Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to give a shout-out to one of the Northern Goldfields great characters, Jim Epis, whose lifetime commitment to the Shire of Leonora was recognised in the recent dedication of the JG Epis Centre in Leonora. Jim truly deserves this honour, having given 40 years of service to the shire, with 25 years as its chief executive officer. Jim started with the shire as a grader operator in 1982. He made his progression through the ranks to CEO by 1996. Jim is passionate about Leonora and its important contribution to the WA mining industry throughout its history, right through to today.

Jim's interest in mining history has roots in his grandparents' arrival from Italy in the 1930s. Like Jim, Leonora and its sister town of Gwalia stand proud of their Italian heritage. In the early part of the 20th century, Italians constituted one-third of the Sons of Gwalia workforce, and by 1951 over half of all mine workers had Italian descent or were Italian by ethnicity. Sadly, Jim's grandfather died in Kalgoorlie of miner's lung when his father was just eight years old. When Jim's father grew up and married, he moved to Leonora to raise a family. At the dedication ceremony, Jim's mother told me some stories of Jim's tearaway youth. Jim publicly acknowledged the support and dedication of his wife, Margot, to building a family and a life in Leonora, way beyond the two years she had promised to stay when they first married.

Jim's extended and loving family joined local residents, friends and colleagues from the shire. Shire of Leonora President Peter Craig gave a heartfelt address, acknowledging all the infrastructure, both modern and historical, for which Jim could proudly take credit, including tourism assets like the historical Gwalia precinct and Hoover House, once home to mining engineer and later President of the United States Herbert Hoover; the Sons of Gwalia headframe, the oldest remaining timber headframe in Australia, lovingly restored with the help of a $1 million federal grant; and sporting infrastructure like the Leonora swimming pool, sports oval building and the Leonora bowling club, which was hosting a major bowls championship on that very day. Jim spearheaded the main street upgrade, which hosts the annual Leonora Golden Gift, Australia's second richest foot race, and the finish line of the Leonora Golden Wheels road cycle race, both being run that weekend.

Jim, the humble man that he is, expressed his gratitude for being honoured by the JG Epis Centre rather than having the newly opened sewage ponds being his legacy! I credit Jim's wife, Margot, with the funniest story of the day. Attending the Kalgoorlie races one year, she was thanked by grateful punters who had just had a win on Jim's horse. Margot smiled sweetly whilst inwardly thinking, 'What bloody horse?'

Jim, you are a true character, a mate and a fantastic advocate for your community. It's been a pleasure working with you towards making Leonora a better place to live, work and play. I know you will probably only leave Leonora in a box, but your legacy will be one of pure gold.