George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to acknowledge the passing of a highly respected and extremely generous member of the Mackay region, Mrs Irie Dalrymple, who passed away on 11 May at the age of 93. Irie, affectionately known as Mrs Dal, lived with her husband David at Landsborough Station at Nebo, west of Mackay, for more than 50 years before moving to town, where the couple continued to show the generosity they were so well known for in every aspect of their lives.

My connection with the Dalrymples in recent times was in relation to the establishment of a respite home for people with disability, only made possible by the generous donation of the Dalrymples and named in their honour: the David and Irie Dalrymple Home, which sits alongside another facility, the John E Smith Respite Home. The Dalrymples were good friends of the recognised mouth-and-foot painter John Smith, who was left a quadriplegic after a fall from a horse when he was just 25. His experience sparked their considerable contribution to respite services.

Another beneficiary of the generosity of Irie was the Whitsunday Anglican School. I note a number of contributions to the school but in particular the David and Irie Dalrymple Boarding Scholarship, which the school has stated 'allowed rural students to access an education and experiences they may otherwise have never known'. The Mackay Tiger Moth Museum was another beneficiary. The museum's two aircraft took to the skies on the day of Irie's funeral to bid their great friend a farewell. What a fitting tribute to a woman who has enriched the lives of many in our region.

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