Henry Beak
Henry Beak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chairman of Livingstone Shire Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 October 1961 – 21 March 1982 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 12 January 1912 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 9 May 2006 (aged 94) Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Henry Robert Beak OAM (12 January 1912 – 9 May 2006) was an Australian local government politician.
Beak is perhaps best remembered for his lengthy tenure as the chairman of Livingstone Shire Council, serving in the position from 1961 until 1982, making him the third longest serving mayor of the council.[1][2]
However, he is also credited with ensuring the preservation of St Christopher's Chapel – a timber-and-stone chapel erected by American servicemen at Nerimbera during the Second World War.[3]
Public life
Beak was first elected to Livingstone Shire Council in 1946 as a councillor representing Division 1, and was elected as chairman in 1961.[4][1]
After gaining preselection to be the County Party candidate for the seat of Keppel, Beak contested the 1950 Queensland state election, but was defeated by incumbent Labor MP Walter Ingram.[5][6]
During his time as chairman of the Livingstone Shire Beak campaigned for the local area, particularly the Capricorn Coast, to become a drawcard for tourists.[7] Beak was keen to see Yohachiro Iwasaki's much anticipated but controversial resort become a reality, describing the local area as having been "a bit of a backwater" in relation to tourism.[7]
He was also a proponent of amalgamations and was of the opinion Livingstone Shire should merge with neighbouring councils as he believed people who resided further west treated the Capricorn Coast as their "playground" but contributed very little financially to the local council.[2]
In 1991, nine years after concluding his tenure as chairman, Beak presented the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission with his own amalgamation proposal.[2] He argued that a "super shire" would curtail the high cost associated with local government while also assisting tourism.[2]
In 2008, a year after Beak's death, the Boundaries Commission recommended Livingstone Shire, Mount Morgan Shire and Fitzroy Shire all merge with Rockhampton City Council to form Rockhampton Regional Council as part of sweeping changes across the state which saw the number of local councils in Queensland halved.[8][9] However, the move was met with staunch opposition from those in Livingstone Shire and after a successful de-amalgamation campaign, Livingstone Shire was re-established in 2014.[10]
In addition to his local government service, Beak was also a member of the Rockhampton Harbour Board throughout the late 1940s and 1950s.[11][12][13]
Beak is also credited with preserving St Christopher's Chapel at Nerimbera, becoming the original caretaker of the chapel in 1947 following the departure of the American military at the conclusion of the Second World War.[14] Beak also wrote about the history of the chapel in 1986, which has since been expanded upon by his daughter and son-in-law.[15]
Personal life and death
In September 1952, it was announced Beak was engaged to WAAAF aircraftwoman Deidre Brett.[16][17]
They were married on 31 December 1952 at St Paul's Cathedral in Rockhampton.[17][18]
After their marriage, they settled on Beak's family property called "Broadmeadows" at Nankin.[17]
Beak died on 9 May 2006.[17]
His widow Deidre Beak died on 7 January 2017.[17]
Honours
The Henry Beak Bridge across Ross Creek in Yeppoon was named in Beak's honour and was officially opened on 18 March 1972.[19]
In the 1990 Australia Day Honours, Beak was awarded an Order of Australia medal for his service to local government and to the local community.[20][21]
In 1992, Beak was awarded the National Medal with a first campaign clasp in recognition of his service as a fire warden with the Queensland Rural Fire Service.[22][23] He was awarded a second clasp in 1998.[24]
Six and a half years after Beak's death, both his Order of Australia medal and his national medal were among items stolen during a break-in at the family property on 4 January 2013 where his 95 year old widow still lived.[2] Two men were subsequently arrested and charged with robbery.[25]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Livingstone Shire Council mayors". Livingstone Shire Council. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Ranking (time served): 3: Henry Robert Beak; Date first elected: 20 October 1961; Last day as mayor: 26 March 1982
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 McKee, Christine (7 January 2013). "Robbery shocks Beak family". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ↑ Liddiard-Smith, Louise (4 July 2019). "St Christopher's Chapel - A Place of Peace". RSL Queensland. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
In 1947, Henry Beak, third generation Central Queenslander and owner of the property neighbouring the chapel, began to personally care for the site.
- ↑ "Five councillors defeated in Livingstone poll". The Morning Bulletin. 29 April 1946. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
No. 1 division: Beak, H. R...347
- ↑ "Candidates for CQ seats". The Morning Bulletin. 28 February 1950. p. 5. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Labor wins again". The Worker. 1 May 1950. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
KEPPEL, Electors on roll: 10,039; Ingram, W. C. (Lab)... 4624; Beak, H. (CP)... 3583
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Joliffe, Claire (18 July 1979). "Sake, sukiyaki and sogginess launch...Queensland's new $100m resort". The Australian Women's Weekly. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
It will put the Capricorn Coast on the map... Until now we've been in a bit of a backwater as far as the tourist industry is concerned.
- ↑ Robinson, Paul (27 July 2007). "Central Queensland council reforms". ABC News. Archived from the original on 5 June 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Rockhampton's new council officially sworn in". ABC News. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ Calderwood, Kathleen; Zonca, Craig (23 January 2014). "Rockhampton welcomes Livingstone back with open arms". Rockhampton welcomes Livingstone back with open arms. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Mr H Jeffries new chairman of Harbour Board". The Morning Bulletin. 21 September 1949. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
In addition to the chairman, there were also present... H. R. Beak...
- ↑ "Invite ASIB to R'ton for talks". The Morning Bulletin. 20 May 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Mr H R Beak said that as a member of the last board as well as this one, it was not encouraging to get letters of this sort...
- ↑ "Rockhampton Harbour Board: Immediate investigation of Rocky Point silting". The Central Queensland Herald. 22 September 1955. p. 12. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Mr H R Beak said he considered something should be done...
- ↑ McCosker, Maddelin (4 July 2016). "Chapel's rich war heritage". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Thanks to the hard work of Henry Beak, the father of Robert's wife Michelle, who took on the maintenance of the chapel in 1947, after it had gradually deteriorated following the departure of the American Military, the chapel is still standing today.
- ↑ Houley, Jann (9 July 2020). "Service suspended for first time in 65 years due to COVID-19". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Henry Beak OAM NM wrote a history of St Christopher’s Chapel in 1986, which the Langs have since expanded upon.
- ↑ "Engagement notices: Beak-Brett". The Morning Bulletin. 27 September 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Lang, Michele (27 September 2017). "Celebrating Deidre Beak's life, 100 years of golden memories". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Birth registration: Harry Diedre Brett". Family History Research Service. Queensland Government. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Birth date: 28/09/1917; Mother's name: Elsie Dale Mobb Brecht; Father's name: Henry Frederick Carl Brecht; Registration details: 1917/C/12859
- ↑ Smith, Leighton (2 February 2019). "Research project unearths interesting history of Livingstone". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
Former mayor Henry Beak opens Beak bridge on Saturday March 18, 1972 accompanied by his wife Deidre Beak.
- ↑ "Award: 882994". Australian Honours Search Facility. 1990. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Australia Day Honours". The Canberra Times. 26 January 1990. p. 4. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
Henry Robert Beak, Rockhampton, Qld, for service to local government and to the community
- ↑ "Award: 956157". Australian Honours Search Facility. 1992. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Award: 956177". Australian Honours Search Facility. 1992. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "Award: 956570". Australian Honours Search Facility. 1998. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ Paradies, Kara (8 January 2013). "'Addict' steals $75,000 of jewellery and family heirlooms". The Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
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