Well known Port Stephens identity Daniel Carroll passed away peacefully on April 16 after a lengthy illness. He was 84.
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The son of Neil Carroll, who has a reserve named in his honour at Nelson Bay's Fly Point, Danny made a name for himself as an earthmover, who helped build many roads in the bay and cleared the land for many landmarks, including the Nelson Bay golf, bowls and tennis clubs.
"He removed many trees but he replaced many of them as well. He planted many trees along the bay foreshore over the years," said son Ross Carroll in paying tribute to the lasting legacy left by the Carroll father-and-son team of Neil and Daniel.
"In fact, back in the day dad was quite a significant character, he was known by many people and did a lot in the community as the only local earthmoving contractor for more than 30 years from the late 1950s," he said.
"In addition to building many roads and donating the land now occupied by the bowling club to the council for provided it was used for sporting facilities, he cleared the old migrant camp to help design what is today known as Neil Carroll Park.
"I remember when he retired in 1987 the Examiner published a front page story on him with the headline 'Bulldozing greenie retires'."
Ross said that his father had been well known as an honest and forthright man.
"If he said something wasn't right or ill advised about an issue clearing some land you could take it to the bank. He was old school in the best possible way."
The Carrolls owned a number of properties in the Bay and built Louisa Court on the corner of Donald and Stockton streets. The family moved into their Magnus Street home when Danny was about 12 years of age.
Danny married Anna Bay girl Atholene (nee Bull) in 1960 and the couple had two children. They opened the area's first museum underneath their home in Donald Street.
"We would collect a lot of the items from people we knew ... there's Captain Cromarty's canon, a penny farthing, pianos, lots of machinery, tools, crockery and cutlery," Atholene said.
After moving to Anna Bay in 1988, many of the historic artefacts were placed in storage, some were donated to the Port Stephens Historical Society and some went to the Inner Lighthouse.
More recently the Carrolls have donated some of their collectables to the Tomaree Museum Association.
In later life Danny and Atholene enjoyed travelling, mostly camping trips around Australia.
"He was a very generous man, generous with both his time and money," Atholene added.
A funeral service was held at the Salvation Army hall in Taylors Beach on Wednesday.