Vale Stuart Absalom 28.07.1947-29.08.2026

It is a profound thing to reflect on the life of my father, Stuart Absalom, and the extraordinary thread he formed in the fabric of this community. For those of us who knew and loved him, his absence leaves a space that feels impossible to fill. Dad was never one to boast about his efforts, often brushing them off by saying, ‘I don’t do much really’. Yet, his contributions to the local area tell a vastly different story. He poured his endless, genuine curiosity about what people were doing into his role as the Vice President and coordinator of the Tilba section of The Triangle newsletter. As a regular contributor, he cherished the opportunity to connect with locals and share their stories. I would often phone him and he’d tell me he was ‘working on The Triangle’ with clear delight.

But his service certainly didn’t stop there. When you look at the sheer breadth of his recent projects, his commitment is astounding. He ran the Tilba Saturday Markets, coordinated the local soft plastics collection, and did the regular run to Wollongong to recycle electronic devices. He was an active member of South Coast Health and Sustainability Alliance – working on the Tilba Microgrid and Central Tilba Halls projects – while also assisting the Halls Committee with fundraising and supporting local education campaigns on electric vehicles. His belief in community and equity saw him become a founding member of the Gulaga Reconciliation Group, support the Little Yuin Preschool and Wallaga Lake Koori Village projects, and campaign locally for the YES vote and the ALP. Add to that his work with the Tilba Tilba Water Users Association, his time as a long-term board member and Treasurer of the Elm Grove Trust, his support for the Four Winds Festival, and raising his voice as a member of the That Bunch of Singers choir and Open Sanctuary. Dad was consistently showing up for the people and the place he loved.

Stuart with his grandsons Fin and Sebastian.

Stuart and his siblings

His dedication to others was a constant throughout his entire life. From his early days as a Horticultural Adviser in the Goulburn Valley – where my earliest memories include sitting up in the almond tree next to the Department of Agriculture offices while he worked – to his later years working as a community nurse and a manager in local government, Dad was forever guided by a deep sense of service and natural justice. Of course, he wasn’t perfect; we shared a certain stubbornness and a strong orthodoxy regarding how we believed things ought to be done.

It was deeply moving to see the community rally so generously to support Philip and our families during Dad’s farewell. Having my daughters, Rosey and Ava, play music on the headland for their Grandpa, and my nephew Fin sing with us and my brother Simon in tribute, was a beautiful nod to the lifelong love of music he sparked in me when we used to squeeze onto the piano stool together to play Puff the Magic Dragon.

Dad ultimately chose Tilba as his final resting place because he told me it was where he and Philip have been the happiest. As we try to figure out how many people it will take to fill the huge gap he leaves behind, I invite you to take a moment to call to mind your own special memories and allow them to both soothe and encourage you to ‘do what Stuart would do’.

Matt Absalom

Stuart was a strong proponent of the local ‘Vote Yes’ team.

Stuart was a founding member of the Gulaga Reconciliation Group.

The Triangle committee 2025.

Stuart with the SHASA Halls Project Team (from left) Peter Phillips, Tim Watson, Tony Lowe, Janine Halasz, Kristy McBain MP, Stuart Absalom, Hahn Gunthorpe and Stephanie Chiu.

It takes a village …

Philip and Stuart

They say it takes a village to raise a child; well it certainly took a village to lay our dear Stuart Absalom to rest after he passed away last month. He would have loved the community spirit and collaboration that his farewell invoked.

People rallied from far and wide to help fulfil Stuart’s funeral wishes (he was very clear on what he wanted), which involved three events across three venues for a cast of hundreds – all in ‘tiny’ spaces.

Although Stuart would probably have organised his sendoff with a bit more finesse and flare, a team of around 30 open-hearted, kind and generous people were eager to step in and help, even in their own time of grief.

Many thanks to all who stepped up and showed the very best of community spirit, whether it be in setting up the church, creating safe car parking, providing sound equipment to ensure the services could be heard by all, putting up marquees, delivering chairs and tables, creating floral arrangements and posies, catering for the masses, or creating musical offerings to the services – and all the other behind-the-scenes tasks needed to make an event appear relatively seamless.

Many thanks also to the 200-plus people who patiently sat outside the church in the heat to allow the family to be present at the service inside the church, and for those who waited patiently at Pam’s Store while the service continued at the cemetery.

They also say ‘what goes around comes around’, and maybe people were so happy to help because they wanted to give a little bit back to say goodbye to a man who gave so much to his community in so many ways.

Shanna Provost

Photo top right: Peter Phillips, Philip Mawer and Stuart