Noosa surf club member Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell honoured in loving tribute

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell visited his beloved Noosa Surf Club almost daily up until his death and his son has revealed the surprising and adventurous life the clubbie led.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell at the Queensland Masters Surf Lifesaving Titles at Kawana Waters Surf Club in 2007. Picture: Warren Lynam

Even if Noosa residents did not know surf club devotee Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell, they may have seen him whizzing over the hill on his electric mobility scooter for his daily swim.

His son Kirk Wetherell said rain, hail or shine, the 82-year-old would only miss a beach visit if he had an injury that kept him out of the sea.

“He would come to the club almost every day,” Kirk said.

The Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club member of about 30 years died on November 13.

Tony’s love affair with Noosa began in the 1940s when his family travelled from Gympie where his dad worked at the family business, Cullinanes, to spend Christmas at a duplex that stood where Sails Restaurant was eventually built.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell, front middle, enjoys a family holiday at Noosa.

Kirk said his father was a man of routine and a dedicated learner.

These traits manifested when Tony studied his agricultural science degree and, after several years working at the Department of Primary Industries and sleeping in a swag in the central Queensland highlands to save his travel allowance, he studied his masters in soil at a Californian university.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell and his daughter, Jodee.

He met his first wife, Marlo, at the university swimming pool.

The couple had two children — Kirk and his sister Jodee — and Tony brought his American wife home and fulfilled his long-held desire to become a cattle grazier in Sexton and Nebo.

Kirk said his father returned to Gympie in 1978 to help out in the family business and he bought two farms, one pineapple and one cattle, at Amamoor.

Tony took a break from farming in the 1980s and became a sailor, learning navigation and sailing.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell took a break from farming to learn how to sail in the 1980s.

He sailed with his family throughout the South Pacific on his Moroccan-built vessel, the Blue Star.

Kirk’s mum died when he was 15 and about a decade later, Tony found love again with his second wife, Chi.

The couple eventually moved from the Mary Valley with Chi’s son, Dan, to Noosa and Tony dedicated himself to the Noosa Surf Club.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell was dedicated to the Noosa surf club and a skilled swimmer.

He was competition-fit until his mid-70s and was highly decorated at a club level, in masters and in Australian titles.

“Dad was a really good swimmer and he took to the swimming competition really well,” Kirk said.

Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell at the Queensland Masters Surf Lifesaving Titles at Kawana Waters Surf Club in 2007. Picture: Warren Lynam

Tony trained hard to become skilled in the rescue board and surf ski.

“At 65 he was ripped with a six-pack,” Kirk said.

Anthony Wetherell was a Noosa Surf Club member for about 30 years.

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“It’s not like he was a natural, gifted athlete, he just dedicated himself to training.”

Kirk said he would miss a lot of things about his Dad.

“He was just always there for the family, he was always here for us,” he said.

Tony’s funeral was on November 20 and was followed by a gathering of old-timer clubbies, friends and family at his beloved Noosa Surf Club.

Originally published as Noosa surf club member Anthony ‘Tony’ Wetherell honoured in loving tribute