GARTH MAN ON MISSION
THE first time Aitkenvale man Garth Harrigan retired was in 1988, but it wasn’t long before he was up to his ears in it again.
In his paid working life, Garth, whose family were tobacco farmers from Mareeba, was an electrical apprentice then an engineer who helped to build power lines to hundreds of farmers and small towns across North Queensland.
“I was living in Cairns and transferred to Townsville for work,” Garth said. “I didn’t come willingly. “Townsville in those days was considered a dead hole – it was hot and dry.”
Garth went on to marry and have two children in Townsville, and has lived here ever since with no plans to leave.
When his kids were in school at Heatley they complained about near- misses on the road pushbikes.
In 1978, Garth worked with the P & C and the council to establish bikeways in Townsville.
After retiring from looking after major transmission lines in North Queensland, he got involved with seniors groups and community transport groups like Wheelchair Taxis and Sunbus.
He was influential in helping to implement early testing of newborn babies’ hearing as well as the use of alarms for seniors.
“I love Townsville for allowing me to work on projects that interested me and fill in my while riding their years said.
“And I finally retired in July 2013 after a total of 36 years.”
Garth cares for his wife in the family home and now enjoys gardening and reading his Townsville Bulletin six days a week.
He was Citizen of the Year in 2012, won the Premier’s Award in 2004 and was Senior of the Year in 2003.
> Editor Jenna Cairney is on a quest to meet Bulletin readers and hear their stories and learn what they love about living in North North. To take part in 100 the series email jenna. cairney@ news. com. au in retirement,” Garth