LEADING LIGHTS BACK AID VESSEL
THE man who discovered Cooktown mum Donna Steele’s body told friends he found her after following a trail of Jim Beam cans.
Mark Seears also said he “just knew” it was Ms Steele, despite her body being wrapped up when he found it in a croc- infested creek.
It can also be revealed Mr Seears — who was out of town when Ms Steele went missing — had searched the same site the previous night.
In other developments, News Corp Australia has learnt Ms Steele was facing a minor charge of contravening or disobeying a police direction.
The charge was due to be heard in Cooktown Magistrates Court on August 3 but she had vanished the previous day.
It is the first sign to emerge of trouble in Ms Steele’s life before her suspected murder, which has left the small seaside town reeling.
Court records show police offered no evidence on the charge and it was dropped. THREE of Townsville’s most successful businessmen are united by a passion for providing health care in Papua New Guinea.
Dentist and 1300SMILES group managing director Daryl Holmes and developers Peter Tapiolas and Peter Honeycombe are major supporters of local organisation Youth With A Mission, which delivers medical services to remote parts of PNG.
The trio have all made sizeable donations to YWAM over the years to help the organisation run medical outreaches – taking dentists, optometrists, doctors, nurses and other health professionals communities.
Next week each of the men will host a table at YWAM’s Breakfast by the Sea fundraiser, expected to be attended by up to 700 people.
Dr Holmes goes on outreach about once a year, once pulling 131 teeth in a single day.
In May he took a senior manager from Fortune 500 dental supplier and YWAM sponsor Henry Schein Halas on the ship to share more about the organisation’s work.
“It’s just so powerful having this ship in Townsville, based in our city here ... internationally it’s having an amazing influence and attracting sup- into isolated port and interest all over the world,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting and it’s great to be a part of.”
Parkside director Mr Tapiolas said he became involved with YWAM because of the good work they were doing.
“We have substantial business interests up in PNG and we see firsthand the challenges that country is going through in regards to health care and education so we were keen to continue our support with YWAM,” he said.
“I see the people they help and I’m stoked that I can make that small contribution to help YWAM help those people in a country that is facing so many challenges right on Australia’s doorstep.”
Honeycombes Property Group managing director Mr Honeycombe said he’d been involved for about 10 years and described the one YWAM trip he made as “extremely moving”.
“We had one guy who rode a canoe for two days by himself without being able to see, just bouncing off the bank all the way to get to the ship and within 48 hours he could see,” he said. “That’s overwhelming. “Some of us have the sorts of talents that YWAMers have where they can go and provide these services but those of us who don’t, I think our talents need to enable us to give.”