ONE Saturday evening many years ago, Eric Clarke pulled up in his restored vintage car outside Doreen Bradley’s home in Strathmore Ave, Mallabula.

She had been told that her friends were shouting her a meal at the RSL club to celebrate her recent OAM award.

It was a lie.

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The car passed the RSL entrance and turned down Avenue of the Allies at Tanilba Bay.

It then swept under the arched gates and up to Tanilba House and into the circular driveway.

Her chauffeur opened the door and Doreen was greeted by a crowd of friends and dignitaries.

For the first time in her life, she was lost for words as they clapped her inside and seated her at the head of the oversized dining table.

After a couple of drinks, the Master of Ceremonies rose from his seat and tapped his wine glass with a knife.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you to be upstanding and offer a toast to our Queen.”

Those present obeyed and faced the framed picture of Queen Elizabeth on the wall.

The MC went on, “No, not that Queen, I’m referring to the Queen of Tilligerry – Doreen Bradley!”

At that exact moment one of the staff entered the room bearing a velvet cushion with a crown seated on top.
This was duly placed on the guest’s head to the applause of all those present.

Sadly, Doreen passed away in her Mallabula home last week in her mid-eighties after suffering poor health for some time.

It is hard to estimate the impact and achievements of Doreen on the Tilligerry community over the past 40 years.

Once she identified a need she would hang on like a bulldog and never let go until she got her way.

Many a politician or bureaucrat was totally worn down by the little old lady and her relentless campaigns for the betterment of her town.

On top of this, she led many fundraising drives for Legacy and for children needing specialist medical attention.

Her greatest and longest crusade was for the establishment of a permanent police station with resident officers in control of local policing.

Over 30 years ago she spearheaded a push for a heated pool. Council said that if the community raised some $100,000 (an enormous sum for those times) then they would make up the rest of the projected $1 million cost.

They achieved their goal and the result is the Tilligerry Aquatic Centre we have today.

The local Ambulance Station also took over a decade to become a reality but thanks to Doreen and her crew locals now have a state of the art facility.

Sadly, her dream of the new police station eluded her after a 40 year battle.

Policing had moved on from the times of the local resident police calling the shots.

Policing is now very much a mobile operation with resources deployed on an ‘as needed’ basis.

No town ‘owns’ the police and they respond to out of town incidents as dictated by a central command centre.

Doreen was critical of the treatment of juvenile offenders who were let go after committing serious crimes.

Indeed, not long before she passed on, her own home was targeted by what she believed to be juveniles.

Doreen had the philosophy of ‘never give in’ and the Tilligerry community is so much better for her persistence over such a long time.

By Geoff WALKER