LOCAL LIFE
MY FAVOURITE PLACE: Mark Stacey by Greg Martin
Mark Stacey could well echo The Wizard of Oz’ s Dorothy when she clicked her heels and declared:“ There’ s no place like home.”
For all of his 67 years on this truly amazing planet, Mark’ s home has been Riverstone – always“ Rivo” to generations of locals, ever since Lieutenant-Colonel Maurice O’ Connell settled the area back in 1810.
Mark began his working life as an apprentice carpenter and wrapped it up just last November, retiring as proprietor of Mark Stacey Building Services.
A member of Riverstone-Schofields Memorial Club since he first picked up a razor, Mark has served on the board for the past five years and currently holds the position of senior vice president.
To say Mark has been everywhere, man, is to say Lucky Starr might as well have been singing about him. In his famous song, Lucky rattles off 93 spots around the country – though the poor bloke somehow missed Rivo!
Despite living their entire lives in Riverstone, Mark and his wife Jaine have got a serious case of the travel bug and
Mark Stacey’ s love for Jaine Gregory not only led to 45 years of married bliss but also to the parenthood of four and Nan and Pop to seven grandchildren.
have journeyed all over the world – only to confirm what they already knew: there’ s no place like home.
The couple’ s globetrotting adventures have often included a few close mates – all Rivo locals, of course – Steve and Kerrie Cox, Sally and Ian Lawrence, and Graeme Keating.
“ On our various trips we’ ve been to Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, all over Europe, the Greek Islands, the Pacific Islands and New Zealand,” said Mark.
“ After our last overseas trip, Jaine and I decided it was time to see more of our own amazing country. We’ ve just come back from Port Douglas and have now set our sights on a beauty – a long, leisurely lap around Australia.”
No doubt they’ ll tick off many of the places Lucky Starr did mention in his classic!
Mark is the son of Dick and Jan Stacey and brother to Jenny, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Dick was a greengrocer, selling his fruit and veg not just from his Riverstone shopfront, but also on the road – have fruit and veg, will travel!
Mark did his schooling at Riverstone Public and Riverstone High before starting a four-year carpentry apprenticeship with Hawkesbury building legend Bill McNamara.
Over the years, he broadened his skills
across the building trade. After finishing his time, he spent three years with a firm in Seven Hills, returned to work with McNamara from 1982 – 88, and later joined a Castle Hill outfit from 1988 – 91.
“ I decided to start my own business – Statesman Building Services – and built a tight-knit team that I’ m proud to say consistently delivered quality work and kept the jobs rolling in,” said Mark.
“ I ran that business until I retired last year. I was proud to work on some great projects, including the construction of the new Riverstone-Schofields Memorial Club and, over the years, several extensions to it.“ During that time, I had a fantastic team of eight, including two young fellas I put through their apprenticeships – Aaron Gregory and Daniel Lawrance, who now runs his own successful company, Advent Carpentry.”
Mark and Jaine are proud parents to Lauren, Bree, Alana and Dean, and doting grandparents to seven grandchildren.
Jaine and the family are Mark’ s first love – but Rugby League isn’ t far behind.
“ I first pulled on a Rivo footy jersey as a five-year-old, playing in the Under 8s under our inspiring coach, Alan Drayton,” Mark said.
“ I went through all the Rivo age teams, ended up in first grade and picked up a fair few premierships along the way.”
Mark later left the Riverstone Razorbacks( formerly the Butchers) and clinched the 1983 Reserve Grade premiership with Richmond before hanging up his boots – only to dust them
Mark Stacey has spent a lot of time at Riverstone-Schofields Memorial Club, not only socialising with family and friends but as a builder overseeing extensions to the club as well as serving as a member of the board.
off again in the mid-80s to play and coach with the Windsor Wolves until 1993.
And what a send-off – captain-coach of the Wolves’ Reserve Grade premiershipwinning side.
But those well-worn boots aren’ t done yet. Mark is now part of Riverstone’ s“ Good Old Boys”, who still take to the field in winter to compete in Masters Rugby League( for the over-35s).
On the road for Flying Doctor Service
by Greg Martin
When I played rugby league as a teenager for the old Riverstone Butchers I had the pleasure of playing alongside Maurie Smith.
Maurie was a hooker – and fair dinkum, was he ever!
Such was his determination to hook the ball back to our halfback, the silly bugger sometimes ended up under the opposing lock’ s feet! Yes, Maurie loved to hook in! And for the past quarter of a century, he’ s hooked in big-time to help raise much-needed funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
And the 73-year-old hooker is having a ball!
At the time you are reading these words, Maurie and his co-driver, Phil Kemm, will be piloting Maurie’ s trusty 1949 Ford Pick-up towards the finish line at Cairns after an arduous 11-day trek on predominantly bumpy mud-and-dust roads.
The Outback Car Trek has raised in excess of $ 35 million for the RFDC since its inception in 1990 and this year it is expected that another $ 1.5 million will go into the pool.
Since the turn of the century, Maurie has sucked up the dust( and perhaps a throat-clearing beer or three) in raising his fair share of that $ 35 million.
This year mark’ s his 25th consecutive participation in the big trek!
Maurie’ s vehicles down the years – the’ 49 Ford has been his conveyance of choice since 2019 – having raised over $ 250,000, with Maurie’ s 2025 contribution being $ 50,000.
The’ 49 Ford is a member of the fourvehicle Team B’ ute which this year is expected to plonk around $ 80,000 into the RFDS kitty.
The other members of Team B’ ute – all vehicles are utes( drrrr!) – are Joe Bartolo and Gerry Mifsud( another’ 49 Ford Pick-up), Martin Barry and Dr Q(’ 71 Holden) and Fred Ayoub and Rob Ceccato( 1946 Ford Mainline).
Two support vehicles driven by Wazza and Alex Doughty, Phil Galea and Mick Bonnici will accompany the team throughout the journey. The journey? The trek commenced in Bathurst on May 28 and the ensuing daily treks along backroads took them to Dubbo, Bourke, Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Longreach, Julia Creek, Karumba Point, Chillagoe and winding up in Cairns on June 15.
The idea of the trek is for participants to raise their contribution to the fundraising tally primarily before the start of the trek with various fundraising ventures.
But during the trek and after its completion, you can still contribute through donations – just go to the Outback Car Trek Facebook and follow the prompt on the first page.
Throughout the trek the crews of all
Ready and rarin’ to hit the road! Maurie Ryan and his co-driver, Phil Kemm, locked and loaded for the Outback Car Trek to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
participating vehicles- trek( 72), support( 22) and volunteer officials( 15) will be putting funds back into communities along the route and at each night’ s stopover.
This is done in a variety of ways including paying for accommodation, purchasing food and refreshments, providing auction and raffle items to community groups.
Of course, each and every trekker will be putting in bids and buying their fair share of raffle tickets!
I asked Maurie Smith why he has become a valued member of the fundraising concept.
“ We all learned about John Flynn and the Flying Doctor Service as young kids and of course I have always admired the contribution they make to our friends in the bush,” Maurie said.
“ These treks are a win-win for me – it gives me the opportunity to raise funds for the RFDS and in doing so, I have plenty of fun and get the opportunity to meet a host of wonderful people.”
THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine. com. au ISSUE 181 // JUNE 2025 11