Dick

The first Church building for Albany Creek was that of the United Free Methodist Church, with Henry Day (Days Cottage – Hawkins Garden Centre) the local preacher. The Circuit Minister was from the Congregational church. The building was leased to the Salvation Army.

Matt Campbell recalls attending in 1930s however by the late 50’s, NO signs remained of any building.

The site, opposite Busy Lizzie Nursery adjacent to the power easement, it became the home of “squatter”, Dick Holloway.

Dick once told me he left timber cutting in West Australia. Whilst always ready to yarn, about any subject, his background remained a mystery. He survived on a meagre pension, money in hand for local deliveries, including regular work at “ The Chip Inn” of, Mrs Staines at Aspley.

His old horse and cart were an ‘item’ around the district, until the ‘do gooders’ had his horse taken away because it didn’t look “well fed”.

Next to go was his make shift illegal humpy of iron, bush timber, because it was an eyesore.

So, he moved just 50 metres across the creek, to the corner of the Campbell cornfield paddock.

His old bike daily dodged the stream of trucks of S&S Gravel, Ready Mix and Northside Gravel as he scoured the roads for valuable finds to hide in his huge Hessian bags.

He was one of the finest organic green gardeners, living well off his flourishing vege patch, hand watered from the creek and aided by an odious mixture of manure gum mulch.

Ironically, as a 10-12 year old I was never allowed to leave our 250 acre farm without express permission, but to visit Dirty Dick; no worries.

As “the creek” became more established, on pension day he was a regular at the Post Office, the Cut Price Store and Mike Cashin’s hardware, always looking for a long rambling chat with his roll your own smoking away. Because of his irregular bathing habits, most found their busy life style didn’t permit sustained conversation.

He died, alone without dept in his makeshift 30 square galvanized iron home on the Campbell Farm, with an abundant veggie patch, with a fortune in excess of $10,000 in notes saved from pension days under his mattress.

The reclusive Dick Holloway, one of the districts historical past residents.

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Peter Campbell - 0418 774 663