February 18, 2022
A funeral service was held in Kingaroy on Thursday for long-serving Kingaroy Shire Councillor Les Lind, 89, who died last week after a long illness.
Walter Leslie (Les) Lind served on Council for more than 30 years.
He was appointed to fill a vacancy in November 1964 but then topped every poll for Division 2 until he retired in March 1997.
Les was born on June 14, 1932, at Clydebank Hospital in Kingaroy.
His parents, Otto and Jane Lind, had a dairy property at Gordonbrook, running Illawarra Shorthorns.
Les was educated at Gordon Brook South State School. When the school closed in 1945, he continued his studies via correspondence until he passed his Scholarship exam.
He then attended Toowoomba Grammar for two years and gained his Junior Certificate.
Les was very active in the Kingaroy Junior Farmer Club during the 1950s, and was later presented with a “golden plough” for his service to the organisation, which included stints as club chairman, South Burnett Zone secretary, Zone chairman and as a State councillor.
In 1958, he was selected for a three-month study tour of Tasmania, after just missing out a year earlier on a youth exchange to America.
Les was also a foundation member of the Cattleman’s Union of Australia and the inaugural chairman of the local branch of the Young Country Party, which he helped to form.
His stud, “El-Jaycee”, was renowned for its Braford cattle, winning multiple carcass and hoof and hook competitions.
He also grew peanuts, and in 1962 was placed first in the Peanut Marketing Board’s open field peanut competition organised by the South Burnett Show Society.
Les was also active in the Anglican Church. He was chairman of the Young Anglican Fellowship (YAF) when it was formed, a position he held for several years, and was the bellringer at St Michael and All Angels Church in Kingaroy for many years.
During his term on Kingaroy Shire Council, power was connected to Gordonbrook in 1967 and a program of road upgrades to the area was begun, including a bridge over the Stuart River on Weens Road. The bridge over Reedy Creek, “Les Lind Bridge”, is named after him.
Les was also a member and secretary of the Gordonbrook Rural Fire Brigade for many years as was pleased in 1984 to receive an award from the Rural Fires Board for 34 years service.
He is survived by his loving wife, Lilie. The couple was married in 2000 in the Philippines after corresponding by letter for 10 years.
She nursed him for the last few years after his health deteriorated.
His funeral service was held at St Michael and All Angels Church and was attended by relatives, friends and former councillors who had served alongside him on Kingaroy Shire for so many years.
He has been buried at Taabinga Lawn Cemetery.
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