Vale Max Wallis

Max Wallis was a man of many talents; a grazier, shearer, wool classer, baker, hotel broker and publican. He loved his horse racing and boxing and was generous to his communities in Hughenden and Innisfail in particular.

Born on August 12, 1936, Maxwell John Wallis was the third of Malcolm and Myra Wallis's four children. Max and his siblings were born at Curabar, Yelarbon before the family moved to Torridon, Goondiwindi where the children spent their formative years.

Max was educated at St Mary's Goondiwindi, and Warwick and Downlands in Toowoomba.

Max's children, in their eulogy, said while there were many happy times for the family, there was also some sad times and hardships.

Max contracted polio while a boarder at Downlands and spent many months in the infirmary. Sadly for the family, Max's mother passed away in 1950 when he was just 13.

His much loved older sister Jean stepped up to take the reigns of the household and helped to raise her younger brothers, described as 'the wild colonial boys.'

At 16, Max moved to Mungindi to take up an apprenticeship as a baker with his uncle.

"Perhaps not a viable long term career plan, but as a result he could whip up an excellent sausage roll or French pastry for smoko," his children recall.

After some time he moved back to the family property and with the guidance of his father and in partnership with his younger brother Tony, the family ran sheep at Torridon.

"Max lived by the work hard play hard mantra. He played footy for Gundy, had a wide circle of friends, went to B&S balls and dinner dances, race meetings and tennis parties."

His children said Max often regaled friends and family with tales of his youth, donning his dinner suit and winning a dance competition.

It was during this time he met Jan Hills, of Toowoomba.

The two went on to marry in 1961 and Jan's family welcomed Max with love and affection.

The couple went on to have three children, Andrea, Kerri and Mark. Life was good on the land in those days and the children were raised at Torridon and Laraton, Goondiwindi and later at Roma.

"They strived to ensure each of their children was afforded every opportunity available and imbued in them the country values they had learned from their family."

Some years later, Max ended up in Hughenden were he owned and managed the Royal Hotel Motel. He became friends with a local girl named Gina, who had moved back to town to run her family's newsagency.

Their friendship blossomed over the years and they were each other's confidant when dealing with business pressures.

Gina said it was in 1997 that the two realised they had fallen in love and they married in 2002, with Gina's daughter Alana becoming Max's step-daughter.

The couple continued to run the Royal, expanded the motel and purchased two other hotels in Hughenden, the Great Western and the non-operational heritage listed Grand Hotel.

"Max was a remarkable publican and was loved by many of the locals," Gina recalls.

"He was known to many as 'Max a Million'. He could related to people from all walks of life and valued character over pedigree."

During his time in Hughenden, Max became involved in local football, rodeo and horse racing. He owned several race horses and established a local boxing competition with the help of Glen Johnson.

"Max had an enormous capacity to give of himself, many a person would tell you he was a mentor and father figure in their lives," Gina said.

In 2006, Max and Gina decided to sell the pubs and retire to Townsville. But that was short-lived as an opportunity arose and they purchased the Crown Hotel in Innisfail and the Innisfail Motel. While they had planned to hire a manager, in 2007 the couple moved to Innisfail to run the pub and motel, where they both formed lifelong friendships.

In 2018 they sold the businesses and moved back to Townsville last year as Max's health had started to decline.

During this time, Gina never left Max's side and they enjoyed uninterrupted time together.

Max passed away on July 27, 2020, with friends and family gathering to celebrate his life at a service in Townsville earlier this month.

Max lives on in his children, and seven grandchildren Regan, Gemma, Thomas, James, Andrew, Henry and Archie.