Community & Business
19 March, 2024
Tributes flow for former mayor
TRIBUTES are flowing for former Mareeba Mayor and Member of Parliament Tom Gilmore OAM who passed away late last week, leaving a legacy of community service spanning four decades and stretching across two levels of government.
Born and bred to a farming family in Mareeba, Mr Gilmore was first elected to the Mareeba Shire in 1982 and served in that position until he was elected to the Queensland Parliament as Member for Tablelands in 1986 during which he held until July 1998. While in government, Mr Gilmore served as Minister for Mines and Energy.
He was re-elected to the Mareeba Shire Council in 2000 and in 2008 he was elected Mayor of Tablelands Regional Council following amalgamation. In 2013, he was elected as Mayor of the newly de-amalgamated Mareeba Shire Council and in 2016 he was returned as Mayor of Mareeba Shire Council.
Mr Gilmore was awarded an OAM in 2020 for his service to local government and to Mareeba Shire.
Tributes began flowing for Mr Gilmore late last week, with Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch describing him as “embodying the spirit of dedicated public service and unwavering commitment to the community”.
“Tom’s departure leaves a significant void, not just in the lives of those who knew him but in the very fabric of our local community,” he said.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Tom for more years than I can count. Our paths first crossed in Mareeba, our shared hometown, but it wasn’t until my election to Parliament in 1996, during his tenure as the State Minister for Mines and Energy, that our professional paths truly aligned.
“I deeply respected Tom’s work and dedication in his ministerial role, and his decision to step away from state politics only to dive into local government as Mayor speaks volumes about his character and his dedicated service to Mareeba, the Tablelands and Far North Queensland more broadly.
“Tom’s work as Mayor was pivotal, particularly his commitment to vital regional projects like the Mareeba Airport. The Tom Gilmore Mareeba Aviation Industrial Precinct now stands as a testament to his vision and tenacity.
“He never shied away from the hard work needed to see these projects through to fruition and as a result his efforts have brought immense benefit to the region.
“As a politician, Tom was a mentor and a guiding light. His wisdom, candid advice, and readiness to assist a then-newly minted politician like myself were invaluable.
“His impact will be long remembered, not only in the initiatives he championed but in the many lives he touched through his public and private endeavours.”
Mareeba Mayor Angela Toppin, who succeeded Mr Gilmore as Mayor after he retired in 2020, said news of his passing had been met with “great sadness”.
“We will remember him for his lifelong dedication to the expansion of the local economy, his advocacy to improve roads and transport linkages, and the importance he placed on the creation of jobs for our youth,” she said.
“Last year, council unveiled the ‘Tom Gilmore Mareeba Aviation Industrial Precinct’ at the Mareeba Airport in recognition of the significant contribution that he has made to the development of the airport, and the Mareeba Shire.
“Tom advocated for funding that saw the completion of the $23 million upgrade to the Mareeba Airport in 2019. This catalytic investment in infrastructure is recognised as one of the most significant events in the history of Far North Queensland regional aviation.
Former Cairns Mayor Bob Manning was a close friend of Mr Gilmore’s and had much interaction with his Mayoral counterpart through the Far North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils of which Mr Gilmore was chair for three years.
“Life is not always easy, and true friends, real friends, are scarce. Tom was true to those values. He exuded them,” Mr Manning said.
“At any time he was welcomed into the Cairns Regional Council’s office. He was a humble, wise and loving person.
“I and (Claire) had a love for Tom like I had for my father or my elder brother.
“The people of Mareeba and the Tablelands have been fortunate to have had Tom as one of its civic leaders for such a long time and I pass onto his wife Sally, his daughters and their families my sincere condolences.”
Former Deputy Mayor under Mr Gilmore, Alan Pedersen, reflected on the 11 years he spent serving the shire with Mr Gilmore.
“Although we didn’t agree on everything, we both fought for the same objective. Tom could often be politically brutal and intolerant of vocal minority groups who didn’t share his view of the shire’s future and, to me, that showed leadership and strength in his character,” Mr Pedersen said.
“As a Mayor he was tolerant and inclusive with councillors and staff and allowed full debate on controversial matters that affected our shire.
“During his last six years as Mayor, he led a council that achieved record capital works including the new sewerage treatment plant and the airport upgrade requiring over $40 million in grants.
“Tom took these two projects personally and went above and beyond what most people would expect of their Mayor to secure the State and Federal funding. Even during construction we would have to drive out early in the morning to check on the progress and make sure it was all as Tom had pictured it in his mind.
“Through all this work, Mareeba Shire, under Tom’s hand and totally against Queensland Treasury predictions, took out the most financially sustainable shire in Queensland in 2017, an absolute credit to council and staff.
“Karen and I send our condolences to Sally and family as Tom was totally devoted to them.”
Former Mareeba councillor Evan McGrath OAM served with Mr Gilmore but his relationship with him began many years earlier.
“I first met Tom when the Emerald Creek School closed and he joined our year group at Mareeba Primary, later advancing to Mareeba High,” he said.
“Tom was a regular at our annual school reunions until recently when his failing health took its toll.
“Tom made his mark in public life and his commitment to this community will forever be preserved in our local history. Sincere condolences to Sally and family.”
A memorial service to celebrate Mr Gilmore's life will be on 25 March at 1pm at Mareeba International Club.
