Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sue Wardrobe is retiring as the postmistress of Wardell. She first came to the area in 1982 to run the BP service station with her husband, John, her parents, Cyril and Edna O'Connor, and two young sons, Peter and Tony. During this time, they expanded the business by including a food service area and sponsored many local sporting teams. Sue and her husband, John, jumped at the chance to buy the licence to the Wardell Post Office in 2010. The old post office was opened in 1927, but Sue was the first one to open the new one on Richmond Street when she took over the licence. Sue sees the post office as a happy place and a hub for the small riverside community where, over time, customers have become friends. Sue, good luck in your retirement. I know you are continuing your involvement in the community with many local groups.

What a great community the village of Wooli is. This weekend I will be at the Wooli Tennis Club. Through the Community Development Grants Program, I was able to get them $70,000 so that the tennis courts could be totally resurfaced with synthetic grass. The club includes 103 members who range in age from 12- to 60-year-olds. Congratulations to the club executive, which includes: president, Donna Preston; vice president, Julie Knight; secretary, Brenda Schafer; and Treasurer, Andrew Moore. On the same weekend a Camp Quality camp, being run by some very dedicated Wooli locals, will occur. I thank Wooli women, Glenys Small, Kath McAteer and Alison Groves for their dedicated fundraising. They have been raffling anything to make sure that they raise money for this wonderful event. Well done to the community minds and hearts of Wooli.

Anyone who has ever run the City2Surf may have seen the gorillas who have become a permanent fixture of the community race during the past 33 years. When Paul Stanley-Jones's father, Mike, took him and his brother Rob on fun runs in the early seventies he may not have realised what a tradition he was starting. In 1986, Paul decided to run with his friend Clint Hughes, this time in a gorilla suit. Rob joined his brother a year later, and their parents, Mike and Cynthia, also got in on the action and ran the race as gorillas. The next generation soon followed, and Paul's wife, Michelle, made costumes for their one-year-old son Jack and his little cousin Max.

The family lost their dad, Mike, four years ago to leukaemia, so the brothers started running with purpose, and have been raising money and awareness for the Leukaemia Foundation. This year Paul, Rob and Paul's son Harry donned the familiar costumes and raised $2,500 for the Leukaemia Foundation. They were ably supported by Michelle and daughter, Bella; and Rob's wife, Sharon, and daughters Rachael, Lucy and Sarah. The tradition of the Stanley-Joneses running the City2Surf in gorilla suits for the past 33 years continues—well done.