‘Life of the party’ lost to quad bike crash
EMILY CLOONEY
THE Traprock community is grieving the loss of community larrikin John Pratt who was killed in a crash.
The 63-year-old was involved in a fatal quad bike crash at his Waghorn Rd property on Sunday night.
Mallow Lamb owner and best mate Andrew Ferrier said his friend had a “larger than life” personality.
“We grew up in the district all of our lives,” he said.
“He was a classic Australian, worked incredibly hard and partied hard.
“Always the life of the party and a lot of fun to be around.”
Mr Pratt is a third-generation farmer in the region, establishing a stone fruit orchard in 1994.
His business, Traprock Orchard, has since gone on to be one of the most successful in the region.
“The business that he has built there is just amazing,” Mr Ferrier said.
“I don’t like the term ‘selfmade man’ but he, Julie (Mr Pratt’s wife) and the family have built a business there, quite a large-scale business.”
“He had incredible resilience, there’ve been a number of barriers and hurdles.
“His resilience has got him through the drought.”
Family friend Brent Finlay said John would be remembered as an all-round “funny bloke”.
“He was a good mate of so many people in the community and an absolute character of a bloke,” he said.
“Pratty was a great storyteller and he was a funny bloke.”
Mr Finlay said Mr Pratt’s involvement in many aspects of the community would leave a gaping hole.
“If anyone was in trouble or something was hard, Pratty was one of the first people who came to help,” he said.
“I’m devastated for Julie and the family, and for the whole community because he was a great community person.
“To lose one of the most respected and active members of our community is a tragedy on so many fronts.”
Mr Pratt is survived by wife Julie, son Nigel and daughters Rachael and Belinda.
emily.clooney@news.com.au