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Memorial for tragedy embraced by community THE call for a memorial at the site of a tragedy that claimed four local lives is being welcomed by the Cooroy community. Derek Lange, 11, his mother June, 30, Shayne Parker, 9, and Ricky von Blanckensee, 18, were all killed in a tragic accident at Cooroy Creek on Saturday 5 December 1981. Now, 40 years later, the Cooroy Rag is advocating for a memorial to be erected at the site to remember them. This is an initiative that the Cooroy community has embraced. Iris Tomlinson said that she remembers the tragedy. “A memorial could be put alongside the memorial to the Fenwick Family in the park.” Sharen Widderick-Bell said it
Your say…Oktoberfest was a winner! FREE
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see, 18, Derek Lange,
Phone: 5442 6699
11, June Lange, 30,
yrag.com.au Email: editorial@cooro
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and Shayne Parker,
9, were electrocuted
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in Cooroy Creek in
What a fantastic event! Very grateful to have had the opportunity to have a stall - we raised over $1000 for our trauma programs! Thank you Saw & Mill and German Bakehouse Cafe - Cooroy for all your hard work putting together such a wonderful community event. And a big thank you to everyone that had a go at our Lob-a-Choc table - so much fun! (Apologies to all the parents that are dealing with the post-sugar-highs today). Can't wait for next year! Hoofbeats Sanctuary Sunshine Coast
6 October 2021
December 1981.
oy Creek
Forgotten tragedy of Coor
Ricky von Blancken
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Phone: 544
2 6699
Both George and Terry orial@cooroyoung fella.” suffered electric shocks “I jumped in but couldn’t said he had been at they as they tried yrag Cliff .com elecwere on the raft and until from the water .au I move because of the his in-laws and it wasn’t ely to save the four 6 Octobe hit the desperat L grabbed a wire hanging learned r 2021 They too would tricity. As soon as I BY ALEX PURCEL he got home that he bottom. over the creek to pull passing. in the creek. water I sank to the the news of Ricky’s es along. But the awarded bravery medals be others the the of themselv and one the “George FOR 40 years, “My brother was at nobody and for their actions. Cooroy wire was 'live' and for us when we came out behind me biggest tragedies in waiting believed door wire, . How the knew.” us the they dragged me out.” has been largely forgotten became live Cooroy got home and told two Tragically, the two believe. to be inactive, It was then that they Four people, including of a were news. It was hard to von was later the focus ted State School students of all discovered that Ricky children, were electrocu “It knocked a lot out been lengthy investigation. 1981. killed instantly. it really, Blanckensee had also in Cooroy Creek in of us but Dad took Despite investigation Terry said that he was his 11, saying kept Lange, killed. ed Derek “all really hard. He it was never determin inside the house when to bury “None of us knew Ricky mother June, 30, Shayne had got kids are supposed exactly how power von hell broke loose”. other Parker, 9 and Ricky a hungi was in there.” ld had their parents not the to the line. “We were planning were 18 18-year-o see, The answer Blancken ' way around.” after “We don’t have an 5 for North Coast Sawmills jumped into the water all killed on Saturday said. and Shayne’s father, George which is sad,” Cliff a tragic (our work) Social Club June to try and help. may told the Cooroy Rag December 1981 in And while an answer would later Parker [along with fellow worker, Ricky nevand you g June now, somethin accident. been that it’s for never be determined George Parker] had creek receive bravery awards Husband of June and ity to er really get over. beforehand and the lives. there is an opportun out getting river rocks. but used sacrificing their own father of Derek, Terry my “It’s taken a long time always flooded. Water Cliff remind locals and inform Rag “We were inside when over Ricky’s older brother, Lange told the Cooroy in you never really get to come up to the front the visitors to Cooroy about in youngest came running and we’d van Blankensee told that because they lived fallen something like this. steps of the house tragically died. who ‘They’ve just those was said: in that and up the Cooroy Rag, one of the two houses not “Shayne was a very have to park the car kids in the creek and are He’d the way Ricky was. front of the creek, the thoughtful young fella. street. Continued, page 3 and coming up’.” the time”. But had for his “He was very gentle in it y“all von played Rick and “This day, the water Blancken r bring a rose home and Terry raced outside sport.” loving to everybody but was still on this day, a hot Decembesee, 18, Dere down - only mother. He loved his gone k Lang nice made e, 11,well. jumped into the creek anybody. He was a afternoon, they had running reasonably June Lange, to the bottom. sinkand to 30, Shayne Park them a raft. “Derek and Shayne rain er, of bit a 9, quite were elec “We had trocuted in Cooroy Creek in December 1981.
was a very sad day for Cooroy that devastated the community. “A memorial would be a lovely tribute to those lost to their families.” Maureen Bowden said a “memorial would be great” and Leanne Coles said that she hopes it will be allowed. “Hopefully a memorial will be allowed as it was a dark day when this happened.” With the support of the families of Derek, June, Shayne and Ricky, the Cooroy Rag has submitted an application to Noosa Council requesting approval for a memorial at the site of the tragedy.
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Email: edit
Forgotten tr
BY ALEX
PURCEL
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Brilliant night out, thank you. Derek Potts
agedy of Coo
roy Creek
FOR 40 year biggest trage s, one of the were on the raft and dies in Coo has been grabbed they largely forgo roy a wire hang “I jumped Four peop over the ing in le, including tten. creek to move beca but couldn’t pull children, themselv two young fella use of the were elec es along. tricity. As elec.” trocuted But the in Cooroy soon wire was Cliff said Cree 'live' and water I sank as I hit the he had been Both Geo nobody Derek Lang k in 1981. knew.” his in-laws rge and Terry to the botto suffered “George and it was at mother June e, 11, his electric shoc and the othe m. he got hom Tragically n’t until came out , the two , 30, Sha from the e that he ks rs Parker, 9 Coo yne behi Stat water as the news learned - Page roy 2021 e School nd me and and Rick 06 October they Rag,erate they drag of Ricky’s desp tried y von Blancken ged me out.” killed insta students were passing.Cooroy ly “My broth see, 18 were ntly. in the cree to save the four er It was then was at the all killed door wait Terry said k. on Saturday ing for us discovered that they that he was be awarded They too would December 5 whe inside the got that n we home and Ricky von 1981 in a house whe Blancken for their actiobravery medals accident. tragic see had hell broke n “all news. It was told us the ns. also been loose”. killed. How hard the wire, to believe. Husband “We were “It knocked believed of June and planning to be inac “None of a lot out father of for a us of tive, hung of Nort us knew all became but Dad took i was in Derek, Terry h Coast Saw Ricky was later live there.” Lange told it really, mills (our work really hard the beforeha ) Social Club ' the Cooroy . He lengthy inve focus of a The 18-y nd that beca [along with earRag kids are supp kept saying and stiga always floodand the creek use they jumped into old had fello Despite inve tion. osed to bury lived in one of the ed. Wate George Park w worker, their pare to come r used two hous nts not the June to try the water after it was neve stigation up to es in front of the out getting er] had been way arou other and help r steps of the the front creek, the . nd.” river rock exactly how determined June and played in s. kids “We were Ricky wou Shayne’s have to park house and we’d it “all the receive brav inside whe ld later to the line. power had got father, Geo time”. But on this day, the car up youngest Park n ery rge my er awa stree told came runn the rds for sacrificin t. the Cooroy “We don’ afternoon a hot December g their ing in and said: that it’s som t have an Rag , they had “This day, ‘They’ve answer which is Ricky’s olde own lives. ething you made fallen the water them a raft. in the cree sad,” Cliff er really nevr brother, gone dow had get over. said. k van Blan Cliff And while n but kens coming up’.” and are not “We had “It’s taken an answer running reas was still quite a bit Cooroy Rag ee told the never be a long time may of rain onably well. determin you neve Terry race but “Derek and ed now, r really get the way Rick, that was just d there is an Shayne jumped into outside and over somethin opportuni y was. g like this. remind loca ty to the creek “He was to sink to very gent - only “Shayne ls and infor the botto le lovin was visito and m g to ever a very rs to Coo m. thoughtfu ybody and roy abou l young fella anybody. those who t He was a bring a rose . He’d tragically nice died. mother. He home for his loved his Continued, sport.” page 3
The Cooroy Rag has received receipt of the application and told it will be reviewed by Council officers in accordance with the policy and policy guidelines, after which Council will advise in due course. Cooroy Rag,
06 October
2021 - Page
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A great event...so well organized. Congratulations all involved. Julie Ainscough Wonderful day congratulation to all involved in organising such a wonderfu event. Sandra French
It was busy. Parked my 20-year-old Mitsubishi Xi Verada amongst the classic car display and didn't look out of place. Got three likes, four tyre kicks and two "can we look inside". Robert Charles Andrews Great to see everyone enjoying themselves together! Congratulations to all concerned. Brian McInnarney What a great afternoon… herzlichen gluckwunsch an die veranstalter. Lakeridge Health & Beauty Cooroy It was such a brilliant event. Well organized, great location, fabulous MC and awesome food and drink. Hope it’s on again next year! Bessie Carr See all the photos from Oktoberfest on page 16-17.
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