Tributes for Tablelands community pillar Robyn Boundy

A giant of the Tablelands community has been remembered for her leadership in the pork industry, a passionate remote health advocate, mentor and as a selfless volunteer.

Robyn Boundy was the former owner of the Glenley Piggery in Mareeba.

A giant of the Tablelands community has been remembered for her leadership in the pork industry, as a passionate remote health advocate, mentor and as a selfless volunteer.

Robyn Claire Boundy died on October 6, aged 80.

Born in Brisbane in 1944, Ms Boundy lived in various towns during her childhood before finishing school on the Tablelands, at which time her family lived at Tolga, while the Tinaroo Dam was being built.

Ms Boundy eventually settled in Mareeba.

Her first job was at Shepards Grocery Store, in Mareeba, before marrying at the age of 18 and beginning life as a farmer’s wife, growing tobacco, fruit, vegetables, chickens, raising a family, and then taking up the challenge of being at the forefront of the Australian pork

sector.

The late Robyn Boundy pictured with Virginia Berry in 2011.

She became the state vice president and secretary of Pork Producers Inc, got involved with the Mareeba Business Women’s Club and the Tablelands Industry Workforce Group.

More recently Ms Boundy became involved in fundraising for the FNQ Hospital Foundation and right up until her passing was writing grant submissions.

Despite finding a large clot in her leg, she was determined to volunteer at the organisation’s Cardiac Challenge from Cairns to Cooktown in September and she soldiered on to co-ordinate breakfast for the event in Mareeba for Rotary.

“A massive clot was found in her leg … leading to a stroke and her passing,” sister Kym Jerome said.

“Robyn kept saying this wasn’t supposed to happen like this, I’m not ready yet, I still have things I want to do.

“Since Robyn’s passing, we have been made aware of some of her many achievements, how

knowledgeable, respected, and passionate she was and the differences she made in many

organisations and how shocked everyone is at her passing.”

Adding to an enormous legacy was Ms Boundy’s final submission to get the Mareeba Hospital upgraded.

Kym Kruse and Robyn Boundy were part of the Tablelands Industry Workforce Group which received $150,000 worth of funding from QITE in 2008.

Passionate about delivery of better bush heath services Ms Boundy successfully lobbied for the replacement of health facilities at Dimbulah and Cape Tribulation.

She was also an active member of the Liberal National Party and held positions as chair, secretary and vice chair for LNP Cook and Mareeba branches between 2016 and 2024.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the Far North was greatly saddened to hear of Ms Boundy’s passing.

“First joining the party in 1987, Robyn contributed 37 years of service to the Queensland National Party and then the Liberal National Party of Queensland,” Mr Entsch said.

“Robyn had been a pork producer in Mareeba but was also very active as a volunteer for the Mareeba Hospital and was a member of the Mareeba Rotary Club.”

Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin paid tribute to a tireless volunteer and supporter of the health service.

Former Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin at the primary industries forum at Atherton in 2009 with Mareeba pig producer Robyn Boundy and Tablelands Futures Corporation's Peter Radke.

“Robyn was relentless in advocating for improvements and increasing services for our local hospital, and secured funds and grants for the Mareeba Friends of the Hospital Foundation,” she said.

Former chair of the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service Clive Skarott simply described the community pillar as a “legend.”

“Her contribution was enormous, and I was happy to support her. She was a reliable and honest friend to me and we worked well together.”

Known as a hard task master but fair, Ms Boundy was described by committee members and employees as the best boss they had ever known.

It was Ms Boundy’s last wish that those wanting to pay tribute donate to the Mareeba Hospital Foundation.

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Originally published as Tributes for Tablelands community pillar Robyn Boundy