While my GPSr shows this Rest Area as, 'Glenugie Creek Rest Area', there is a dark grey marble 'headstone', set into a rectangle of concrete, with the following engraved text:
"Lambrinos Notaras
(Brinos)
Memorial Rest Area"
There is also a cast bronze plaque, on a low-angled concrete plinth directly behind the marble slab, which reads:
This Memorial Rest Area
recognises the lifelong dedication of
Lambrinos (Brinos) Notaras (1930-2005)
to the Hardwood Timber Industry of NSW
was Officially Opened by
The Hon Ian MacDonald M.L.C.
Minister for Primary Industries NSW
on the 27th May 2009
The large "In Memoriam" sign, beside the bright yellow 'Bobtail', reads:
'There would not a more fitting place to remember Grafton sawmillers Lambrinos (Brinos) and Spiro Notaras than Glenugie State Forest.
'The brothers founded J Notaras and Sons Sawmillers when they moved their sawmilling operation from Lawrence to Grafton in 1966.
'The name of the company is itself a memorial to their late father, Jack, who helped the brothers buy a sawmill at Lawrence north of Grafton in 1952.
'The company has become one of the major flooring suppliers in New South Wales supplying markets Australia-wide and across the world.
'The brothers were committed to meeting the demands of export customers, actively exploring opportunities for spotted gum in countries like Japan for boardwalks and plantation flooded gum for engineered flooring in Sweden. J. Notaras and Sons remains an industry leader in value-adding hardwood production, thanks to the brothers' legacy of investing time and research into maximising the value of smaller hardwood logs and plantation timbers and anticipating the need to prepare for this future resource.
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'Much of that timber, particularly spotted gum, has been sourced from Glenugie and Bom Bom State Forests and others close to Grafton, in which Brinos spent so much time while Spiro contributed through the day by day operation of the sawmill.
'Apart from timber, Brinos and Spiro Notaras continued to hold an interest in their father's favourite pastime of cinemas.
'The two brothers operated a cinema at Yamba between 1956 and 1972, while others in the family continued with the Saraton Theatre in Grafton between 1979 and 2008. Angelo Notaras operated the Woolgoolga Cinema from 1950 to 1960. Today the Saraton, a heritage building, has been renovated and returned to its original style of furnishings and finish, and is still owned by members of the Notaras family.
'Speaking about Brinos after his death, Spiro described his brother as driven by the pursuit of perfection.
"Every person who knew my brother would understand his ever-present drive for perfection, quality and honesty in everything he did," said Spiro Notaras.
"That pursuit required continual development of new business, products and processes. He carried out everything with an unrelenting regard for quality and honesty, and with loyalty to everyone with whom he dealt."
'Both brothers are remembered for their contributions to the local timber industry and community.
'Throughout his life Spiro supported a number of forest and timber industry associations in NSW, serving as a director of the NSW Forest Products Association for 15 years including as President from 2001-2004.
'Upon his death, the industry remembered the contributions the two brothers had made and the TimberTrader News reflected on Spiro's life saying "More than anything else - Spiro Notaras was a gentleman with a huge heart. He was a committed family and community man, and someone whose passion and pride in the timber industry, and his country, was always inspiring to those fortunate to know him." '
Visited: 1325-7, Friday, 9 June, 2017
[This was visited while I was on my way to a 3 day hike on the long weekend; and incidentally met up with some of those that were going to be in my group at this Rest Area.]