# Death of Bill Turner



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

At one fifteen on Wednesday morning, Bill turner died peacefully in his sleep.

This man hung on to life tenaciously for many years, bound to a wheel-chair existence.

However... he was a champion for recreational fishing and especially for disabled fishermen.

He campaigned for an artificial reef at Scarborough, close enough so that tinnie operators could catch good snapper etc without having to travel miles across Moreton Bay for their fish.

If this comes to fruition, Sunfish Moreton Branch Inc. will strive to have it named Turner's Reef after him... deserved, in my opinion.

Although wheel-chair bound in all the years I've known him, he was onehelluva fisherman... cleaning up on whiting on the old Hornibrook Bridge when it became closed to traffic and the fishos took over. The biggest bream he managed was 5lb 7oz, and lots of 2kg bream hit the deck due to him, but then he released all the big fellers as they represented the lives of countless little bream in the future.

Large flathead were the norm for him as well, and he sure knew where to find them.

One fellow had a go at him one day, asking him why he restricted himself to fishing the Hornibrook Bridge... this was the only time I heard of him snapping at anybody... "Do you really think I'd be fishing here if I wasn't bound to this bloody wheel chair?" he snapped.

Due mainly to years of his ceaseless lobbying, places where not only wheelies could fish, but also able bodied anglers as well, were built around the foreshores of the Redcliffe Peninsula... the fishing structure on the Eastern side of the Ted Smout Bridge resulted from his lobbying... a couple of his friends (?) advocated that at the base of the ramp, there should have been a 6inch drop, but he wouldn't hear of it. Wheel chair (?).

His goal in life was to ensure that our grand-kids, and theirs, and theirs as well, would have a substantial amount of fish to catch.

You might have passed on, Billy Turner, but your fight will go on.

Rest In Peace old friend...

Jim Rainey


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Thats a bugger Jim, never met him but certainly new of him. There are quite a few Wheel chair accessed fishing platforms around Redliffe we can thank him for. Also he was very vocal against the original draft on marine parks, would of cut out 2/3's of Scarborough.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks Jimbo for your tribute to a visionary. If only all decisions were made in the spirit of our kids, grand kids, and beyond, ensuring they enjoy the thrills of fishing.

RIP Billy, and thank you for your significant contribution to the future, a contribution that extended for many years to Sunfish (representing recreational anglers).


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## eagle4031 (Jan 29, 2010)

Obviously I did not know him but that is a wonderful brief on his impact
one individual can make a huge difference and he did


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Jim

Thanks

Respect to Bill.


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

Sorry to hear he has passed Jim. He sounds like a man who continued to do what he loved and had a great group of friends around who helped him along the way. I've heard you talk about him regularly when out on the water of the great things he has done and his skill as an angler. It sounds like he taught you a thing or two to help you be as successful as you are. There are plenty of people who have never met or heard of him who are able to do what they do because of him.
I have never met him but am thankful for what he has done.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks Jimbo
Knew "of" Bill but never met him
He certainly helped enable angling as a pastime for many people, able bodied and otherwise


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## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks Jim for bringing to our attention the life of Bill Turner.

I am sure you are one of many friends he had that will also have kind words that will ensure he is recognized for his efforts.

Greg


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Thanks Jim, Bill now joins others of his ilk who have improved the sport by their involvement.


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