Vale Denise Bender—ex schoolteacher, historian, writer, communicator extraordinary, friend and confidant to many— reached the end of her earthly journey at 10.30 am, 24/05/2019, after struggling bravely over recent years. Perhaps she has never become famous in the conventional sense although she has accomplished so much, including all those friendships she has made along the way. In my book she was a very special person, so much so I’ve decided to write a tribute at this time.
I have had the privilege of knowing Denise since the 1990’s, first through her involvement with the movie “Deluge,” the story of my grandfather, H P Somerset of Caboonbah (Mt Beppo district, Upper Brisbane Valley) in the great Brisbane River food, 1893. Denise, Martin Overson and Brian Benson spent several months filming and producing this documentary. During this, there was considerable contact with Denise and descendants of H P Somerset, including my two daughters and granddaughters of Moira Thomson and Claudia Sharpe playing the parts of Somerset children. Apart from the successful production of this film, Denise became an authority on the Somerset family both living and deceased.
She was also an active member of The Brisbane Valley Historical Society, established in 1983, as a non-profit organisation to preserve the heritage of the people of the Brisbane Valley and its surrounding areas. Its objectives were to collect and preserve the heritage of the area known as the Brisbane Valley; to collect and preserve such items of machinery, equipment, appliances, tools and other artefacts and documents as are applicable to the history of the Brisbane Valley; to establish a small museum for the storage and display of such items.
Generously funded by the Water Board, the Society’s most commendable achievement was successfully lobbying the restoration of the Caboonbah homestead and the development and maintenance of the site and the homestead as an historical tourist attraction. This included the renovation of the house (ugly cement coating of weatherboards removed and repainted, restoration of the roof, plus other refurbishments), the collection of artefacts and establishment of a museum; the restoration and maintenance of the grounds, which included the installation of a water supply from the Wivenhoe; the setting up of other historical buildings on the site—the Esk jail and Court House and the McGrath Cottage. Until its disbandment in 2013 Denise would drive all the way from Camp Hill to Caboonbah for meetings where she served as secretary for many years. In the process, she often picked up an elderly gentleman from Aspley on the way.
Denise was commissioned by the Brisbane Valley Historical Society to edit H P Somerset’s Memoirs, “Trombones Troubles,” which became a priority of the Historical Society following the tragic Caboonbah fire of May 11, 2009 which destroyed the Caboonbah homestead. This was one hell of an assignment interpreting the text in the absence of the author (d. 1936), attempting to make sense of parts of it. To make matters worse, my grandfather had a thing about horses and insisted giving their pedigrees. Denise worked on this night and day and, after gathering a huge amount of useful supplementary information, having it edited and proofed by Tony Hammill, the manuscript was passed on to Boolarong and the book was first published December, 2010. I worked independently on my copy of the original which I titled, “Discovering my grandfather,” written mostly in the third person to expedite its compilation. This was published about February, 2010. Denise and I constantly communicated with both our projects. The significance of Denise’s work with Trombone’s Troubles is well attested to by Elizabeth De Lacy who worked with Denise at Griffith University:
” I will remember Denise for many things from work but her lasting legacy for me was to finally get Henry Somerset’s “Trombone Troubles” printed and before the general public as he had hoped would happen on his own death. Honouring promises was one of Denise’s strengths. It was a pleasure to know and work with her on our shared interests.”
I believe Denise had a distinguished career in education before she retired, including lecturing and head of Early Childhood Education, Mt Gravatt Teacher’s College and working at Griffith University. I seem to remember she was a member of at least another two historical societies apart from The Brisbane Valley—Windsor (where she was minutes secretary for a number of years) and the Royal Queensland Historical Society. However, it seems her most active post-retirement activity was associated with the Upper Brisbane Valley, where I knew her well as a friend, communicator and historian.
Apart from her brilliant, encyclopaedic mind which was active until the last, what I admired most about Denise was, despite severe physical limitations, her brave struggle to continue living as long as she could in her Camp Hill unit. As a lone spinster, she was the ultimate survivor. She organised herself as best she could by accessing aged care facilities to remain in her unit until it finally became impossible. Then, with the help of her nieces, she sold and went into aged care at TriCare Cypress Gardens, Clear Island Water, Gold Coast. I suspect she regretted having to do this but in true Denise fashion made the most of it.
Denise had some severe health issues in 2015 which put her in the Mater hospital and afterwards at St Vincent’s Rehabilitation for several months. In June 2015 I had a severe accident which put me in St Vincent’s Rehab. Denise gave me the benefit of her experience, not only with St Vincent’s but the whole aged care scenario. It seems Denise made her many friends and their families her family. She gave so generously with friendship as its own reward.
So goodbye Denise, God blesses you. I’m sure you have left a considerable legacy of friendship and achievement during your long, useful life. You will be missed.
Rollo Waite, 27th May, 2019