Vale Big Tony

Vale Big Tony

Yesterday, we gathered to celebrate the life of Big Tony — a man whose presence was as solid and generous as the cliffs he loved to climb.

A schoolteacher, bushwalker, climber, and proud father — we met Tony and Jackie on a trip through the Kimberley in 2019. What an adventure that was: four-wheel driving the rugged Gibb River Road from Darwin to Broome, often sleeping on the ground, gazing up at the endless night sky, sharing stories and laughter beneath the stars.

The service at St Stephen’s in Kurrajong, nestled in Tony’s beloved Blue Mountains, was packed to the rafters. The hall overflowed with ex-schoolmates, canoe club members in their bright turquoise jackets, climbers, travelers, and friends from every chapter of his life. A full house for a full life.

Jackie, his beloved wife of 41 years, was the steady heart of the day. Steph, their daughter, delivered a deeply moving tribute — eloquent, brave, and loving. As Rob whispered, “a hard act to follow.” Andrew, Tony’s son, was ever-present — in the recollections, in the warmth of those around him, in the legacy his dad leaves behind.

Wildflowers filled the church and later  at the wake at the Kurrajong Bowlo, a fitting echo of the wild beauty Tony loved so dearly.

Both of us felt embraced by the community, and honored to be part of such a meaningful farewell.

Rest well, Big Tony. You lived large, loved deeply, and reminded us all to look up at the stars a little longer.