Born in Wellington, 1938, Mark moved to Grenfell, June 1950 attending Driftway Primary School. In 1951 the family purchased 'Goodwill' property in Ooma area (now owned by Weddin Mayor) He attended Pinnacle Primary School. 1952-54 Mark was a border at Hurlstone Agricultural School at Glenfield NSW.

From 1955-59 he worked on 'Goodwill' with his father in wheat and sheep production. The family moved to (56,000 acre aggregation) Winton district western Qld 1960. 1962 he married local girl Joan Ingrey, sister of Barbara Knight and the late Doug Ingrey ('Yarraglen' Bimbi Rd) at Holy Trinity Church in Grenfell.

1967 Purchased 'Aberfoyle' ( 200,000 acres) in Torrens Creek district and managed three properties carrying 45,000 sheep plus expanding cattle operation. 1971 dissolved family partnership and changed 'Aberfoyle' to running 7,500 cattle - 1975 purchase small stud cattle property - 'Cromarty' -south of Townsville near Giru. 1979 sold 'Aberfoyle and moved to 'Cromarty'.

The Stonemans are proud parents of Alison born 1964 and identical twins Jenny and Libby born 1965 all at Winton and Peter born 1974. Alison was to be born in Grenfell but came some six weeks early possibly due to the fact that Mark had almost been burned to death in a bush fire two months earlier.

Joan might well have had a 'home' birth had it not been for a friend who landed his plane at their strip, due to a wet strip at his base, making it to Winton in time. Undiagnosed twins came home in the same plane and son Peter was delivered at Charters Towers by the Flying Doctor. All christened in Holy Trinity, Grenfell. Before marriage, Joan worked at Sinclair's Pharmacy in Grenfell, and then lived at 'Carraward' some 80 kilometres east of Winton.

Joan taught all their children at home via correspondence and School of the Air until secondary level while managing a large house, family and staff and organising Flying Doctor clinics at their isolated property. In 1974 she managed to keep teaching the children all while they were flooded in without phone, mail or access on or off the property for five and a half months. A far cry from Sinclair's Pharmacy. All children have tertiary degrees/qualifications (Nurse/Midwife, Teacher/Principal, Economics/ Finance and Banking and Engineer).

During this time Mark became involved in the Isolated Children's Parents Association (ICPA) seeking better support for students, becoming Qld President and Federal Councillor: in support of the work Joan was doing at home. Moving to the coast, Mark introduced live weight, wet curfew cattle selling into Queensland for the Qld Meat Authority before entering the State Parliament as the Member for Burdekin in 1983.

The interest in 'conservation and wetlands' as noted in the lead citation is a continuation of land management and experiences gained over a lifetime as a land manager. The focus has been a parcel of land (4,000 ha) adjacent to our property which was largely made up of 21 freehold parcels surrounded by National Park.

The area requires specific management techniques and mechanisms and is the scientific equal of Kakadu in the Northern Territory. It contains large water and sedge areas, woodlands and tidal flats providing habitat the waterfowl found in N.E. Australia as well as mammal, avian, reptile and invertebrate species together with two rare lowlands rainforest.

This 32 year journey has involved setting up a not for profit foundation, breaking new ground in government, the private sector and undertaking rehabilitation of the woodland areas via a Trusteeship unique to Queensland and probably, Australia. Next will be to develop visitor access for education, regional economic development and community enjoyment.

Mark said, “Joan and I have been fortunate to have many old friends from Grenfell visit us at all three places of living over the past 54 years and also have the pleasure of often seeing former Grenfell-ites living in Townsville: Marty and Carmel Kelly, and John Mel lick - with whom Joan went to school for a time at Grenfell before boarding School at Moss Vale.

“We are fortunate to have traveled overseas for business, pleasure and representative reasons during our marriage but Grenfell and North Queensland are where our roots and hearts reside.

“Mostly we are blessed with four children and their families which now include fifteen grandchildren and, most recently, our first great great-grandchild (a boy).”

WELCOME HOME: The family of Mary Horder OAM, Sydney and her sister Olive Quigley from Trangie “Came Home to Grenfell” last weekend to celebrate Mary’s 95th birthday.

A sprightly Mary and her younger sister Olive, two of eleven children of Richard and Olive Brown and around seventy other family and guests celebrated Mary’s birthday at the Grenfell Bowling Club on Saturday evening.

Earlier many of the family travelled to the Weddin Mountains National Park, as Mary had never been there in 95 years. On Saturday at took a trip to “Clydesdale” Pullabooka via Tyagong Street where her sister Glady Cartwright used to live and back to Grenfell via Caragabal for the sentimental.

Many of the family attended Mass in St Joseph’s Church, Sunday morning where Mary and Olive had been baptised years ago. Following Mass the group had a light luncheon and view the property. The Brown’s home originally called “Westbourne” and now “Glenview” is owned by Norma Reid on Manganese Rd. The group also visited the cemetery where their father Richard Brown, their sister and brother in law Glady and Tom Cartwright and her nephews John and Robbie are interred.