In Memory of Kane Bennett

Gold Coast Tourism Corporation Ltd
START
18
March 2015
10:00 AM AEST
END
27
March 2015
06:30 PM AEST

About Our Auction

EXPERIENCE QUEENSLAND AND HOLIDAY WITH A HEART
Bid for a holiday in Queensland and help a young mum and her kids.

On January 31 this year as Queenslanders went to the election polls, one voter did not come home.

Thirty-nine year old Kane Bennett, his wife Mary, and their two babies were returning from a Gold Coast polling booth when Kane was struck by lightning - and killed - while the family took cover from a freak afternoon storm.

In that one afternoon, Mary not only lost her husband, her best friend, and the father of Max (now 23 months) and Bella (now 17 weeks), she also lost her family’s sole provider and her champion handyman who was midway through their home renovation.

Since then, the Gold Coast and Queensland communities have rallied together in the same big-hearted spirit that saw strangers unite following the January 2011 and 2013 floods. Donations have poured in from all around the country and an army of “go-getting” Gold Coast tradies, led by Grant the builder, have donated their time to finish the house. These tradies - some Dads themselves - have one goal. And that is to get Mary back home so she can focus on her children.

To help support Mary and also her house build, an incredible line-up of tourism operators, many who worked with Mary, have generously donated more than 40 prizes for an online holiday auction.

If you or someone you know is keen on spending a couple of nights in a luxury hotel, a lodge, a B&B or a farm stay; or if you want to skip off for a round of championship golf, take the kids to a theme park, go on a ghost tour, stand up paddle on the Brisbane River, see a headlining international concert (Rod Stewart, anyone?), or cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, then please, bid for a prize and holiday in Queensland with a heart.

With Mother’s Day around the corner, why not buy something for your mum and support a young mum as well.

The online auction opens on Wednesday 18 March and goes until 27 March, 2015.


About Gold Coast Tourism Corporation Ltd

On January 31st, 2015, former soldier and devoted family man, Kane Bennett, was killed during a freak lightning storm in Australia's Gold Coast. Kane leaves behind his wife Mary and their two young children, Max and Bella. Kane's final act was to ensure that he took the full force of the lightning storm so that his family was safe.

The Queensland tourism industry has been deeply touched by this tragedy which has befallen Mary, a colleague and great advocate for the industry in her former role as Director Destinations (Gold Coast & Hinterland) at Tourism and Events Queensland.

This charity auction has been created by the Gold Coast Tourism Corporation in cooperation with the wider Queensland Tourism Industry to raise much needed funds to offer financial support to Mary, Max and Bella as they grieve the loss of a wonderful husband and Dad.

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