By RON LANE
After vacating the premises at the completion of the wedding banquet, some of the wedding group, moving through the streets of Cobrum, were noisy.
The police were not happy.
Words were exchange, a stubby flew through the air and a brother and sister, both members of the official wedding party, were quickly on their way to the local lock-up.
The next day, unaware of the night’s little escapade, the newlyweds turned up at a family barbecue to continue wedding celebrations.
“A great wedding,” said the bridegroom to his father.
“Great alright,” was the reply.
“Both your sister and brother ended up in the slammer for the night.”
Now 21 years later as he finished relating the tale, Anton Mogg, known to all and sundry as Moggie, lent back in his chair and laughed.
“Now that was a wedding to remember. Neither my wife Julie nor I had any idea of what had transpired. But dad did – and he was not amused.”
He was born in 1964 or, as Moggie, a lover of music and former DJ tells it, “the year the Beetles arrived in Australia”.
He grew up in Cobram and was educated at the Cobram High School.
On leaving high school he entered the workforce as a bank teller for the National Bank, a job he was to hold for three years before moving into the area that was to become his forte, the hospitality industry.
“I started at the Cobram-Barooga Sports Club.
“The club was situated just over the border in New South Wales and those were the days when NSW had pokies but Victoria didn’t.
“So, working in a place like the sports club gave me a good grounding,” he said.
It was while living in Cobram that Moggie met Julie, his future wife and a relationship started.
Then in 1988 after having spent some six years at the sports club they decided to set off on a trip around Australia.
“We got as far as Noosa and that was it.
“I started a job at the Reef Hotel as the DJ and night club manager.
“I also joined the Noosa Tigers the local Aussie Rules Football Club and spent a season playing as a full forward and our trip around Australia – well that just didn’t happen.”
Moggie’s involvement with the Tigers continues even to this day.
After his playing days ended he coached junior grades for several years and continues his input by being heavily involved in the vital and never ending work of raising finance.
When it comes to Aussie Rules football, his love of the game was handed down by his father Les.
“My dad was a legend in the North Melbourne Club playing for many years. Also during his career he represented Victoria.
“After Melbourne he moved to Cobram club as captain/coach where he won six flags in seven years and that is quite an achievement.
“Also during my time there, my brother Peter and I in ’84 played a season together and we went through undefeated.
“When dad passed away every major TV station in Victoria sent a crew to Cobram to cover the funeral.
“The church service was full of AFL legends. He really was a man for us to be proud of.
“By the early ’90s I had moved up to the job as manager of the Reef and then in ’94 we decided to get married.
“The wedding was held back home in Cobram at the Cobram – Barooga Golf Club and, as I said, it was in more ways than one definitely a night to remember.
“Big crowd with people from Noosa and Melbourne.”
Now some 21 years on Moggie and Julie are the proud parents of daughter Cassidy aged 17 and son Jordan 14.
In 1998 the position of club manager for the surf club, the business arm of the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, was advertised and Moggie applied.
His application was successful and this was the start of what was to be and still is, a very productive relationship.
Moggie started just at the completion of the surf club’s first ever major renovation, so with the alterations and the drive for new membership there was major work ahead.
Surf club treasurer and life member Wally Schaller, who was a member of the interviewing panel for Moggie’s application said: “Moggie is rather unique.
“He has outstanding people skills, the ability to bring people together, and this is a major factor in the hospital industry.”
In the ever expanding world of the hospitality industry there are many avenues to cover – government legislation to be addressed, liquor laws to be observed, work place health and safety to be studied, the list goes on and on.
In the tourist centres the connection with the tourism people is of the utmost importance.
Being ever conscious of this, Anton Mogg has certainly been fully committed.
At present he is a member of the Tourism Board of Directors and chairman of the local Liquor Accord.
The Accord represents all licensed venues in the Noosa Shire and consults regarding liquor licensing with police and other stake holders.
He sits on the club’s advisory council with Clubs Queensland which represents clubs from Cains to the Tweed.
Some time ago the chairman of the surf club board of directors Ian Young OAM instructed the board to get the club more involved in the community and Moggie’s skills with rallying people really came to the forefront.
“One of the first projects I helped organise was a major fundraiser to assist those families who suffered in the Black Saturday fires.
“Some of those people had been through sheer hell and to be able to help, not just through finance but personal assistance as well, was very rewarding.
“I am proud to say that on that night, which was one of my biggest at the club, we raised in the vicinity of $50,000 through auctions and other things in just over three hours.
“The club was packed, the community really got behind us and support was great.”
When he looks back he estimates that the club, with community support, has over the past 10 years raised more than half a million dollars for charities and disasters.
Also, through his sporting connections at the AFL, Moggie has successfully opened many doors and as a result of his efforts, most sporting and not for profit organisations in Noosa have been assisted in some form or another.
Another side issue, in which Moggie was the instigator, was employing and helping Down syndrome children at the club, an issue he has been personally involved with for 15 years.
However, one of Moggie’s habits that really stands out is his visits to the local hospital.
“Every Easter and Christmas, for 10 years, Cassidy, Jordie and I have been going to the local hospital to visit patients, in particular the elderly.
“The kids, who are now patrolling members of the Noosa Surf Club, wear their patrol uniforms and give out lollies and flowers.
“The patients love it, it gives them a real shot in the arm.”
But there is another side to this story that Moggie was not immediately aware of.
On learning of his kind gestures to hospital patients and others, some of his mates gave him the nick name, Moggie Teresa.
“Yes I know about that. Some clown reckons that I am Noosa’s answer to Mother Teresa.”
And he adds with a laugh “I guess I can take it as a compliment.”
Apart from his family, work and helping others, his other big interest is his love of music.
“Over the years I have made it a habit to see the best – Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Elton John, Whitney Houston, U2, Sting just to name a few.”
Because of this love of music Moggie is now helping to start careers for young local musicians by bringing them to the surf club for Sunday afternoon gigs.
A good man, great family and, guess what, they’re our people.
