For 35 years, Jacob Mingo was Woolworths' 'most dedicated trolley collector' from Carnarvon

Australia Broadcast Center

2 days ago

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and images of an Indigenous person who has died.
For more than three decades, people exiting the Carnarvon shopping centre were greeted with the friendly, smiling face of Jacob Mingo.
Mr Mingo collected trolleys at the local Woolworths for 35 years and was once called "Australia's most dedicated trolley collector".
The 50-year-old, who lived with disability, passed away last month and is being remembered as an icon of the town and a man who brought kindness to his work every day.
"He was a friendly person to everybody from all over," his mother, Esther Mingo, said.
Flags at the shire office were flown at half-mast to honour his memory.
Ms Mingo said she would deeply miss her son, who always stood by her side and was "loved by everybody".
Ms Mingo is a Yindjibarndi woman who moved to Carnarvon at a young age and raised Jacob in the small town, 900km north of Perth.
Local artist Trish Oullette was a close friend of Mr Mingo's, and in 2023 won an art prize for her portrait of him.
Ms Oullette said she was glad she had that painting to remember him forever.
"I still expect him to walk into the office. I still expect to see him walking around the streets, pushing trolleys," she said.
Jenni Jacomelli was Mr Mingo's manager for a decade, and "couldn't believe it" when she heard about his passing.
"Jacob was very special to me in my years there [at Woolworths]," she said.
Ms Jacomelli said he was one of the most dedicated workers she had ever supervised.
"No-one could collect trolleys like Jacob — his work ethic was unbelievable."
In 2008, Mr Mingo was nominated as Woolworths' employee of the year, and travelled with Ms Jacomelli to Brisbane for the awards ceremony.
She said she would always remember travelling cross-country with Jacob.
Ms Oullette said she and Jacob were fast friends from the moment she arrived in Carnarvon.
"He was a happy-go-lucky person who would do absolutely anything for anyone," she said.
"I'm going to miss the times we used to sit together and just paint."
Ms Mingo said her son's hard work went beyond the shop's car park.
"He used to come home from work, he'd cook … he'd help us in the yard, he'd do everything for me," she said.
Ms Mingo said Jacob used to enjoy taking family members fishing and camping as often as he could.
Having had such a big impact on the local community, there are calls for a permanent memorial to honour Mr Mingo's life as an "ambassador for Carnarvon".
"There's been talk of a mural going up in town — that would be great," Ms Jacomelli said.
The Shire of Carnarvon is currently assessing council policies around memorials.
Ms Oullette said the best way to remember him would be to follow his example.
Mr Mingo will be remembered at a funeral service in Carnarvon on August 23.