{"id":345158,"date":"2024-03-08T17:30:57","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T07:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=345158"},"modified":"2024-03-12T21:30:25","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T11:30:25","slug":"reg-youve-done-us-proud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2024\/03\/08\/reg-youve-done-us-proud\/","title":{"rendered":"Reg, You’ve Done Us Proud"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The undercover area at Nanango Showgrounds was packed on Friday afternoon for a public memorial service to honour former Nanango Shire Mayor\u00a0 Reg McCallum OAM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Reg McCallum OAM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 8, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We’ve Done Us Proud” … the Slim Dusty classic echoed across the Nanango Showgrounds on Friday afternoon at the start of a memorial service for the late Reg McCallum, OAM.<\/p>\n

The words should have been “You’ve Done Us Proud”, as memories were shared of the former Nanango Shire mayor who died on January 24 aged 97.<\/p>\n

Reg had a private, family funeral however he had touched so many lives over so many years that it was decided a public service should also be held.<\/p>\n

The fact the Nanango Showgrounds’ undercover area was packed on Friday was a tribute to how well-respected Reg McCallum was in the local community.<\/p>\n

Friends, former colleagues and family travelled from afar for the event.<\/p>\n

Former Nanango resident Liz Caffery, who prepared a slide presentation, summed Reg up: “He was a remarkable man who lived a remarkable life”.<\/p>\n

She recalled his passion for local history and his desire to honour Nanango’s pioneer story.<\/p>\n

Liz recounted Reg’s school days at Grindstone and his mustering – using horses and dogs – on the family property ‘Glen Elgin’.<\/p>\n

In fact, Reg’s love of horses shone across the afternoon… whether it was campdrafting, droving bullocks or his involvement with the Nanango Race Club.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reg was intensely proud of the fact his grandfather Pat McCallum – or rather, his grandfather’s horse ‘Pilgrim’ – won the first Nanango Cup, back in 1869 when the races were held at Steamer Lagoon.<\/p>\n

That cup is now a prize family possession.<\/p>\n

Liz also paid tribute to Reg’s late wife Edna, who died in 2021 after 70 years of loyal devotion to her husband. The couple was married in 1951.<\/p>\n

Edna was Reg’s backstop throughout his career, both on the farm and in the Council Chambers.<\/p>\n

Reg was selected to fill a vacancy on Nanango Shire Council in 1968. He was re-elected at the next poll and became Shire Chairman in 1976 – a role he held until amalgamation in 2008, becoming Australia’s longest serving mayor.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liz said it was mostly through the efforts of Reg and his fellow lobbyists that the Tarong Power Station came to Nanango rather than Millmerran.<\/p>\n

It was also through his efforts that the Linville to Blackbutt section of the former railway line was converted into a trail.<\/p>\n

Reg was enthusiastic about the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail and formed the BVRT Ambassadors group, a fact recalled by another speaker, Bob Howe.<\/p>\n

Reg’s cousin, Des McCallum, described the former mayor as a “husband, father and mentor to us all” who always threw his “considerable drive” behind projects which he thought would be beneficial to Nanango.<\/p>\n

Former Nanango councillor Barry Green, who compered the memorial, also paid tribute to Reg’s work after the Nanango Race Club was reformed.<\/p>\n

Reg served as the club’s president from 1970-76, and was still patron of Nanango Race Club at his death.<\/p>\n

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