Ex- cop to stay sober as island parties on
IT TOOK Warren Butterworth a while to convince the Magnetic Island locals he was serious when he told them he didn’t drink.
As the officer- in- charge of the one- man police station in the 1970s, he had plenty of shouts offered to him by islanders at the pub.
“I’m a teetotaller,” Mr Butterworth said.
“I went and socialised with all the locals. They all wanted to shout me a beer and I said ‘ I don’t drink’.
“It took me a while to convince them that I didn’t drink.”
But Mr Butterworth said the locals soon realised he could be counted on to turn up to any job at any time sober and capable, and he was able to enjoy eight years of service on the island.
He left Magnetic Island for Julia Creek in 1980 and retired as an inspector in Townsville in 2001, aged 55.
“It was challenging times,” he said. at
Military Police would arrive to help him every fortnight when soldiers came over to the island to “let off a bit of steam”.
Mr Butterworth said he went and met every ferry and barge coming to the island so he knew exactly who was coming on and heading off the stunning tourism hot spot.
He helped found the Magnetic Island Sports and Recreation Club at Horseshoe Bay to give youngsters more activities to do and was invited back to its opening after he’d left.
The 72- year- old Balgal Beach resident is now preparing to head back to Maggie, organising what he hoped would be a large reunion of Magnetic Island locals from that era and following generations.
Mr Butterworth expects 150 people or more to attend the reunion being held on November 3 and 4.
He said SeaLink had offered concession return fares for confirmed reunion attendees.
For information on the reunion, contact Mr Butterworth on 0428 752 575 or email woppercopper@ hotmail. com.