'Fiercely loyal': The people who keep this tiny town's heart beating
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
Beyond the silos and green spaces of this beautiful country town lies an infectious community spirit.
The tiny town of Geranium in South Australia, near the Mallee Highway, has had its population shrink to double digits, but there are families still there who treasure it.
"It's a really unique little community in that it's fiercely loyal," said resident Margaret Smith.
Read more in The Senior
The town's Community Hub bought the Geranium Primary School from the state government for $1.10 earlier this year after it had closed due to dwindling enrolment numbers.
Since the purchase, an Op Shop has opened at the site in the old technology area, and there are plans for a cafe to start soon. A gym and yoga classes have been run from the school already.
Geranium Community Hub secretary Anne Bond grew up in the town, with her great-grandparents moving to a farm there in 1910.
Mrs Bond recalls seeing numerous families on farms in the town and neighbouring areas, with community life revolving around sporting clubs, and the school becoming a focal point in the district.
She said there was a lot of grief when the school closed, but there was a strong community response.
"That brought a lot of people together to support that dreaming of what we could do with the school," she said.
"We felt that we can make it a meeting place."
In the town, there is a bowling club that hosts meals plus several games, a community pool that runs in the summer, an antique shop, a post office, Uniting Church, a space for free camping and a a Soldiers Memorial Park - a nice space to "meditate and have afternoon tea", said Mrs Bond.
Geranium is part of the Southern Mallee district, where farming became a big part of the region's development after railway services started in the early 1900s.
According to the 2021 Census data, Geranium's population was 83, down from 240 in 2006.
There are several volunteers who donate their time to keep the town's spirit and connectedness alive.
Adam Morgan is a fourth-generation farmer in the town with his wife, Tanja, and they have three children.
"I've lived here all my life... I love farming here, but also enjoy the small community," he said.
The Geranium Community Hub chair said keeping the school in community hands has given people a place to gather, including for working bees and local events.
"School has always been somewhere where people have been able to go," he said.
Margaret Smith opened the Op Shop at the school shortly after the sale.
"It's a really good connecting place for locals," she said.
Ms Smith and her husband David - who is involved with the local Uniting Church - moved to the town about 40 years ago. They have barley, wheat, canola and sheep on their farm, plus David breeds Merino rams.
The couple's five children were students at the school and Ms Smith worked there for a time, including as a teacher and a pastoral worker. She recalls families rallying together for school and other community events, and noted how even today, lots of people put their hand up for various causes.
"Everyone sort of pitched in... there's a real loyalty [here]," she said.
Rosemary Howard is the editor of The Guardian, the town's newsletter and has lived in Geranium with her husband Peter since 1968.
Their children went to the town's school and their son lives next door, where he has cattle, dorper sheep and crops.
Mrs Howard had noticed people had been moving to the town in recent years in search of quietness and cheaper housing.
Socially, she said the bowling club's dinners attracted people far and wide, and she loved having a coffee at the Op Shop recently with people who had just finished a yoga class.
"It's always been a friendly town," she said.
"It really is just a very friendly, welcoming place."
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
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The Advertiser
17-07-2025
- The Advertiser
How collector's bargain tip-shop finds ended up at Canberra Museum
About 30 years ago, Rohan Goyne was browsing at a Canberra tip shop when he came across a framed certificate he knew was special. Mr Goyne picked up the Mentioned in Dispatches certificate from World War II, which was awarded to soldiers who had been commended for acts of gallantry or distinguished service in official reports, along with a bunch of other items, for the princely sum of $10. Over the years, he has amassed more than 500 items, with a particular focus on items that reflect what took place on the home front during the war. Read more from The Senior His collection has grown so large that he no longer has room to display it at home. Most of the items have been itemised and stored in boxes, in his garage, and various places around the house. These items range from rare coins printed during the war, to shovels that were used by the Land Army, and old pamphlets, propaganda posters and brochures. Mr Goyne is on a fixed budget and says he never pays much for these rare finds, but some of them are quite valuable. He did not want to disclose how much the collection was worth. Many of the items have been sourced from op shops and tip shops. Mr Goyne said Canberra is a city that is rich in historical military memorabilia. "Canberra is a military town, so there's a lot of people who served... when grandpa dies, people just send this stuff to the charity shops," he said. Other items have been sourced from private owners. Mr Goyne is not your average coin collector, but his collection does include a number of Australian pennies that were printed at the Bombay Mint during the latter stages of the war years. He explained that when American troops were stationed in Australia, they had a lot of money to spend, resulting in the Australian Government asking India to print about 400,000 pennies to make up for the shortfall. The only thing that distinguishes them from pennies printed in Australia is a small asterisk printed on their faces. Mr Goyne found the coins in op shops after researching how to identify them, paying no more than $3 per penny. Another significant item is a Liberty Loan poster, one of a series of posters that were issued to call on Australians to contribute to the ongoing campaign by investing in war bonds. Mr Goyne purchased the poster from its previous owner about five years ago and said there is an equivalent poster in the Australian War Memorial Collection. Other key items in Mr Goyne's collection include an ore sample from Mount Painter in South Australia, a disused mine that was reopened to supply the United States with uranium to assist with its Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the first atomic bombs. Another recent find is a huge volume from the Commonwealth Patents Office, featuring trademarks, patents and designs for a range of military equipment that were lodged in 1945. A selection of items from Mr Goyne's collection will be displayed at an exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery from August 9-February 1. While some of the items he has collected are quite valuable, Mr Goyne has no intention to resell them. For him, the collection is all about preserving an often neglected part of our wartime history. "I think that the sacrifices [of]... Australians who didn't go and serve overseas, that is not well documented... I've heard very little conversation about what was happening at home to achieve that victory, and everyone was involved in that." Following the exhibition, My Goyne said he will consider donating some of his items. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. About 30 years ago, Rohan Goyne was browsing at a Canberra tip shop when he came across a framed certificate he knew was special. Mr Goyne picked up the Mentioned in Dispatches certificate from World War II, which was awarded to soldiers who had been commended for acts of gallantry or distinguished service in official reports, along with a bunch of other items, for the princely sum of $10. Over the years, he has amassed more than 500 items, with a particular focus on items that reflect what took place on the home front during the war. Read more from The Senior His collection has grown so large that he no longer has room to display it at home. Most of the items have been itemised and stored in boxes, in his garage, and various places around the house. These items range from rare coins printed during the war, to shovels that were used by the Land Army, and old pamphlets, propaganda posters and brochures. Mr Goyne is on a fixed budget and says he never pays much for these rare finds, but some of them are quite valuable. He did not want to disclose how much the collection was worth. Many of the items have been sourced from op shops and tip shops. Mr Goyne said Canberra is a city that is rich in historical military memorabilia. "Canberra is a military town, so there's a lot of people who served... when grandpa dies, people just send this stuff to the charity shops," he said. Other items have been sourced from private owners. Mr Goyne is not your average coin collector, but his collection does include a number of Australian pennies that were printed at the Bombay Mint during the latter stages of the war years. He explained that when American troops were stationed in Australia, they had a lot of money to spend, resulting in the Australian Government asking India to print about 400,000 pennies to make up for the shortfall. The only thing that distinguishes them from pennies printed in Australia is a small asterisk printed on their faces. Mr Goyne found the coins in op shops after researching how to identify them, paying no more than $3 per penny. Another significant item is a Liberty Loan poster, one of a series of posters that were issued to call on Australians to contribute to the ongoing campaign by investing in war bonds. Mr Goyne purchased the poster from its previous owner about five years ago and said there is an equivalent poster in the Australian War Memorial Collection. Other key items in Mr Goyne's collection include an ore sample from Mount Painter in South Australia, a disused mine that was reopened to supply the United States with uranium to assist with its Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the first atomic bombs. Another recent find is a huge volume from the Commonwealth Patents Office, featuring trademarks, patents and designs for a range of military equipment that were lodged in 1945. A selection of items from Mr Goyne's collection will be displayed at an exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery from August 9-February 1. While some of the items he has collected are quite valuable, Mr Goyne has no intention to resell them. For him, the collection is all about preserving an often neglected part of our wartime history. "I think that the sacrifices [of]... Australians who didn't go and serve overseas, that is not well documented... I've heard very little conversation about what was happening at home to achieve that victory, and everyone was involved in that." Following the exhibition, My Goyne said he will consider donating some of his items. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. About 30 years ago, Rohan Goyne was browsing at a Canberra tip shop when he came across a framed certificate he knew was special. Mr Goyne picked up the Mentioned in Dispatches certificate from World War II, which was awarded to soldiers who had been commended for acts of gallantry or distinguished service in official reports, along with a bunch of other items, for the princely sum of $10. Over the years, he has amassed more than 500 items, with a particular focus on items that reflect what took place on the home front during the war. Read more from The Senior His collection has grown so large that he no longer has room to display it at home. Most of the items have been itemised and stored in boxes, in his garage, and various places around the house. These items range from rare coins printed during the war, to shovels that were used by the Land Army, and old pamphlets, propaganda posters and brochures. Mr Goyne is on a fixed budget and says he never pays much for these rare finds, but some of them are quite valuable. He did not want to disclose how much the collection was worth. Many of the items have been sourced from op shops and tip shops. Mr Goyne said Canberra is a city that is rich in historical military memorabilia. "Canberra is a military town, so there's a lot of people who served... when grandpa dies, people just send this stuff to the charity shops," he said. Other items have been sourced from private owners. Mr Goyne is not your average coin collector, but his collection does include a number of Australian pennies that were printed at the Bombay Mint during the latter stages of the war years. He explained that when American troops were stationed in Australia, they had a lot of money to spend, resulting in the Australian Government asking India to print about 400,000 pennies to make up for the shortfall. The only thing that distinguishes them from pennies printed in Australia is a small asterisk printed on their faces. Mr Goyne found the coins in op shops after researching how to identify them, paying no more than $3 per penny. Another significant item is a Liberty Loan poster, one of a series of posters that were issued to call on Australians to contribute to the ongoing campaign by investing in war bonds. Mr Goyne purchased the poster from its previous owner about five years ago and said there is an equivalent poster in the Australian War Memorial Collection. Other key items in Mr Goyne's collection include an ore sample from Mount Painter in South Australia, a disused mine that was reopened to supply the United States with uranium to assist with its Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the first atomic bombs. Another recent find is a huge volume from the Commonwealth Patents Office, featuring trademarks, patents and designs for a range of military equipment that were lodged in 1945. A selection of items from Mr Goyne's collection will be displayed at an exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery from August 9-February 1. While some of the items he has collected are quite valuable, Mr Goyne has no intention to resell them. For him, the collection is all about preserving an often neglected part of our wartime history. "I think that the sacrifices [of]... Australians who didn't go and serve overseas, that is not well documented... I've heard very little conversation about what was happening at home to achieve that victory, and everyone was involved in that." Following the exhibition, My Goyne said he will consider donating some of his items. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. About 30 years ago, Rohan Goyne was browsing at a Canberra tip shop when he came across a framed certificate he knew was special. Mr Goyne picked up the Mentioned in Dispatches certificate from World War II, which was awarded to soldiers who had been commended for acts of gallantry or distinguished service in official reports, along with a bunch of other items, for the princely sum of $10. Over the years, he has amassed more than 500 items, with a particular focus on items that reflect what took place on the home front during the war. Read more from The Senior His collection has grown so large that he no longer has room to display it at home. Most of the items have been itemised and stored in boxes, in his garage, and various places around the house. These items range from rare coins printed during the war, to shovels that were used by the Land Army, and old pamphlets, propaganda posters and brochures. Mr Goyne is on a fixed budget and says he never pays much for these rare finds, but some of them are quite valuable. He did not want to disclose how much the collection was worth. Many of the items have been sourced from op shops and tip shops. Mr Goyne said Canberra is a city that is rich in historical military memorabilia. "Canberra is a military town, so there's a lot of people who served... when grandpa dies, people just send this stuff to the charity shops," he said. Other items have been sourced from private owners. Mr Goyne is not your average coin collector, but his collection does include a number of Australian pennies that were printed at the Bombay Mint during the latter stages of the war years. He explained that when American troops were stationed in Australia, they had a lot of money to spend, resulting in the Australian Government asking India to print about 400,000 pennies to make up for the shortfall. The only thing that distinguishes them from pennies printed in Australia is a small asterisk printed on their faces. Mr Goyne found the coins in op shops after researching how to identify them, paying no more than $3 per penny. Another significant item is a Liberty Loan poster, one of a series of posters that were issued to call on Australians to contribute to the ongoing campaign by investing in war bonds. Mr Goyne purchased the poster from its previous owner about five years ago and said there is an equivalent poster in the Australian War Memorial Collection. Other key items in Mr Goyne's collection include an ore sample from Mount Painter in South Australia, a disused mine that was reopened to supply the United States with uranium to assist with its Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the first atomic bombs. Another recent find is a huge volume from the Commonwealth Patents Office, featuring trademarks, patents and designs for a range of military equipment that were lodged in 1945. A selection of items from Mr Goyne's collection will be displayed at an exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery from August 9-February 1. While some of the items he has collected are quite valuable, Mr Goyne has no intention to resell them. For him, the collection is all about preserving an often neglected part of our wartime history. "I think that the sacrifices [of]... Australians who didn't go and serve overseas, that is not well documented... I've heard very little conversation about what was happening at home to achieve that victory, and everyone was involved in that." Following the exhibition, My Goyne said he will consider donating some of his items. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- News.com.au
ABS launches census testing across thousands of Aussie homes
Tens of thousands of households have been selected to participate in the upcoming Australian Bureau of Statistics census test, which technicians use as an exercise to ensure IT systems and data-gathering processes are all working in the lead-up to the five-yearly survey of the Aussie population. The ABS census general manager Jenny Telford said the test was taking place to ensure the real one happened as smoothly as possible. 'We are testing our collection processes and IT systems to ensure our processes work well and that the form captures the right information in the right way,' she said. 'You can complete your form as soon as you receive your instructions if you know who will be home on census test night.' About 60,000 preselected homes will take part in the test across eight key regions across Australia. In NSW, homes in Coonamble and Gilgandra will be surveyed. In Queensland, the cities of Rockhampton and Gladstone will take part, as will the regional township of Yeppoon. Homes have been selected in Western Australia's Wheatbelt Region, as have households in Perth and Albany. Regional Victorian homes miss out this time, and surveying will only take place in Melbourne. The ABS has noted that not every home in the selected locations will be required to participate in the test. 'If you don't receive instructions in the mail, there's nothing you need to do,' the organisation said in a statement. 'The information you provide in the test is confidential. The ABS is legally required to keep data secure and not release information in a way that will identify any individual, household or business.' Test night will take place on Tuesday August 5.
ABC News
14-07-2025
- ABC News
Hundreds mourn Eileen Bond, ex-wife of controversial businessman Alan Bond, at Fremantle funeral
Hundreds of friends and family members have farewelled Eileen Bond, the first wife of controversial Perth business tycoon Alan Bond. Ms Bond, fondly known as "Red", died after a stroke earlier this month, aged 87. She was remembered as someone who lived life to the fullest and could make everyone feel special. Mourners gathered for her funeral at St Patrick's Basilica in Fremantle, the town where she was born and raised with her four brothers and sisters. As her son John Bond said in his eulogy, with her "fiery red hair and personality to match" she quickly became known as "Red". "Red's life seems to me best summed up by words beginning with the letter F. If any of you immediately thought of a four-letter expletive she was known to utter, you should now say a Hail Mary," he said to laughter from those in the church. She and her then husband Alan were at the centre of massive national celebrations when his sailing team won the America's Cup in 1983. She became like a mother to the crew, John Bond said, and managed to charm the "great aristocratic families" in the United States as the sailing grace progressed. "Red had an incredible knack of being able to befriend anybody at any time, in any circumstances," he said. "She was vitally interested in people's lives, and I think that was the key." He said his mother made everyone feel special and could relate to people of all ages. "The house was always open, the fire was on, and the champagne was always flowing. She was everyone's grandma, mother, auntie or just dear friend. Age was simply an irrelevant label to her," he said. Among those at the funeral were Ms Bond's cousin, the high-profile car dealer John Hughes, former South Fremantle Football Club great Stephen Michael, and former premier Richard Court. In his homily, Father Christian Fini spoke of her "remarkable life, spirit and joy for living". "Red is more than a nickname for Eileen, it is a powerful metaphor and symbol for her legacy as a much-loved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, family member, dear friend to many and Australian icon," he said. Ms Bond was the number one ticket holder for the South Fremantle Football Club for more than 20 years. John Bond said she was still going to the footy right until the end, and living her life in the only speed that she knew: fast. "She lived life to the full," he said. "In the last week of her life, she had bought a new Balenciaga outfit for lunch at Chez Pierre on Thursday, gone to the footy on Saturday, was due at our place for lunch on Sunday, but sadly never arrived.
