Send-off to celebrate Greg
A FINAL send-off to farewell a Port Douglas mine worker who crashed his bicycle at Mowbray last week will celebrate the life of a hands-on dad and loveable joker known for his positive attitude, generosity and sense of humour.
Police investigations indicate that just before 3.30am on October 23 Greg Batterham was riding his push bike on Mowbray River Road when he crashed.
Emergency services were alerted by a passing motorist but the 55-year-old could not be saved and died at the scene.
Hundreds have paid tribute to the well-regarded underground surveyor worker who made the move north from Moree 20 years ago, where he retrained to be a scuba diving instructor and met future partner Kristy Douglas on a Quicksilver boat.
Ms Douglas said the father of three was passionate about the Port Douglas area, the Daintree rainforest and had a fascination with tropical plants.
“Everyone who met him loved him. He loved the area and he loved taking us camping with his boys up to Cooktown,” she said.
“He loved taking his boys fishing, it was his passion.”
On the night of his death Ms Douglas said her former partner was riding back to where he was staying at Mowbray after a night out at Paddy’s Irish Pub in Port Douglas.
“Gregory was a bit of a ratbag, and he had been doing what he loved,” she said.
“He was definitely the life of the party and mischievous and well-liked by everyone.
“He was definitely a loving, caring and amazing person.”
Cid Calamaby paid his respects online to a mate he described as a brilliant man.
“Always ready for anything. We know him (as) the guy with the smile, the fella that actually listened, and cared, and remembered,” he wrote.
A funeral service will be held for Mr Batterham on November 3 in Cairns.
The service begins at 10am. A Port Douglas service will be held at parkland between the Sugar Wharf and St Mary’s Church from 3pm before a wake at the Garden Bar of The Central Hotel, Port Douglas from 5pm.
A total of 29 people were killed on Far North roads up until October 23.
Mr Batterham was one of three bicycle riders to be killed on Queensland road to date this year.