Former clown and hippie, lateral thinker, sometime novelist and Noosa Council’s director of community services until his retirement in 2018, Alan ‘Fox’ Rogers died peacefully last week after a long battle with cancer.
Fox was the name he used during his clowning career, but over a 30-year career in local government, including 14 years with Noosa Council, it remained apt, for beneath an easy-going manner and relaxed presence was a keen mind and a store of wisdom – crazy like a fox.
In his retirement, Fox wrote a novel, Wanderer, in which his hero, perhaps based on his younger self, travels the country roads of Queensland and beyond, finding camaraderie with the characters of the road. Reviewer Alan Lander wrote: “Wanderer is an easy page-turner, a classic Australian yarn that shows an understanding and an appreciation of the history, splendour and complexity of this vast land. It should be required reading.”
Noosa Today asked two of his former colleagues and closest friends to remember their Fox.
FORMER NOOSA MAYOR TONY WELLINGTON
Fox Rogers was a most unlikely bureaucrat, which is probably why he was one of the best. From an early life as a clown and hippie he morphed into a long and successful career in local government. It was a strange trajectory, but the nickname and earring were a constant reminder of the real Fox cunningly lurking behind the civil servant.
I met Fox when I was elected to the Sunshine Coast Council. Among other duties, Fox expertly ran the Local Government Disaster Management Group. From my perspective, he kept me sane during my time on the regional council, regularly walking into my office for an in-depth chat about anything except council business.
Fox was a deep thinker and armchair philosopher. He was also incredibly empathetic. This trait came into play when he took over the thorny issue of John’s Landing under the revamped Noosa Council. Around 90 adults and children were living rough in a dilapidated camping area on the Noosa River. When Council purchased the land, Fox established the Noosa Community Partnership Roundtable that brought together government agencies, service providers and welfare organisations. Under Fox’s leadership, all of the individuals living at John’s Landing were relocated, with family groups mostly being housed in the local area. In a very real way, dozens of lives were improved.
Other projects which have Fox’s influence indelibly stamped on them include the Peregian Beach Rufous Street development, including Digital Hub and new Community House, the rescue of the Cooroy Memorial Hall, and the Noosaville Library upgrade.
Fox’s humanitarian leanings were also an asset in developing a range of policies and strategies for Council, not the least being the Noosa Social Strategy and even a Human Rights Policy. Fox was also committed to the rights of First Nations people, and he developed strong, cooperative ties with the Kabi Kabi representatives.
I’m just skimming the surface of Fox’s legacy here in Noosa. His greater legacy, of course, is his influence within his family and among his circle of friends. I was honoured to be one of those friends. Life doesn’t reward you with meeting truly exceptional people very often, but I can genuinely say that Fox was one of them. A more honest, intelligent and compassionate individual I have yet to meet.
FORMER NOOSA COUNCIL CEO BRETT DE CHASTEL
I worked with Fox on and off for 15-plus years and visited him a lot during his battle with cancer over the last few years. We were good friends so this has been a pretty tough week. He was a genuine character and I will miss him greatly.
Fox was one of the true characters I worked with at Noosa Council. Innovative, dedicated and community minded, Fox was the driving force behind many of Council’s best projects, including the Cooroy Library, and making sure that our community was protected during natural disasters. I will miss him as both a colleague and friend.
