Community & Business
8 November, 2024
JP service recognised
IN recognition of 40 years of service a Justice of the Peace, Mareeba’s Dick Eussen has been awarded a certificate by the Member for Cook.
He was appointed a JP at Mount Isa in January 1976 and nominated Bob Katter Senior, the then Federal Member for Kennedy.
“At the time I was an Honorary Ranger for the Protection Fauna and Flora and Honorary Warden for the Protector of Aboriginal Artefacts and Relics,” Dick recalled.
“I had formed an Honorary Ranger Group, and we were very successful in reporting illegal fishing, bird trapping, crocodile killings and cattle duffing. Mr. Katter felt I needed some extra muscle after I had an encounter with a couple of bird trappers who were later successfully prosecuted.”
“I worked closely with the police and the Department of Primary Industries who were responsible for fishing and fauna and flora in those days. There were no full-time rangers or fishing inspectors in the region or the Gulf country and some of the honorary rangers, including myself, had several encounters with unsavoury characters, threats were made, guns were produced and more.”
Dick was the first appointed Justice of the Peace (NT) in Jabiru when the family moved there in 1979. They returned to Queensland in 1989 to live in Mossman where he and his wife operated a tour operation out of Port Douglas before retiring to Mareeba.
“Jabiru was an exciting place during the construction phase of the Ranger Uranium Mine. For the first few months I was the only JP in Kakadu and Western Arnhem Land and had a heavy workload that included service on the bench,” Dick said.
“I had two murder cases that were transferred to the Darwin Magistrate Court. Others included prostitution, theft, traffic offences, breaking and entering, DV and more.
“There were over 2,000 men in the construction camp at the time and only a handful of married families in Jabiru East, the construction village. Most cases were passed onto the Magistrates Court in Darwin until a magistrate made regular visits to Jabiru.
“When we returned to Queensland, I was placed back onto the registrar.’
Dick, who at 82 years of age, is one of Australia’s leading outdoor and writer/photographers, is widely published in several national magazines and the author of the best-selling novel, The Crocodile Coast.
“Writing and photography keeps me active. I never get bored, and while JP duties are rare nowadays, I remain available to the Queensland Police Service and the community,” he said.
“I was appointed Justice of the Peace (Qualified) at Mossman in May 1996 and will continue to proudly serve this honorary position that was entrusted to me by the people of the Queensland.”
