Steve Hutton Drive

Photo’s supplied by Mark Hutton
We all know our Copi address is 15kms West of Menindee, Steve Hutton Drive, but did you know how it became Steve Hutton Drive?
Steve Hutton sometimes known as “Blinky Bill” planted and watered the tree’s that line the driveway into Copi Hollow.
Steve was a retired miner and ex-serviceman who served in the second world war. Steve served on the 2nd 43rd regiment as a Owen Gunner and during his retirement spent at least 90% of his time at Copi Hollow.
Unfortunately Steve suffered from Sugar Diabetes that was causing him to lose the use of his legs but as all battlers do Steve did not give up, he simply adapted his ways to maintain an active life and an active role in volunteering at Copi Hollow.
You see, Steve got around on a 4 wheel motor bike. His nephew Mark smiled and said “To the annoyance of some members, you see he liked to shower early each morning at around 6.30am.” Mark now openly laughing went on to say “He would start his 4 wheeler and deliberately ride past the vans of the people he knew it annoyed and give his 4 wheeler a bit of a rev, but that was the kind of joker he was”.
Steve also loved his beer, he would go to his favorite watering hole “The Workingman’s Club” everyday. On Sunday’s his favorite watering hole would open from 10am to 1pm then from 4pm to 6pm. Steve thought this was great and would often say “I like to get drunk everyday and twice on Sunday’s”. Steve was made a life member of the Workingmans Club and Mark said with a laugh “He would have helped keep it going financially”.
Steve loved Copi Hollow and his 4 wheeler and would use his 4 wheeler to water the tree’s that he had planted, but this was no easy task. Steve would fill up 2 x 25ltr containers and put them on to the back of his bike before heading out on his daily trip, sometimes he would do this several times just to keep the tree’s alive.
Later in Steve’s life he was not able to use his beloved 4 wheeler and so adapted to a gofer. Unfortunately the gofer posed new problems for Steve as it would get bogged.
Steve has always been a bushy and before finding Copi Hollow would camp out anywhere that suited his fancy and fish, hunt or just enjoy the views. Mark laughed and said “He was a poacher from way back”.
After Steve passed away he was cremated, Mark really loved his Uncle and kept his ashes in the Urn for sometime. But one day Mark thought that Steve needed to be free in the place he loved the most. So Mark took Steve’s ashes to Copi.
Mark went out into the Copi Hollow boat haven in Steve’s old dingee, with Ashes in hand and a long neck, while 50 people stood on the banks all with a long neck in hand. Over the loud speaker a eulogy was spoken while Mark tipped Steve’s ashes into the water along with his favorite beer.
Steve is now free to roam the place he loved.
The drive from the main road to the entrance of Copi Land was then named in honor of Steve’s dedication to that area and to the Club.