How a ‘play fight’ changed two Wycheproof families forever
In the tiny country town of Wycheproof, an innocent “play fight” last August turned deadly, leaving a town stalwart and grandfather dead, a young man facing years behind bars, and the lives of two respected families destroyed forever.
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In the tiny country town of Wycheproof, the lives of two respected families have been destroyed forever.
Last August, an innocent “play fight” turned deadly, leaving a town stalwart and grandfather dead and a young man facing years behind bars.
Farmer and shearer John Durie, known as “Bucket”, was 56 when he died. His accused killer, Dane McLennan, was aged 26.
The pair had known each other for most of Mr McLennan’s life, living in a close-knit town with a population of just 635 and both heavily involved in local sport.
They were friendly and so were their families.
On August 30, they both set off to compete in the annual golf tournament at Wycheproof Golf Club, in the town 275km northwest of Melbourne.
Mr Durie’s widow, Jan Durie, was babysitting their two granddaughters, Georgina, 2, and Grace, 5, when she farewelled her husband for the last time.
“I just said ‘have a good day’ and that was it,” she told the Herald Sun.
After the tournament, Mr Durie, Mr McLennan and friends went to the golf clubhouse to eat and enjoy some drinks.
About 9.30pm, the two began “mucking around” over a game of pool with friendly taunts about which team won the tournament, it is believed.
It turned into a “play fight” but allegedly became something much worse.
Police alleged in court that Mr Durie punched the 26-year-old in the stomach, making him angry.
He responded by punching Mr Durie in the face, the court heard, causing him to fall to the ground and bleed from the nose and vomit.
His injuries were fatal and his death ruled as being caused by blunt-force trauma.
Last week, Mr McLennan was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
He faces a maximum of 20 years in jail if convicted.
The electrician was bailed and is living with his parents in Wycheproof, a few doors from the Durie household.
Despite the allegations, Mrs Durie regards Mr McLennan as a “nice young fella”. She wants people, especially young men, to see their devastation and learn from it.
“I feel sorrow and upset about what has happened, for us and for the McLennans. It has ruined two families’ lives,” she said. “I am hoping this is a wake-up call — this can happen to anybody.”
Mr McLennan is “very devastated” for what happened, she said, and has been co-operative with police.
He expressed his grief to Mrs Durie in the days after the incident.
His family had been “really supportive” during their shared pain, Mrs Durie said. His father, Dick McLennan, had been great mates with Mr Durie and had helped him install a watering system at their home before the tragedy.
Helping those in adversity or need was the way of the small town and was also a big part of what made Mr Durie such a special person, his family said.
His son, Ashley Durie, said the front yard of their family home had been a “dust bowl” for three years because his dad was always busy lending someone else a hand.
Mr Durie would work long hours on the family’s 165ha sheep and oats farm, then help someone in the town.
“We all miss him. It’s a hard pill to swallow with how he passed, especially with my two daughters. They were his little girls and he cherished them. That’s what hurts me,” Ashley Durie said.
“He was the only one who could get Grace to sleep as a baby. He would lie on the couch with her on his chest and she would go to sleep.
“He was very patient.”
The Durie and McLennan families are well respected in the town and have lived there for generations. They run local businesses and farms and are a huge part of community groups, including the Wycheproof Narraport Football Club and Wycheproof Narraport Cricket Club, where Mr Durie had been president.
Many in the small town are devastated and conflicted by the tragedy.
One said: “It’s not a good situation. It’s a small community.”
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Among those most devastated by Mr Durie’s death were his closest mates.
“They are really struggling. It’s been a real kick, a real shock,” his son said.
Mr Durie was born and raised in Wycheproof, and spent a brief stint in Western Australia where he met his wife, then aged 17.
They married on Valentine’s Day in 1987 before having three children: Paul, who died at birth, Rhiannon and Ashley.
They would have celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary this year.
Mr McLennan will appear in Horsham Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing on May 20.