Mackay snake catcher Jed McNeilly loses battle to cancer

Mackay’s ‘go-to-guy’ for saving snakes remembered as “so endearing, but a pest at the same time” after losing his fight to cancer.

Jed McNeilly was described as always having great respect for nature and the immediate environment.

Mackay’s ‘go-to guy’ for snake catching has been remembered as a “kind, sweet soul” who touched the lives of people across the snake catching, mining and spearfishing communities.

After suffering a 18 month battle to stomach cancer, Jed McNeilley sadly passed away at the age of 44 on Sunday, February 9.

Sister Alleah McNeilly said her older brother managed to light a room even at the final stages of his life, whether it was playing tricks on nurses or joking about his death.

Jed McNeilly was also an avid spearfisher

“Once he knew he was ready to go he would just make it funny for everyone else,” she said.

“He was so endearing but a pest at the same time.”

Fellow snake catcher Heather Lampe said Mr McNeilly “would never let you know that he was hurting”, always trying to see the good in things.

“He would say things like ‘yeah, chemos knocked me around this week but I feel good today’,” she said.

Taking a keen interest in his father’s pet snakes at a young age, Mr McNeilly would grow up to own up to 200 of his own, helping rehabilitate and save any injured snake that he came across.

Graeme McNeilly said his son’s “infectious enthusiasm” for snakes helped change public perception around reptiles across the Mackay region.

Jed McNeilly looked after up to 200 snakes

“He was extremely proud of the fact people were taking an alternative, more realistic view of snakes in the environment,” he said.

Mr McNeilly’s mother Janette said he would have a firefighter’s response to saving local serpents from people’s backyards a day, often catching four to five a day.

“We’d be in the middle of dinner out here and he’d go ‘Oh I’ve got to go, I’ve got a snake to catch at Sarina’,” she said.

‘Record setting’ miner

His charisma stretched beyond the snake world where he spent years as a leading hand at the Grosvenor mine near Moranbah.

Jed McNeilly left a significant hole in the Grosvenor mining community.

“Being able to work in a harmonious capacity for seven days is fraught with challenges on a personal level,” Mr Graeme McNeilly said.

“Rearranging a report that someone had spent two days compiling was not uncommon.

“Apparently he holds some sort of record for being chased around workshops by big blokes with hammers.”

It wasn’t long before his mine site family drew to Mr McNeilly for help with any concerns his colleagues may have had.

Though his sister said he never strayed too far from his cheeky nature.

“He played practical jokes on people all the time putting glue in people’s shoes but because of the way that he was he got away with it all the time,” she said.

“The amount of love shown from the community has helped us to overcome such a difficult time.”

Mr McNeilly leaves behind beloved partner Gemma Beadman who said he was “one of a kind”.

“His unique sense of humour, quick wit and everyday antics brought excitement to mundane tasks will be unparalleled.,” she said.

“He made me laugh. Every. Single. Day.”

Mr McNeilly passed away surrounded by family and friends, including his best mate Matt Dunn who stuck by his side the whole time he was sick.

Originally published as Mackay snake catcher Jed McNeilly loses battle to cancer