IVAN George Wild OAM was a man who believed in hard work and service to the community. The story of his 91 years reflects those values.
Ivan was born in the Beerburrum Hospital on 12th October 1930. He was the youngest son of Bert and Edith Wild (née Bishop), and brother of Norm, Reg, Ivy, Laurie, Daisy and Elsie.
Bert Wild and his brother Rupert had been orphaned as children, and were brought up at Bribie View (Donnybrook) by their aunt Annie Furlong. The Wild family became life-long friends with the Tripcony and Storr families of Donnybrook and Toorbul.
Bert and Edith moved with their older children to Peachester in 1921, where they had purchased the dairy farm ‘Stanley Hills’ on Commissioners Flat Road, however they retained their land at Donnybrook which was used to run cattle.
Ivan lived his whole life at Stanley Hills.
He attended Commissioner’s Flat School, and his teacher, Margaret Hinds, later married Laurie Wild and became Ivan’s sister-in-law.
For the last two years of primary school, with other local children, Ivan rode his horse to Woodford School once a fortnight to do manual arts lessons.
After leaving school, Ivan worked with his father on their dairy farm. He recalled times when he would take the dry cattle down to the paddock at Donnybrook, driving them through the forestry.
He also recounted stories of mustering with the Tripcony family, and swimming the cattle across from Goat Island, timed to fit in with low tide.
Bert died when Ivan was only 15, and he was able to get permission to drive as far as Beerwah and Woodford. After his mother passed away Ivan took over the farm, with share farmers in the early years.
Ivan married Beverley Hale in 1955, and they went on to have four daughters, Dianne, Vivienne, Karen and Sandra.
When Dianne started school, Ivan joined the Commissioner’s Flat P&C and was president until the school closed in 1972, then becoming involved in the Woodford P&C. There he helped organise several historical celebrations and publications.
This led to Ivan’s lifetime interest and involvement in local history. He and Bev were foundation members of both Peachester History Committee and Woodford Historical Society.
He was president of the Woodford Bi-Centennial Committee which organised a major street parade and carnival.
As a dairy farmer, Ivan made a significant contribution to the industry through his role on many committees and boards. He was elected to the Caboolture Co-operative Dairy Association Board in 1961, and served as Chairman from 1974 to 1997. The Co-op expanded to take in Booval and Wide Bay, and became known as Queensco, one of the most progressive and successful co-operatives in Queensland. He was also involved in the beef cattle industry with land at Running Creek and Manumbar.
When the girls were old enough to start Pony Club, this began another interest which kept Ivan busy until recent years – instructing, judging, and transporting his own and many other children with their ponies to Pony Club events. He was also involved in the Woodford Show Society and Woodford Campdraft Committee, and was a keen supporter of the Beerwah Charity Sports’ annual fundraiser for Cancer Council Qld.
In 2014 Ivan and Bev were awarded Order of Australia Medals in recognition of their tireless community work.
After Bev passed away in 2020, Ivan managed to stay at home with support from family and neighbours, but his health deteriorated.
He passed away on 29th July, and – as he had requested – his funeral was held at the Peachester Community Hall, attended by a large crowd of friends and family.
