Pauline Hanson’s surprise visit to the Jolly Rogers Fishing Club

When the owner of the Jolly Rogers Op Shop at Rockhampton was told there as a surprise visitor waiting in the showroom, he had no idea it would be arguably one of his most favourite public figures.

He emerged from his back office, where he had been hosting an informal mens help group, to see Australia’s most recognisable politician – Pauline Hanson – had dropped in to see him, unannounced.

In his shock and excitement, he let slip with a few “French words”, before he threw his arms around the popular senator and gave her a huge hug.

“Pauline Hanson. Wow!” Neill said.

But the visit was well deserved and Senator Hanson was more than happy to add the drop-in to her busy Rockhampton schedule.

“I heard about you, and all the great work you’re doing,” the One Nation Senator said with a smile.

It didn’t take long and a crowd had gathered, in amongst the racks of well-priced clothing, homewares, books and bric-a brac that helps fund some amazing charity work.

Neill and his partner Steph are the driving forces behind the Jolly Rogers Fishing Club, a multi-faceted charity that manages various projects and is literally changing the lives of the needy and the homeless.

The group regularly scours the Fitzroy River in their tinnies to fish out the various rubbish from the waterway – they’ve collected many tonnes of junk, even once pulling out an old car body. Their work also includes clean-up trips out to the Great Barrier Reef.

And while that is their main work, that’s not all!

They also personally prepare around 1800 meals a month to feed the Rockhampton homeless, they give away clothing, food and other items to those in need. They prepare Sisters of Mercy health packs to be given to homeless women.

They also hold informal catch-ups in their shop to support the struggling men of the community and help anyone who needs help with documentation or filling out forms.

“Some can’t read, some can’t write, the progress some people have made in this community is amazing.”

The couple’s work is primarily funded by collecting bottles and cans that are returned for refund – members of the public are also invited to give their bottles and cans to further help support the work. Local residents donate food, and fishermen donate fresh fish toward the homeless meals.

To learn the backstory of the amazing couple adds further to the amazing achievement.

The pair have themselves both been homeless, with Neill living for many years in a park in Brisbane.

“We’ve both come from that background and we’ve both created something pretty cool here,” Steph said.

“I was homeless, I definitely lived a lot on the streets in my younger years, so, with all the issues that I faced when I was on the streets I just want to be able to give back. We want to fill the gap.”

But that isn’t the whole story. Neill suffered a serious head injury when he was a fisherman and could have virtually been left wasting away.

“Neill was in a vegetable state three years ago, we went through all the rehab centres and all the clinics in Darwin and they wanted to make him a ward of the state and put him on quite heavy drugs,” Steph explained.

“So I refused completely.

“I did my own research, focussed on muscle memory, and when we got Neill back on his feet, walking and talking, I thought, ‘Well, let’s  just go and do what we’re passionate about, so that’s led us to where we are now.

“This is all part of Neill’s rehabilitation.”

The couple’s food rounds has an interesting twist – the homeless don’t get fed unless their area where they live is clean and tidy, a proviso that has had interesting flow on advantages.

“It’s like an exchange – food for tidy areas,” Steph explained.

“So now they have a routine; we rock up, they know we’re coming, and they’ve got so much rubbish collected, the area is so clean, and the Council is also off their backs.

“And the people living on the riverbank are now coming and joining the river clean, so it’s now given them an entry into the wider community.”

One man had lived on the riverbank for 15 years but was able to turn his life around.

“He went to an alcohol rehab centre, he’s now brought his family in from the community, his kids are going to school, they’re all clothed and he’s now working as a manager out at the meatworks,” Steph said.

“This is the goal; this is what keeps us going every day.”

Senator Hanson learned of the couple and their amazing good work when she was approached by Cameron, the owner of Jolt coffee shop in central Maryborough, and she had no hesitation of adding the unplanned drop-in to her schedule.

While there, she chatted with Neill and Steph, mingled with members in the store, and joined in for a group photo.

“I’m really impressed by your work, you’re doing a great service to this community,” she said.

The couple admit they are big fans of Senator Hanson, particularly supportive of her willingness to speak out on injustices, to say what people are thinking, and to stand up for those in need.

“Pauline’s visit has made my year, actually made my three years we’ve been doing this work,” Steph said.

“I hardly slept last night. I just had so many emotions going through me.”

Senator Hanson is encouraging the community to support the work of the Jolly Rogers Fishing Club by dropping off their refundable bottles and cans at the op shop, at 179 Musgrave Street, Rockhampton.

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