best mate, Jay Butler, who had “been with him for life”.

Damian Taylor as a teenager with mum Anja Taylor. Mrs Taylor said Damian had always been ‘one of a kind’.

The family will celebrate Mr Taylor’s life at a funeral on Wednesday.

The ceremony will be held at Garden Cemetery, near Kilgariff, at 10am, with the wake to follow at Alice Springs Brewery, one of Mr Taylor’s many local haunts, at 12.30pm.

“He has his photo up there, but he went everywhere … he knew everyone,” Marty said.

“Anybody is welcome, we want to celebrate his life.”

Originally published as Family of Damian Taylor, 27-year-old who died at Finke Track, remember a ‘larrikin’ with a ‘heart of gold’