This month in ‘Meet a Villager’ we introduce you to Don Battersby.
Here’s a few things to know about Don:
Don has lived at Paluma for 26 years, first moving to the village in 1992.
- He bought a 5-acre block of land on Hussey Road and in 2006 he built his own home.
- For 44 years Don worked as a Ships Master. For 20 years he worked aboard the James Kirby, the research vessel for James Cook University.
- During his time as Ships Master he had a brush with Hollywood when he transported Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland and Matthew McConaughey around the Whitsunday Islands for the making of the movie ‘Fools Gold’.
- Don is a shell collector and he has a vast knowledge of South Pacific marine shells.
- He is a very keen gardener and he has a passion for growing anthuriums. He currently has a collection of more than 700 colourful, weird and wonderful varieties, collected from all over Queensland.
- Don loves to cook. He often makes a roast for his friends and neighbours on his new wood stove.
- Don loves living at Paluma for the peace and quiet, the cool climate, the good people, the birdlife, bush tracks and swimming holes. He can’t imagine living anywhere else.
- Don is extremely generous of his time and his vast knowledge of many things. He is never too busy to lend a hand to his neighbours and friends.
- Don is proud of Paluma and he often acts as an impromptu tour guide for visitors on the many walking tracks and for bird enthusiasts searching for that elusive species or photograph.
- A word of warning though – Don tells very BAD jokes.