In 1954 three local friends engraved their name on a rock at Nielson Park Beach and its recent rediscovery has evoked fond memories of the well-loved community members.
The rock, which is marked with the date of 17/8/54 and signed by Peter Hargreaves, Colin Jamieson and Bob Cormack, has become a topic of conversation in the community recently after a beachgoer posted a photo of it to social media.
Bruce Hargreaves, the son of Peter, said his dad and two mates Colin and Bob were members of the Bundaberg Surf Life Saving Club and engraved their names into the rock more than 67 years ago.
“I think they were just bored one Saturday morning so they went over with a hammer and chisel and engraved their names in the rock,” he said.
“It has been there ever since.
“It was such a spur of the moment thing for them.
“I don’t think there was any big meaning behind it at the time but years later it has left the community with a nice message and my family with some great memories.”
Bruce said he and his family had received many calls and messages from people who had spotted the rock over the years and recognised the Hargreaves name.
“It is a nice reminder every time,” he said
“My father was a very well-loved man.
“He worked for the Bundaberg Ambulance for 30 years as a mechanic and qualified ambulance bearer.
“He used to go out and cut people out of vehicles when they were in crashes.”
Bruce said he found out just how many lives his father had touched at his funeral in 2002 when hundreds of people from the region and all over Australia gathered to pay their respects.
“I went up to do a eulogy and as I turned around to face everyone I saw that the place was packed to the rafters with people, there was no room left,” he said.
“I was blown away to see just how much my Dad touched the lives of others.
“People who he had saved during his time in the ambulance had travelled from around Australia just to say goodbye.”
Bruce said while he doesn’t live in the Bundaberg Region he had managed to view the rock in the past and still loved hearing about other people who had come across the interesting find.
“It’s situated just off to the side of Nielson Park Beach but can only be seen at low tide,” he said.
“Finding out that people are discovering the rock is great, it’s a nice reminder of Dad and what an amazing man he was.”
