Tribute to Frank Allen

Mr GREG PIPER ( Lake Macquarie ) ( 13:13 :02 ): Today I pay tribute to a man who dedicated most of his 99 years to making the world a better place. Frank Allen, from Toronto, passed away last week just a few months short of his 100th birthday. He was a gentle man, a former miner and a noted cook. Right up until his death, Frank Allen was a tireless volunteer in his community. He was the oldest and most committed Landcare volunteer who would arrive every Wednesday at the Landcare Resource Centre at Teralba with a fresh batch of his renowned Anzac biscuits. After a quick cuppa he would head out to the gardens and get to work. He spent 27 years with Landcare, which he joined after being part of a successful campaign to establish a foreshore reserve at Green Point.

I always enjoyed meeting with Frank and having a chat; indeed, he had a lot that was worth saying. He was a wonderfully kind man who loved his home and the large family around him. Our community has suffered a loss with Frank's passing but, by all measures, we remain much richer for the legacy that Frank Allen left. I offer my condolences, as well as those of the residents of Lake Macquarie, to Frank's family on their loss and I place on the record our collective appreciation of Frank's service. Vale, Frank Allen.