February 8, 2016
Former Wondai mayor Percy Iszlaub AM, isn’t one to blow his own horn … tuba maybe, but then only when he’s playing with the Wondai Town & District Band.
And he’s been doing that for an amazing 74 years!
Percy turned 90 last Wednesday so it seemed natural for him to get his bandsmen (“they’re all men, even if they wear skirts”) involved in the celebration.
And on Saturday afternoon, the Wondai band – plus members from the award-winning “Sunshine Brass” band from Nambour – settled in at the Wondai Diggers Club for an enthusiastic recital (and birthday party).
Percy invited everyone to come along to “have a cold frosty one” with him, and it seemed that just about everyone in Wondai did … friends, relatives and former council colleagues.
After a few rousing musical numbers, it was the turn of the guest speakers – sports guru Russell “Skippy” Exelby, South Burnett Mayor (and former Wondai Deputy CEO and Wondai Deputy Mayor) Wayne Kratzmann and former Mundubbera mayor Doug McIvor – to take the microphone to sing Percy’s praises.
Skippy regaled the audience with tales of Percy’s sporting career, including the time he played rugby league for Wide Bay against a touring Great Britain side.
Percy was playing prop against the big men from England. According to Skippy, he went into the game with the attitude “Bugger this, I’m going to give these blokes something to remember me by”. And he did … but when the Poms fired up in return, common sense prevailed!
Percy played representative rugby league in the South Burnett for 18 years, was secretary of the Wondai-Proston Rugby League Football Club for 13 years, and was selected in the South Burnett Team of the Century in 2008.
And he wasn’t a bad cricketer, either, being picked as a leg spinner in a Country Queensland side.
Skippy also recalled that Percy had tried his hand at another game, politics.
When he stood for pre-selection for a Federal seat his opponent in the party room was Kingaroy mayor Warren Truss. Truss won the pre-selection and the rest his history.
The next speaker, Mayor Kratzmann, noted Percy would have made “a bloody good Deputy PM”.
“Perce, you have been a wonderful inspiration to so many people … in Council circles and in sporting circles,” he said.
“You were singularly the most important person in Local Government in Queensland.”
Then Percy took the microphone …
“I am completely overwhelmed by what has been said,” he said.
“I don’t greatly worry about chalking up achievements. I just liked to be in organisations, helping organisations and enjoying the company of people in organisations.”
He said he was not a “great supporter” of the amalgamation of the shires, which brought a round of applause from the audience.
“Peter Beattie, after a sojourn in America, came back and said he had made one great mistake in government, and that was amalgamation,” Percy said.
And despite all his activities, Percy always found time for his precious Wondai Band.
“I was never too tired to play in the band. I was never too tired after a long day to join in with the band at practice and their activities,” he said.
Percy finished his speech on a sad note: “I have an invader and they say I can’t win but I will give it a bloody good shake.”
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Raw Video From Wondai Diggers Club
Percy Iszlaub playing with the Wondai & District Band and an excerpt from Skippy Exelby’s speech:
Congratulations Percy on your 90th. Great to see some recognition of your outstanding contribution to Wondai and the South Burnett community. Excellent tribute to a wonderful man.