January 11, 2024
Well-known Murgon resident George Ansell recently celebrated his 100th birthday … twice!
His family and friends hosted a big birthday celebration at the Murgon Services Club on Sunday for George but Goomeri residents also hosted a celebration before Christmas in Goomeri.
George was born in Tweed Heads Hospital on January 7, 1924, however he’s really a Queenslander as his parents were living at Coolangatta at the time.
When he was just two years old, the family moved to Goomeri where his father, William, found work cutting timber for the railway.
George later attended the local school.
The family then moved to a property near Booubyjan where George, now aged about 17, did some mustering and then worked as a driver with a local cream carrier, JBH Maudsley.
When World War II broke out, George went up to the Hall of Memory in Goomeri where army recruits were being tested.
“I swore on the Bible and was told when you get the call-up, report and you’re in the army,” George told southburnett.com.au
But to his disappointment, that call never came.
“I think my employer may have applied for an exemption. Cream and mail were very important during the war,” he said.
In 1948, George married a local girl, Eva Hair, and the couple moved to a property just outside Murgon where they raised stud cattle.
They also had cattle on a property on the Black Snake Range at Upper Widgee.
George and Eva also took on two local mail runs, serving the Proston, Byee, Mondure, Hivesville, Cloyna and Windera areas, which they ran for more than 40 years.
The couple were married for almost 73 years, and had four children. Eva died in January 2020, aged 93.
A highlight of his Murgon birthday celebration was when George’s former tractor was brought around to the club’s entrance.
He had donated the old workhorse to the Murgon Men’s Shed where the volunteers carefully restored the vehicle.
Other highlights included birthday congratulations from King Charles III as well as cards from local MPs and councillors.
George still lives on his 60 acre property, and – remarkably – regularly drives his old Ford Maverick 4WD into town as he still has an open driver’s licence.
