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As Mayor of the Whitsundays, one of the greatest privileges of this role is to recognise those who have left an enduring mark on our community. This week I want to reflect on the life and legacy of the man who created Mullers Lagoon, Gene Wilson, who passed away recently at the age of 98.
Gene and his wife Sylvia, along with their children Jeannie, Charles and Gwen, arrived in Bowen from Lutz, Florida, in 1961. Like many who choose to call the Whitsundays home, Gene brought with him not only a love for this place but also a vision for what it could become. He looked at what many saw as a swamp and instead saw the opportunity to create something beautiful and lasting for the community.
In the late 1960s, Gene began the enormous task of transforming flood-prone land into what we now know as Mullers Lagoon. Using a homemade dredge, a front-end loader, trucks, scoops, and plenty of hard work, he moved countless cubic metres of mud and silt.
It was a labour of determination, resourcefulness, and sheer belief in a better future. By the early 1980s, his vision had come to life in a picturesque lake and surrounding parkland that has since become one of Bowen’s most loved community spaces.
In the mid-1980s, Gene and Sylvia made another remarkable gesture. They sold the lake and much of the surrounding land to Council on very favourable terms so that it could be preserved as parkland for the people of Bowen.
Their decision was not about profit but about community. It was about ensuring that future generations would have a place to gather, to relax and to enjoy the natural beauty of our region.
Council is now finalising details to name a new walking track at Mullers Lagoon in Gene’s honour. This is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated so much of his life to turning a vision into reality for the benefit of others. His legacy will continue to be enjoyed by families, visitors and the people of Bowen for generations to come.
Gene Wilson’s story is a reminder that lasting legacies are built through passion, perseverance, and a commitment to community. On behalf of Council, I extend heartfelt condolences to the Wilson family and gratitude for the extraordinary gift Gene has left to Bowen.
His work has created a place that embodies the spirit of our region and will continue to enrich lives well into the future.
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