{"id":160121,"date":"2016-10-09T13:19:03","date_gmt":"2016-10-09T03:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=160121"},"modified":"2020-06-29T20:31:04","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T10:31:04","slug":"obituary-bill-oliver-1932-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/10\/09\/obituary-bill-oliver-1932-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Obituary: Bill Oliver 1932-2016"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Bill Oliver (Photo: Exelby family)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

by Nathan Exelby<\/strong>
\nRacing Editor, Brisbane Courier Mail<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former top local sports administrator Bill Oliver is being remembered as a man ahead of his time who fought passionately for the success of his constituents during the halcyon days of South Burnett sport.<\/p>\n

Bill died in Kingaroy on Thursday, just nine days short of his 84th birthday. He underwent cancer-related surgery two years ago and had battled ill health for some time.<\/p>\n

Bill and his wife Roma raised their family in the South and Central Burnett districts, during which time he played a very active role in local sport.<\/p>\n

He managed rugby league teams for the South Burnett and Wide Bay, both of which he was later made a life member, and in the 1970s was also afforded the honour of managing the QRL team in the pre-State of Origin days.<\/p>\n

Bill also had a lifetime passion for horse racing and called races at venues cuh as Nanango, Kumbia, Wondai and Gayndah through the 1970s and 1980s.<\/p>\n

He preceded southburnett.com.au<\/strong> contributor Ross Stanley in the caller\u2019s box, and wrote the Turf Topics column for the South Burnett Times for many years.<\/p>\n

Bill also raced a number of horses, most with former South Burnett Regional Councillor Barry Green with whom he also shared a broadcast box when local rugby league was beamed onto live radio.<\/p>\n

Brisbane Broncos chairman Dennis Watt, who started both his rugby league and journalism career in the South Burnett, remembered Bill Oliver as a man who fought doggedly for players in the area to be chosen for higher honours.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“He was an architect and driver of rugby league during the halcyon days of the game in the region,” Watt said.<\/p>\n

“During one period the South Burnett had five players in the Queensland side over a couple of years.<\/p>\n

“Bill was a passionate advocate for local players. He really was an administrator ahead of his time.”<\/p>\n

Liam Duggan was one of those South Burnett players who represented Queensland at that time. <\/strong><\/p>\n

“It was a pleasure to play in any side that Bill had anything to do with,” Duggan said.<\/p>\n

“He went out of his way to look after the players and for that era, his organisational skills were superb.”<\/p>\n

Bill Oliver retired from the Department of Primary Industries in 1988 and started semi-retirement on the Sunshine Coast, where he developed a fearsome reputation as an astute punter, before returning to the South Burnett in 1991, living in both Wondai and Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

Bill maintained his lifetime passion for racing to the end.<\/p>\n

Even in his final days, he sent a request for the racing bible – The Sportsman – to be delivered so he could attempt to peruse the form.<\/p>\n

One of his last treasured gifts was a cap from the great race mare Winx, which he wore day and night.<\/p>\n

Bill Oliver is survived by his wife Roma, daughters Patty, Wendy and Jackie, nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n

His funeral will be held at St Mary\u2019s Catholic Church in Kingaroy on Friday, October 14, from 11:00am.<\/p>\n

Footnote: Nathan Exelby is Bill Oliver\u2019s grandson.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former top local sports administrator Bill Oliver is being remembered as a man ahead of his time who fought passionately for the success of his constituents during the halcyon days of South Burnett sport.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":160124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,58,82,6],"tags":[21,30],"yoast_head":"\nObituary: Bill Oliver 1932-2016 - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Former top local sports administrator Bill Oliver is being remembered as a man ahead of his time who fought passionately for local sportsmen and women.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/10\/09\/obituary-bill-oliver-1932-2016\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Obituary: Bill Oliver 1932-2016 - 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