Major breakthrough in Pheobe mystery as police make arrest
A major breakthrough has been made in the case of missing 17-year-old Pheobe Bishop after police confirmed they had arrested a man who is assisting them with their inquiries.
A 34-year-old has been taken into custody and is being questioned in relation to the disappearance of Ms Bishop who went missing in the town of Gin Gin on May 15.
No charges have been laid but the arrest is a welcome moment for detectives and Pheobe Bishop's family who are trying desperately to locate the teenager.
Earlier on Wednesday, police in Queensland said they had made the tough decision to scale back the search for the missing girl.
The search at the Good Night Scrub National Park has been suspended police said in a statement, as the investigation into the disappearance of 17-year-old Pheobe continues.
Investigations are ongoing as police continue to sound out several lines of enquiry, but physical searches have now been flagged to continue as needed and as any further information into her disappearance is provided.
The greater Gin Gin area remains the focus of the investigation with two crime scenes declared — the car in which she was believed to have been travelling to the airport in, and the house where she had been living.
Police continue to appeal to anyone with information, vision or sightings of a grey Hyundai ix35 between May 15 to 18 in the greater Gin Gin area to contact them directly of via Crimestoppers.
Police declared the teenager's disappearance suspicious on May 21.
Cadaver dogs, water police, drones and State Emergency Service personnel combed through thick scrub for five days and items of interest were collected for forensic examination.
Last weekend Ms Bishops mother, Kylie Johnson, made a heartfelt plea for information into her daughter's case and pleaded with community members to come forward if they can assist police.
In a clear sign of the depth of concern for missing 17-year-old Gin Gin teen, Pheobe Bishop, her mother, Kylie Johnson, has made a public appeal for assistance in the search for her daughter.
In the prepared statement Ms Johnson at times spoke in past tense which may have revealed the gravity with which detectives are treating the situation.
'Hi I'm Kylie, I'm Pheobe's mum and our lives have been changed for the worse after the sudden disappearance of our daughter who was last seen on on May 15th,' Ms Johnson said.
'This is a pain no person or family should have to experience.
'Pheobe was a beautiful, loving, kind person and every day not knowing where she has been is devastating for us.
'This is why we are appealing for any information that may help to bring Pheobe home to contact the police.
'Even the smallest bit of information may be all the police need to find Pheobe'
Ms Johnson went on to thank the police investigators who are working tirelessly to find the young woman.
She also thanked the community for their support and said 'she still holds hope that Pheobe will come home'.
Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.
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SBS Australia
6 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Pheobe Bishop's body found, police say, after housemates face court on murder charges
The body of missing and suspected-murdered teenager Pheobe Bishop has been found in national park bushland on the same day two housemates faced court charged over her death. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg in Queensland. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Earlier on Friday Pheobe's sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside a southern Queensland court where James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were remanded in custody. Pheobe's two housemates have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. They were arrested on Thursday night, marking three weeks to the day since the 17-year-old missed a flight and vanished. Pheobe's sister was flanked by supporters at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, where Wood and Bromley's matter was mentioned on Friday. Locals gathered outside court including one holding up a sign in support of the missing teen's shattered family as Pheobe's sister launched her tearful appeal. "If you've got any information about Pheobe ... just come forward," she told reporters. "Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home. "She was loved, she's missed dearly." Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body more than once. "Whilst we always hoped to find Pheobe alive, our investigation ... quite clearly showed us that that was not going to be a viable outcome," Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe at a Gin Gin property near Bundaberg. Police allege the pair drove the 17-year-old close to the airport in a grey Hyundai but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Police had previously searched the park, saying their investigations indicated evidence may have been moved before officers arrived. Phone data had led to officers focusing their search on the park, police said. Police believe they understand the motive for Pheobe's alleged murder, the detective said. Wood's SUV has been seized by police for forensic examination. He had been living in the vehicle after the Gin Gin property he shared with Bromley and Pheobe was declared a crime scene following the teen's disappearance. Police bodycam footage released on Friday showed the moment Wood was arrested in the Bundaberg area, with an officer telling him he was being taken into custody over the "homicide" of Pheobe. Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on 11 August. They had earlier been charged with unrelated weapons offences after police allegedly found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns in their car and home. The Gin Gin community is set to hold a vigil for Pheobe in coming days. "It's a sad day for the community and a devastating one for Pheobe's family," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP.
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Missing teen girl's body found near national park
The body of missing and suspected-murdered teenager Pheobe Bishop has been found in national park bushland on the same day two housemates faced court charged over her death. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg in Queensland. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Earlier on Friday Pheobe's sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside a southern Queensland court where James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were remanded in custody. Pheobe's two housemates have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. They were arrested on Thursday night, marking three weeks to the day since the 17-year-old missed a flight and vanished. Pheobe's sister was flanked by supporters at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, where Wood and Bromley's matter was mentioned on Friday. Locals gathered outside court including one holding up a sign in support of the missing teen's shattered family as Pheobe's sister launched her tearful appeal. "If you've got any information about Pheobe ... just come forward," she told reporters. "Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home. "She was loved, she's missed dearly." Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body more than once. "Whilst we always hoped to find Pheobe alive, our investigation ... quite clearly showed us that that was not going to be a viable outcome," Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe at a Gin Gin property near Bundaberg. Police allege the pair drove the 17-year-old close to the airport in a grey Hyundai but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Police had previously searched the park, saying their investigations indicated evidence may have been moved before officers arrived. Phone data had led to officers focusing their search on the park, police said. Police believe they understand the motive for Pheobe's alleged murder, the detective said. Wood's SUV has been seized by police for forensic examination. He had been living in the vehicle after the Gin Gin property he shared with Bromley and Pheobe was declared a crime scene following the teen's disappearance. Police bodycam footage released on Friday showed the moment Wood was arrested in the Bundaberg area, with an officer telling him he was being taken into custody over the "homicide" of Pheobe. Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. They had earlier been charged with unrelated weapons offences after police allegedly found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns in their car and home. The Gin Gin community is set to hold a vigil for Pheobe in coming days. "It's a sad day for the community and a devastating one for Pheobe's family," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. The body of missing and suspected-murdered teenager Pheobe Bishop has been found in national park bushland on the same day two housemates faced court charged over her death. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg in Queensland. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Earlier on Friday Pheobe's sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside a southern Queensland court where James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were remanded in custody. Pheobe's two housemates have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. They were arrested on Thursday night, marking three weeks to the day since the 17-year-old missed a flight and vanished. Pheobe's sister was flanked by supporters at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, where Wood and Bromley's matter was mentioned on Friday. Locals gathered outside court including one holding up a sign in support of the missing teen's shattered family as Pheobe's sister launched her tearful appeal. "If you've got any information about Pheobe ... just come forward," she told reporters. "Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home. "She was loved, she's missed dearly." Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body more than once. "Whilst we always hoped to find Pheobe alive, our investigation ... quite clearly showed us that that was not going to be a viable outcome," Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe at a Gin Gin property near Bundaberg. Police allege the pair drove the 17-year-old close to the airport in a grey Hyundai but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Police had previously searched the park, saying their investigations indicated evidence may have been moved before officers arrived. Phone data had led to officers focusing their search on the park, police said. Police believe they understand the motive for Pheobe's alleged murder, the detective said. Wood's SUV has been seized by police for forensic examination. He had been living in the vehicle after the Gin Gin property he shared with Bromley and Pheobe was declared a crime scene following the teen's disappearance. Police bodycam footage released on Friday showed the moment Wood was arrested in the Bundaberg area, with an officer telling him he was being taken into custody over the "homicide" of Pheobe. Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. They had earlier been charged with unrelated weapons offences after police allegedly found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns in their car and home. The Gin Gin community is set to hold a vigil for Pheobe in coming days. "It's a sad day for the community and a devastating one for Pheobe's family," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. The body of missing and suspected-murdered teenager Pheobe Bishop has been found in national park bushland on the same day two housemates faced court charged over her death. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg in Queensland. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Earlier on Friday Pheobe's sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside a southern Queensland court where James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were remanded in custody. Pheobe's two housemates have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. They were arrested on Thursday night, marking three weeks to the day since the 17-year-old missed a flight and vanished. Pheobe's sister was flanked by supporters at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, where Wood and Bromley's matter was mentioned on Friday. Locals gathered outside court including one holding up a sign in support of the missing teen's shattered family as Pheobe's sister launched her tearful appeal. "If you've got any information about Pheobe ... just come forward," she told reporters. "Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home. "She was loved, she's missed dearly." Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body more than once. "Whilst we always hoped to find Pheobe alive, our investigation ... quite clearly showed us that that was not going to be a viable outcome," Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe at a Gin Gin property near Bundaberg. Police allege the pair drove the 17-year-old close to the airport in a grey Hyundai but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Police had previously searched the park, saying their investigations indicated evidence may have been moved before officers arrived. Phone data had led to officers focusing their search on the park, police said. Police believe they understand the motive for Pheobe's alleged murder, the detective said. Wood's SUV has been seized by police for forensic examination. He had been living in the vehicle after the Gin Gin property he shared with Bromley and Pheobe was declared a crime scene following the teen's disappearance. Police bodycam footage released on Friday showed the moment Wood was arrested in the Bundaberg area, with an officer telling him he was being taken into custody over the "homicide" of Pheobe. Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. They had earlier been charged with unrelated weapons offences after police allegedly found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns in their car and home. The Gin Gin community is set to hold a vigil for Pheobe in coming days. "It's a sad day for the community and a devastating one for Pheobe's family," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP. The body of missing and suspected-murdered teenager Pheobe Bishop has been found in national park bushland on the same day two housemates faced court charged over her death. Police confirmed the remains, believed to be Pheobe, were found about 2.30pm on Friday near Good Night Scrub National Park, southwest of Bundaberg in Queensland. Pheobe's mother Kylie Johnson was quick to share her grief. "I didn't think my heart could break anymore then it did when you went missing, or when the charges were laid but this! This is ripping me apart ..." she posted on Facebook. Detectives have set up a crime scene where the body was found and continue to appeal for further information. Earlier on Friday Pheobe's sister Kaylea Bishop issued a heartbreaking plea to find her sibling outside a southern Queensland court where James Wood, 34, and Tanika Bromley, 33, were remanded in custody. Pheobe's two housemates have been charged with murder and two counts each of interfering with a corpse. They were arrested on Thursday night, marking three weeks to the day since the 17-year-old missed a flight and vanished. Pheobe's sister was flanked by supporters at Bundaberg Magistrates Court, where Wood and Bromley's matter was mentioned on Friday. Locals gathered outside court including one holding up a sign in support of the missing teen's shattered family as Pheobe's sister launched her tearful appeal. "If you've got any information about Pheobe ... just come forward," she told reporters. "Three weeks is too long for us as a family. We just want her home. "She was loved, she's missed dearly." Police allege Wood and Bromley moved Pheobe's body more than once. "Whilst we always hoped to find Pheobe alive, our investigation ... quite clearly showed us that that was not going to be a viable outcome," Detective Inspector Craig Mansfield said. Pheobe was last seen near Bundaberg airport about 8.30am on May 15 after booking a trip to Western Australia to see her boyfriend. Wood and Bromley were housemates with Pheobe at a Gin Gin property near Bundaberg. Police allege the pair drove the 17-year-old close to the airport in a grey Hyundai but no one exited the car. Pheobe was allegedly murdered and her body moved more than once from the Good Night Scrub National Park, an hour's drive from the airport. Police had previously searched the park, saying their investigations indicated evidence may have been moved before officers arrived. Phone data had led to officers focusing their search on the park, police said. Police believe they understand the motive for Pheobe's alleged murder, the detective said. Wood's SUV has been seized by police for forensic examination. He had been living in the vehicle after the Gin Gin property he shared with Bromley and Pheobe was declared a crime scene following the teen's disappearance. Police bodycam footage released on Friday showed the moment Wood was arrested in the Bundaberg area, with an officer telling him he was being taken into custody over the "homicide" of Pheobe. Wood and Bromley have been remanded in custody ahead of their next court appearance on August 11. They had earlier been charged with unrelated weapons offences after police allegedly found a shortened firearm, ammunition and two replica handguns in their car and home. The Gin Gin community is set to hold a vigil for Pheobe in coming days. "It's a sad day for the community and a devastating one for Pheobe's family," Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn told AAP.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
John Martin, first popularly elected Singleton mayor and Shire Freeman dies at 90
Former Singleton mayor John Martin, who spent more than 50 years in local government, and was made a Freeman of the Shire, died this week after a decline in health, the council confirmed. He was 90. Mr Martin, who was remembered as a tireless community servant, was elected to the Singleton Municipal Council in 1965 and spent more than half a century as a local representative, including serving as mayor from 1990 to 2000. He became the shire's first popularly elected mayor in 2012, at 77, narrowly defeating political neophyte Kylie Stibbard, who had entered the race that year, having never served as a councillor, to run second by a mere 118 votes. In the Singleton Shire, the mayoral office is a four-year term, elected by direct popular vote, while the nine other councillors of the 10-seat chamber are elected proportionally. Mr Martin retired from political life in 2021, the same year he was officially inducted as a Freeman of the Shire, having been conferred the honorary title in 2020, and spent his later years living in care at the now-closed Mercy Residential Aged Care Facility. In February, when the centre faced closure amid years of financial strife, Mr Martin told the media that he was concerned about where he would move when the centre closed. "At the moment, it looks like we might have to go out of town," he said. "I don't want that to happen. Singleton is my town, and I believe in it, and I wish to stay here." Mr Martin was remembered this week as a tireless community volunteer and a life member of the State Emergency Service. Throughout his six decades in public life, he served with Our Care services, Meals on Wheels, Singleton Apex Club, Albion Park Tennis Club, Singleton Hospital community trust, and Singleton Tidy Towns. "John leaves a huge legacy, and although he was a humble man, his mark on Singleton will remain for decades to come," the shire's sitting mayor, Sue Moore, said in a statement on Friday. "He was steadfastly loyal to the people of Singleton right up until his passing, and while our community, and indeed the wider Hunter Region, is all the poorer for his loss, we have certainly been enriched by his contribution." Mr Martin's public life was surrounded by history. In 1955, he told the council earlier this year, marking 70 years since the Hunter Valley floods, that he had tried to walk home to Fitz Street on the night the town was almost entirely submerged by water. He was knocked off his feet in chest-height water at Church Street and realised he had to wait it out. It would be two days before his family knew if he was alive, during which time he had helped a local police sergeant to get to the hospital after breaking his leg in a fall. "The town was a bloody mess," he recalled in February. "There were logs and rubbish everywhere. Burdekin Park, I remember, there were a lot of dead animals in Burdekin Park, sheep and cattle. The smell was terrible. And everything was covered in mud. We had no water, the water works broke down. No electricity. No sewerage. "There were three semitrailer loads of bananas up on McDougalls Hill, they were being transported and couldn't get through Singleton. So, we had plenty of bananas. You'd go down the street the day after the flood and your bloke would say, 'You want a banana? Here, take a case." It was in the aftermath of the 1955 disaster that the State Emergency Service was born, then known as Civil Defence, and Mr Martin was Singleton's first controller. "John's love for Singleton and his service to its people and the community is unparalleled, and unlikely ever to be repeated," Cr Moore said. "I was very privileged to serve alongside John on council for a number of terms, and while we may not have always agreed, I had a great respect for his leadership and the vast knowledge, expertise and experience that he brought to the chamber." "I'm deeply saddened by his passing and will remember him most for his unwavering commitment to always acting with the best interests of the community at heart." Former Singleton mayor John Martin, who spent more than 50 years in local government, and was made a Freeman of the Shire, died this week after a decline in health, the council confirmed. He was 90. Mr Martin, who was remembered as a tireless community servant, was elected to the Singleton Municipal Council in 1965 and spent more than half a century as a local representative, including serving as mayor from 1990 to 2000. He became the shire's first popularly elected mayor in 2012, at 77, narrowly defeating political neophyte Kylie Stibbard, who had entered the race that year, having never served as a councillor, to run second by a mere 118 votes. In the Singleton Shire, the mayoral office is a four-year term, elected by direct popular vote, while the nine other councillors of the 10-seat chamber are elected proportionally. Mr Martin retired from political life in 2021, the same year he was officially inducted as a Freeman of the Shire, having been conferred the honorary title in 2020, and spent his later years living in care at the now-closed Mercy Residential Aged Care Facility. In February, when the centre faced closure amid years of financial strife, Mr Martin told the media that he was concerned about where he would move when the centre closed. "At the moment, it looks like we might have to go out of town," he said. "I don't want that to happen. Singleton is my town, and I believe in it, and I wish to stay here." Mr Martin was remembered this week as a tireless community volunteer and a life member of the State Emergency Service. Throughout his six decades in public life, he served with Our Care services, Meals on Wheels, Singleton Apex Club, Albion Park Tennis Club, Singleton Hospital community trust, and Singleton Tidy Towns. "John leaves a huge legacy, and although he was a humble man, his mark on Singleton will remain for decades to come," the shire's sitting mayor, Sue Moore, said in a statement on Friday. "He was steadfastly loyal to the people of Singleton right up until his passing, and while our community, and indeed the wider Hunter Region, is all the poorer for his loss, we have certainly been enriched by his contribution." Mr Martin's public life was surrounded by history. In 1955, he told the council earlier this year, marking 70 years since the Hunter Valley floods, that he had tried to walk home to Fitz Street on the night the town was almost entirely submerged by water. He was knocked off his feet in chest-height water at Church Street and realised he had to wait it out. It would be two days before his family knew if he was alive, during which time he had helped a local police sergeant to get to the hospital after breaking his leg in a fall. "The town was a bloody mess," he recalled in February. "There were logs and rubbish everywhere. Burdekin Park, I remember, there were a lot of dead animals in Burdekin Park, sheep and cattle. The smell was terrible. And everything was covered in mud. We had no water, the water works broke down. No electricity. No sewerage. "There were three semitrailer loads of bananas up on McDougalls Hill, they were being transported and couldn't get through Singleton. So, we had plenty of bananas. You'd go down the street the day after the flood and your bloke would say, 'You want a banana? Here, take a case." It was in the aftermath of the 1955 disaster that the State Emergency Service was born, then known as Civil Defence, and Mr Martin was Singleton's first controller. "John's love for Singleton and his service to its people and the community is unparalleled, and unlikely ever to be repeated," Cr Moore said. "I was very privileged to serve alongside John on council for a number of terms, and while we may not have always agreed, I had a great respect for his leadership and the vast knowledge, expertise and experience that he brought to the chamber." "I'm deeply saddened by his passing and will remember him most for his unwavering commitment to always acting with the best interests of the community at heart." Former Singleton mayor John Martin, who spent more than 50 years in local government, and was made a Freeman of the Shire, died this week after a decline in health, the council confirmed. He was 90. Mr Martin, who was remembered as a tireless community servant, was elected to the Singleton Municipal Council in 1965 and spent more than half a century as a local representative, including serving as mayor from 1990 to 2000. He became the shire's first popularly elected mayor in 2012, at 77, narrowly defeating political neophyte Kylie Stibbard, who had entered the race that year, having never served as a councillor, to run second by a mere 118 votes. In the Singleton Shire, the mayoral office is a four-year term, elected by direct popular vote, while the nine other councillors of the 10-seat chamber are elected proportionally. Mr Martin retired from political life in 2021, the same year he was officially inducted as a Freeman of the Shire, having been conferred the honorary title in 2020, and spent his later years living in care at the now-closed Mercy Residential Aged Care Facility. In February, when the centre faced closure amid years of financial strife, Mr Martin told the media that he was concerned about where he would move when the centre closed. "At the moment, it looks like we might have to go out of town," he said. "I don't want that to happen. Singleton is my town, and I believe in it, and I wish to stay here." Mr Martin was remembered this week as a tireless community volunteer and a life member of the State Emergency Service. Throughout his six decades in public life, he served with Our Care services, Meals on Wheels, Singleton Apex Club, Albion Park Tennis Club, Singleton Hospital community trust, and Singleton Tidy Towns. "John leaves a huge legacy, and although he was a humble man, his mark on Singleton will remain for decades to come," the shire's sitting mayor, Sue Moore, said in a statement on Friday. "He was steadfastly loyal to the people of Singleton right up until his passing, and while our community, and indeed the wider Hunter Region, is all the poorer for his loss, we have certainly been enriched by his contribution." Mr Martin's public life was surrounded by history. In 1955, he told the council earlier this year, marking 70 years since the Hunter Valley floods, that he had tried to walk home to Fitz Street on the night the town was almost entirely submerged by water. He was knocked off his feet in chest-height water at Church Street and realised he had to wait it out. It would be two days before his family knew if he was alive, during which time he had helped a local police sergeant to get to the hospital after breaking his leg in a fall. "The town was a bloody mess," he recalled in February. "There were logs and rubbish everywhere. Burdekin Park, I remember, there were a lot of dead animals in Burdekin Park, sheep and cattle. The smell was terrible. And everything was covered in mud. We had no water, the water works broke down. No electricity. No sewerage. "There were three semitrailer loads of bananas up on McDougalls Hill, they were being transported and couldn't get through Singleton. So, we had plenty of bananas. You'd go down the street the day after the flood and your bloke would say, 'You want a banana? Here, take a case." It was in the aftermath of the 1955 disaster that the State Emergency Service was born, then known as Civil Defence, and Mr Martin was Singleton's first controller. "John's love for Singleton and his service to its people and the community is unparalleled, and unlikely ever to be repeated," Cr Moore said. "I was very privileged to serve alongside John on council for a number of terms, and while we may not have always agreed, I had a great respect for his leadership and the vast knowledge, expertise and experience that he brought to the chamber." "I'm deeply saddened by his passing and will remember him most for his unwavering commitment to always acting with the best interests of the community at heart." Former Singleton mayor John Martin, who spent more than 50 years in local government, and was made a Freeman of the Shire, died this week after a decline in health, the council confirmed. He was 90. Mr Martin, who was remembered as a tireless community servant, was elected to the Singleton Municipal Council in 1965 and spent more than half a century as a local representative, including serving as mayor from 1990 to 2000. He became the shire's first popularly elected mayor in 2012, at 77, narrowly defeating political neophyte Kylie Stibbard, who had entered the race that year, having never served as a councillor, to run second by a mere 118 votes. In the Singleton Shire, the mayoral office is a four-year term, elected by direct popular vote, while the nine other councillors of the 10-seat chamber are elected proportionally. Mr Martin retired from political life in 2021, the same year he was officially inducted as a Freeman of the Shire, having been conferred the honorary title in 2020, and spent his later years living in care at the now-closed Mercy Residential Aged Care Facility. In February, when the centre faced closure amid years of financial strife, Mr Martin told the media that he was concerned about where he would move when the centre closed. "At the moment, it looks like we might have to go out of town," he said. "I don't want that to happen. Singleton is my town, and I believe in it, and I wish to stay here." Mr Martin was remembered this week as a tireless community volunteer and a life member of the State Emergency Service. Throughout his six decades in public life, he served with Our Care services, Meals on Wheels, Singleton Apex Club, Albion Park Tennis Club, Singleton Hospital community trust, and Singleton Tidy Towns. "John leaves a huge legacy, and although he was a humble man, his mark on Singleton will remain for decades to come," the shire's sitting mayor, Sue Moore, said in a statement on Friday. "He was steadfastly loyal to the people of Singleton right up until his passing, and while our community, and indeed the wider Hunter Region, is all the poorer for his loss, we have certainly been enriched by his contribution." Mr Martin's public life was surrounded by history. In 1955, he told the council earlier this year, marking 70 years since the Hunter Valley floods, that he had tried to walk home to Fitz Street on the night the town was almost entirely submerged by water. He was knocked off his feet in chest-height water at Church Street and realised he had to wait it out. It would be two days before his family knew if he was alive, during which time he had helped a local police sergeant to get to the hospital after breaking his leg in a fall. "The town was a bloody mess," he recalled in February. "There were logs and rubbish everywhere. Burdekin Park, I remember, there were a lot of dead animals in Burdekin Park, sheep and cattle. The smell was terrible. And everything was covered in mud. We had no water, the water works broke down. No electricity. No sewerage. "There were three semitrailer loads of bananas up on McDougalls Hill, they were being transported and couldn't get through Singleton. So, we had plenty of bananas. You'd go down the street the day after the flood and your bloke would say, 'You want a banana? Here, take a case." It was in the aftermath of the 1955 disaster that the State Emergency Service was born, then known as Civil Defence, and Mr Martin was Singleton's first controller. "John's love for Singleton and his service to its people and the community is unparalleled, and unlikely ever to be repeated," Cr Moore said. "I was very privileged to serve alongside John on council for a number of terms, and while we may not have always agreed, I had a great respect for his leadership and the vast knowledge, expertise and experience that he brought to the chamber." "I'm deeply saddened by his passing and will remember him most for his unwavering commitment to always acting with the best interests of the community at heart."
