No matter where life takes Brendan Dever, his heart has always led him back to Beaudesert.
Brendan, who was born and raised in the town, built a career as a mechanical engineer across North Queensland but Beaudesert remained his anchor.
His Beaudesert roots run deep. His grandparents first owned a house on Albert Street in 1919, and today he shares it with his wife Verlie.
Childhood days
Brendan grew up on Brisbane Street with his two sisters and brother.
He attended St Mary’s Beaudesert before earning a scholarship to board at Marist Brothers Ashgrove from years 8 to 10, finishing at Beaudesert High in 1970.
As a child, he dreamed of becoming a train driver.
“I’ve always had a fascination with mechanical things, but in those days a train driver was called the engineer,” he said.
“I think from a young age I wanted to be an engineer, but it was probably a bit of a blur between being an engineer or a train driver.”
The closest he came to that childhood dream was standing on the footplate of the Flying Scotsman in 2017.
A change of direction
In 1971, Brendan began a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at the Queensland Institute of Technology.
During his semester breaks, he worked locally with Les Hohl & Co as a labourer and Tancred Brothers as a trades assistant.
After graduating in 1975, he joined Tancred Brothers as a project engineer.
At the local meatworks he met Verlie, who was also working there.
The couple have been together since 1976, raising two sons – Keith and Matthew.
Brendan’s first move away from Beaudesert came in 1977 when he relocated to Pentland to take up a role as plant engineer at Cape River Meatworks.
During this time, he also served as Division 1 Councillor for the Dalrymple Shire Council until 1981.
His career later took him to Oxley, Browns Plains and Rockhampton.
While in Rockhampton, Brendan completed a Master of Technology Management through Deakin University in 2003.
He returned to Beaudesert in 2005, settling back into his family home on Albert Street.
A significant part of Brendan’s career was spent with MHM Automation, where he specialised in plate freezers.
Slowing down
Brendan retired from full-time work in 2020 but has remained active, completing a Diploma in Sustainable Living through the University of Tasmania and continuing part-time consulting.
He now enjoys time with his three grandchildren and serves as president of Beaudesert U3A, a role he has held since 2022.
He particularly enjoys attending ukulele and guitar classes and is now part of Adult Jam Band at GTM Music Studios, embracing music as a creative outlet in retirement.
