Page 9 - BOL Mar 22 Edition

of the Pine Rivers Shire Council at the Greatest Joy: “Those Festivals back in “We may not be as mobile on foot as
time. Wally could not believe his daughter the 1990’s was the highlight, as was the we once were, but we have everything
could be so far from shops, schools and opportunity to be Santa for the children we need within motor scooter battery
doctors. However, the opportunity of at the Progress Association’s Christmas range. Next year (2023) will see our 50th
buying a home for $23,000 and a Rates events over some 12 years. I remember Anniversary together and we do still love
bill of $126 per year was a driving force, being ferried down Anzac Ave to the to travel.
despite not having water and sewerage Bush Children’s home in the back of
for the next 20 years. The Dolley’s had Geoff Thompson’s blue Ute, surrounded Last year, we travelled around North Qld
found in Mango Hill Village, their home by several “Christmas Elves,” ringing the even going scuba diving on the Barrier
for life. school bell all the way to Scarborough. I reef, off Cairns. There are many great
do believe we still have that school bell places we want to see in Queensland yet!
With Bob now working at K-Mart, Kippa- today. What a joy it was to see the smiles
Ring and Scott and Brendan arriving to on the faces of the kids each year. But Mango Hill Village is our home and
complete the family over the next decade we have loved living in a place which
the Mango Hill Village was the place to has so much Community spirit. We still
live. “What impressed us most was the have great neighbours and enjoy local
quiet and peaceful environment of the events with the Progress Association. We
Village together with terrific neighbours have the children & the Grandkids and
(Dave & Elsi-Anne + Judy around the we still have Dad (Bill Dolley) who looks
corner). We had bushland around the forward to our visits each week. Life is still
village and across the road and where the wonderful in Mango Hill Village.
Kids could “go bush on their bikes” and
disappear for the day without worrying Bob and Marcia (with Laurence)
about them. We loved it too, taking walks
in the forest with the kids. When it came to
shopping and doctors, it was Strathpine,
Kippa-Ring or Chermside if you needed to
see Centrelink. Now everything we need
has come to us” Marcia recalled when
reflecting back on their decision in 1978.
North Lakes has everything and we have Greatest Disappointment: Losing the
a rail line to Redcliffe and the City. trees across the road in what is now Park-
Vista back in 2008 was certainly a great
Arrival of the Mango Hill Progress disappointment. We certainly miss the
Association. animals, particularly the Koalas that made
In July 1986, Bob Dolley joined 194 their way along the corridor that existed
other Mango Hill Village residents at the at the time.
Amaroo Hall in Petrie to push back on
a proposal by Redcliffe City Council to We remember back in those early years,
build a Rubbish tip next to Mango Hill. “I an old fellow arriving daily to feed his pigs
didn’t want a rubbish tip at the end of my located in a “hideaway pen” in the bush.
street, so I became a foundation member At times the noise of little pigs was very
of the newly formed Progress Association clear but generally disappeared around
which has done so much over the years to Christmas time when it was suspected
improve our Village”, Bob remarked. Our they became Christmas dinner.
kids went to Mrs Christie’s Sunday school
down in the hall. They loved Skate Nights “We loved those trees along Kinsellas
and those Christmas parties. Rd West and had hoped they would
be retained in the same way that the
Progress Association had been successful
in retaining the Greenbelt between the
Village and what would become North
Lakes in 1997.”

Living in Mango Hill Today: “The kids
have left home and we have each other”
quipped Bob as we met up at North Lakes
on their motor scooters that they regularly
drive around the suburbs.
March 2022 www.bestoflocal.com.au 9