I MAY one day see the North Ipswich Reserve Redevelopment finished and our proud sporting city benefit from a long-overdue tartan athletics track.

I remain ever-hopeful these sporting priorities will be achieved, sooner rather than later, after years of delays and inaction.

But from now on, I’ll be an Ipswich resident keeping a close eye on proceedings after serving as a long-time sports editor.

After 41 years and 4,000 weekend sports shifts working in Ipswich media, I’m retiring to start the next chapter of my life.

I’ve gained immense satisfaction putting the Ipswich region’s sporting achievements and issues in the spotlight.

I’ve been fortunate to cover the Sydney 2000 Olympics, four Commonwealth Games, Queensland’s first Sheffield Shield triumph and multiple state and national league events.

However, what has given me considerable joy has been seeing Ipswich-bred sportspeople fulfil their dreams from grassroots to international competition.

Sharing in Western Pride’s historic 2017 National Premier League football victory (below) at the Briggs Road Sporting Complex was among the many highlights.

The emotion in Ipswich that night was only bettered by the arrival of the Sydney Olympics Torch at the wonderful 2000 community event in Limestone Park.

It has always been satisfying capturing the magic moments and rollercoaster experiences at major grand finals, especially in rugby league, hockey and baseball – where the Ipswich Musketeers were once the most successful club in Australia.

A lot is packed into four decades with Ipswich having so many outstanding individuals and sporting teams.

I’m grateful for my 37 years at The Queensland Times where I was sports editor for much of that time.

I started under the watchful eye of the always entertaining Peter Gardiner and with tremendous support from my first editor Kerry Green.

Peter encouraged writing with flair, largely obtained by getting out among the sporting community.

Kerry backed me all the way working and studying full-time for six months before completing my Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in journalism two years later.

I guess my work ethic was quickly forged during that period.

I outlasted 10 QT editors, including some of the best in Martin Simons, Mark Hinchliffe, Mitchell Murphy, Natalie Gauld, Peter Chapman and Shannon Newley.

When the QT was taken over by News Corp, it was one of the saddest days of my life.

But at least I finished as one of the QT survivors alongside another proud and dependable Ipswich operator Andrew Korner.

I had covered Andrew playing football for the Knights before rejoining him in a small but dedicated editorial team.

 I benefitted from a couple of years in the News Corp digital world but it was never the same as what the daily QT delivered.

Being offered a sports position with the Boonah Newspaper Company by Drew Creighton in January 2022 provided a new lease of life.

Drew was particularly welcoming after my time at The QT, having shown incredible vision to establish the Ipswich Tribune in a challenging market.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Drew on the Tribune along with an expanded role at the Fassifern Guardian and on another sister publication, the Moreton Border News.

The dedicated Creighton family, including matriarch Wendy, leaves a remarkable media legacy that will hopefully be remembered for years to come.

I finish my time serving the Tribune, Guardian and Moreton Border News, proud of my accomplishments.

After four decades working around the Ipswich community I made my home, I’m planning more family time and many future fishing outings.

But I’ll look back fondly at what has been achieved.

It’s almost hard to believe I started writing stories in October 1984 on a typewriter - something the younger generation would struggle to understand.

We had no Internet for quick referencing and spell-checking.

There was no Facebook, Twitter or other social media platform to see what people were talking about.

We had to get out in the community and speak to people face-to-face.

The Coronation Hotel, a short walking distance from The QT, provided a wealth of stories, in between jobs you had managed to organize elsewhere.

With former rugby international Jeff McLean and his wife Carmel attracting regular sports enthusiasts, it didn’t take long to find a good yarn, sharing a beer at the popular pub.

Once your story was finished and typed on to paper, you had to place it in one of a series of special baskets.

Local articles were sorted next to Queensland, national and world stories that arrived on a Telex machine that spat out endless copy.

This is where another section of the newspaper - the compositors - grabbed your precious work and typed it again into another system that produced bromides.

These bromides were then waxed on the back and added to a page template on a massive big board.

Sub-editors at the time would then use a green pen to make any corrections before the page was delivered to another room to be photographed in preparation for a plate that eventually made its way to the printing press.

I worked with some of the most engaging and helpful people in the “comp room” and working on the press during all my years at The QT.

Like my editorial colleagues, they were fantastic people, many with lifelong associations with Ipswich.

The arrival of our first Atex computer system revolutionised the way we worked in what was the start of a series of technological advances designed to make our life easier.

Messages could be shared quickly around the newsroom at a time when we had limited access to mobile phones.

In the early years of my career, black and white photos were being developed using chemicals in dark rooms.

That’s where I met chief photographer Lyle Radford who kept the young cadets in check while always producing top-quality work.

I quickly built a strong bond with Lyle until he left to pursue other ventures.

However, I’m thrilled to finish my media career with a person I rate one of the best photographers in the country.

I  enjoyed the past three years reuniting with multiple award winner Lyle covering sport every weekend for our three publications.

There is nothing better than having a sharp-eyed photographer to work alongside, sharing ideas and coming up with the most relevant stories.

You don’t get that sitting in an office making phone calls.

Long-serving photographer Lyle Radford captured magic sporting moments, even in the rain. 

After those early experiences using a typewriter, laptops became available, providing amazing advantages in working outside the office.

Photographers were overjoyed to swap black and white images for colour and receive more advanced technology that allowed them to replace film with digital cards that permitted images to be transferred quickly.

I remember being at the Sydney 2000 Olympics where photographers were stunned what they could now capture instantly for the first time.

We had many challenging times meeting deadlines producing the annual Ipswich Rugby League grand final liftouts, souvenir editions and Ipswich Cup guides.

However, we always got through the high pressure moments.

Winning a number of regional media awards, including the 1998 Australian Provincial Newspapers Journalist of the Year honour, gave me considerable pride.

I’ve always waved the proverbial flag for Ipswich, especially enjoying seeing fine athletes like the multi-talented Deb Acason (nee Lovely), highly competitive Peter Vogler and proud Ipswich swimmer Heath Ramsay represent their city at international events.

 I even interviewed Deb in a sauna after a weightlifting training session at the 2006 Games in Melbourne. It was the only opportunity I had to chat to the Ipswich achiever before she went on to win the gold medal.

EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE

There’s far too many people in the sports community to include everyone in my farewell thanks.

But here’s some of the exceptional people I must acknowledge, starting with super coaches Brent Nicholls, Nathan Hooper and Mark Stumer, and former Norths’ A-Grade premiership winner Glen Mortimer, who ignited my enthusiasm for hockey.

Likewise, Ipswich Musketeers coach Mark Dale turned a baseball novice into a sportswriter who loved covering the game from grassroots to Olympic level.

Mark’s long-time manager Brian Zeidler continues to keep the club’s wonderful memories alive.

Cricket historian Wayne Jones also deserves a medal for his incredible commitment to keeping records up-to-date. I doubt there is anyone more committed to preserving precious history than Wayne.

Former player and ex-Western Pride Football Club general manager Pat Boyle is in a class of his own as an administrator and person, as is previous Ipswich Turf Club general manager Brett Kitching.

Families like the Kitchings, Gardiners, Hintons, Mantells, Hilliers, Smiths,  Sawyers, Woods, Voglers, Campbells, Caldwells and Halletts have long provided wonderful stories with people that are true Ipswich ambassadors.

Ipswich and District Athletics Club supremo Vic Pascoe also deserves the highest accolade for his never-ending commitment.

It’s wonderful seeing Vic being recognized with Queensland Life Memberships.

Quality duo Theresa “Marty” Stolberg  and Kerri Michel (nee Kinnane) were two of the rising athletics stars I covered from early in my career and still followed into my retirement.

The ever-enthusiastic Anthony “Bomber” Breeze was always the first person to offer assistance.

Bomber has done so much for Ipswich sport over the years, writing a topical and entertaining column in The QT for a number of years.

Long-serving Ipswich hockey administrator Margret Mantell has also been a tower of support, along with current helpers like Tracey Doyle, Leanne Haley, Natalie Jordan and Paul Malcolm.

Margret’s dad John Cushing served the Ipswich Hockey Association for decades, always helping me along the way.

Grand final-winning hockey player and coach Sara Rogers has also been ever-accommodating as she has risen through the ranks.

Another outstanding achiever I followed from her teenage years was former international hockey player Amy Kickbusch (nee Korner). Amy was always delightful to deal with and deservedly has an Ipswich Excellence Award in her honour.

Amy’s success came with two other Ipswich hockey icons Tammy Cole and Anne-Marie Callow, who were always keen to assist and share their experiences.

One of Ipswich’s most talented sportsmen of all time was former baseball Olympian and ex-state soccer striker Peter Vogler.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Peter’s amazing sporting journey all the way to the 1988 Seoul Olympics where baseball was a demonstration sport.

Peter and other Musketeers greats like Paul Coogan, Peter Wood and Steve Hinton were tremendous sportsmen.

I appreciated catching up with Peter, and other long-time soccer colleagues, at the latest 40th anniversary of Ipswich United’s historic 1985 soccer feat.

Current Rugby League Ipswich chairman David Nugent is another frontline regular helper, like ever-welcoming Ipswich Vigoro Association president Deanne Lawrie.

Former Ipswich Force men’s head basketball coach and Ipswich State High School teacher Chris Riches is someone I have the highest regard for.

Chris was always dependable, provided honest assessments and was a forward thinker as a coach and administrator.

Chris worked closely with Ipswich State High School Director Josh Bretherton, who also set a fine example of how to assist the media. "Bretho" was one of the best teachers I was fortunate to be involved with covering school sport.

Basketball icons Terry Lindeberg and Calvin Hegvold have been long-time supporters I always enjoyed chatting to.

Basketball gems Jason Ralph and his wife Georgia are one of the most delightful and helpful sporting couples in Ipswich.

In football, Andy Ogden, Ian Carson, Danny Wilson, Joe Fenech, Nick Paterson, Todd Hunt, Dan Burnell and Nev O’Sullivan are among the region’s leading contributors, as well as former Western Pride FC manager Darryl Christensen and historian Gary McKenzie.

Gary’s outstanding work building soccer records needs to be acknowledged.

Cricket umpire and long-time administrator Darryl O’Sullivan has been a wealth of knowledge. It’s terrific seeing Darryl officiating at world masters cricket tournaments around the world.

Current Cricket Ipswich general manager Simon Emmerson was one of the first people to answer a phone call, underlining his tremendous passion for the sport.

Covering the highs and lows of elite cricketers Dick Tazelaar and Andy Bichel was especially rewarding, especially when they shared in Queensland’s first Sheffield Shield victory in 1995, ending that long title drought.

I’ll never forget sharing the post-match emotion in the Brisbane Lions dressing room, as the cricket changerooms were closed being renovated.

Dick’s wife Denise, an elite sportswoman, was always helpful, along with Bichel husband and wife team Wayne and Leanne.

Former teacher and hockey coach Murray Rogers continues to keep a keen eye on all regional sport.

Murray was one of the region’s most valuable school and club assets for many years.

Progressive Ipswich Jets CEO Richard Hughes always supported by writing projects from when we first met.

Similarly, Jets chairman Steve Johnson has been a huge supporter of everything promoting Ipswich, especially his beloved Jets who “bleed green and white”.

I know Steve will be relieved when the North Ipswich Reserve Redevelopment finally takes shape.

In motorsport, few people can match the efforts of Rob Oberg. His dedication to the sport, including his fantastic race commentary, were always well received.

Rob also worked with me at The Queensland Times, being a terrific promotions manager.

At the Ipswich Turf Club, officials like Wayne Patch and Claire Power were always professional and willing to assist.

Softball guru Wayne Gaddes was another proud Ipswich person I always respected for his honest feedback and encouragement.

As I prepare to spend more time fishing, it’s fitting to acknowledge the Qualischefski family who ran the Bob Dowse Sports Store at North Ipswich for many years.

I enjoyed writing regular fishing columns with the knowledgeable Bunny and his son Wade.

Bunny’s wife Laraine, a wonderful rod builder among other talents, always made you feel welcome, highlighting why they were such popular people.

I appreciate all the wonderful messages that I have received in recent days from so many past and present colleagues.

To everyone who has assisted me over four fantastic decades, a massive thanks.