Hey Bill with friends Karen and Angie

I was taking a photo of the Hey Bill refreshments trailers on Noosa Boardwalk when Bill waved to me. I went over and took a photo of him, and asked if he would like to be on the Internet. He said he had been on the Internet a few times.

I mentioned my 100 strangers project and Bill said I should take a photo of his two friends there. One of them, Angie, said she had a story about Bill. In the 70s he was already involved in Noosa tourism by helping to keep the beaches clean, and she knew this because she had helped him at the time.

Later he started selling oranges to locals and visitors. Hey Bill is a Noosa icon, having worked on the Noosa beaches for over 40 years. He now has a quad bike with two trailers offering Coffee, Spring Water, Drinks and All Things Nice. (Pic in comments)

Angie says "Well Gillian, the "rose" between the thorns of course is our famous friend - "Hey Bill". We (3) - Karen Dobinson - nee Johns - Biiy Watson and myself Angie Morfea have sat staring at that ocean and chatting for over 40 years now - well over.... needless to say we haven't solved the problems of the world yet!

Karen was born in Hastings Street - true "blue blood". Recent funny story (this really happened - last week) - The Johns family women - are not sure what # Hastings St they lived at- not sure if it was No 51, 53. 54 - Hastings Street - Ha! ask each member of the household and they all thought they lived at a diff no - but we do know it was next to Barry's Bistro - that was good enough...it was different then - the 70's - Karen has an amazing "family history" - direct relationship with Hastings Street that reaches back to the development of the orig of Hasting Street - John's store - with the wooden stairs....1952? and earlier!!!!

Billy - "an institution" Billy normally had helpers on the beach - pretty young things that were known as "His Angels". Billy and his Angels on the beach makes the Noosa Experience a little more like it was in the day! 70's on.......Mr Personality, Mr Local History, and our friend Mr Billy Watson. Watching some young Dads on the beach getting the rainbow "snow cone" for his kids - who knows by now 40 years on - Billy may have served him a snow cone 30 years ago - while he was with his Dad - "an institution"

Myself - Angela (Angie) Morfea - I lived here from 69 to 86 - now visit as often as I can. My home is in Port Douglas - but I don't live there! I have a second little abode in Gladstone - as most of my work is in and around this area - mining! But, I am off to Darwin to work on 6/10 - So, I really do wander around a little!

Love! Love! being amongst my life friends - the ones who know me best..... I came to Noosa to live in 1969 - the position I was coming to was: governess - really - it was the 69's. I came up and lived - happily - my Mother came up for her first visit 1970 - and then she also moved to Noosa - invested her money in Tourism, and off we went.

I worked to market Noosa in the 70's..and some 80's - great days, different days - Noosa was near Southport - as far as the domestic T.Agents were aware. And International - Mumma Mia! I worked with much of Hastings St all diff - but for the one goal - get tourists to Noosa! From 72 to 84 - it was diff then - as I said - we worked for one goal - get Tourists to Noosa. We didn't really include Noosaville, Tewantin or the like just NOOSA HEADS...Noosa the destination. Working with me in those days, another well known local - Veronica - aka Bonnie Yeats - Bon and I arrived in Melb (to work - visiting T Agents for the 1st time ever) 1974 perhaps - we arrived at airport - alighted plane onto the tarmac - I remember - and it was just - 6 deg or something - and - we were in boob tubes - remember the 70's. Bonnie has worked for Club Noosa now for the past 27/8 years....... To me Noosa is home - regardless of where home is....cause my life friends are here!!!"

Many thanks to Bill, Karen and Angie for sharing their wonderful stories.