Decades of dedication by RACQ patrols
Helping members on the roadside
Colin Cooke has spent more than four decades working as a roadside patrol helping members in Rockhampton, yet the job still brings moments that make his heart race. When he gets a call about a child locked in a car, his reaction is instant.
“My hands start shaking,” Colin said. “You never know what you could be walking into.”
Thankfully, every one of Colin’s child lock-in rescues has ended happily.
“I haven’t had one I couldn’t get out yet,” he said. “Most cars these days are fairly easy to get into – it usually takes 10 to 30 seconds, maybe a minute if you struggle.”
In FY25 alone, RACQ’s roadside assistance fleet responded to more than 736,000 calls for help, including 23,786 lockouts. While most callouts involve flat batteries or tyres, Colin said the variety made the job rewarding.
“You could go three months without a child lock-in, then do three in a day,” he said. “There’s no pattern to it.”
RACQ patrol Mike Davidson has passed 40 years of service.
Stalwarts share milestone
Colin and Sunshine Coast roadside patrol Mike Davidson were recognised for their 40-plus years of service at the RACQ Member Assistance Network Conference on the Gold Coast last November.
Colin, 66, began working as a mechanic for RACQ external service provider Menzies Auto Service in Rockhampton in January 1984, cementing what has been a lifelong connection to the business.
“I grew up about two blocks away from the Menzies service station,” he said. “My dad was a butcher just up the road. I’d pump up my bike tyres there on the way to school, bought my first fuel there, and they bought meat from dad’s shop. I even went to school with the boss’s son – I’m part of the family really.”
Mike has spent most of his career working as an RACQ external service provider in Maroochydore before joining external service provider Martin Jonkers Toyota in Morayfield last year. The 66-year-old said the best part of the job was being able to help members in a time of need.
“I like the job because every day is different, and I enjoy helping people,” Mike said. “You come across some real characters. You occasionally get some hard cases, but when you are dealing with the public that is just a fact of life.
“Most people are very glad to see you and I enjoy getting them going or pointing them in the right direction to get them going. I am coming to the end of it, but as long as I feel capable and my health does not affect me, I will keep chugging along for a while yet.”
Community keeps Colin on the road
Retirement is on the horizon for Colin too, but he isn’t ready to hang up his tools just yet.
“It’s the people that make it such a good job – the satisfaction of helping someone and seeing their gratitude,” he said.
“And in a small town like Rockhampton, everyone knows you. When they see you, they’ll ask how you’re going and if you’re still working. That’s pretty special.”
Praise for a job done well
Contractor Area Manager Stewart Welsh told the Member Assistance Network Conference that together, Colin and Mike had responded to more than 290,000 breakdowns, “often in the rain, in the dark, and under pressure”.
“Their dedication goes beyond job titles,” Stewart said. “It’s in the quiet moments – reassuring, consoling, or comforting a stranded member, solving a problem under pressure, or simply listening to a story – that the true impact of being a quality patrol servicing members shines through.
“We may never see this kind of dedication again.”
RACQ has a network of 750 patrols, external service providers and tow trucks supporting more than 1.2 million members with roadside assistance across Queensland. Last year RACQ celebrated 100 years of providing roadside assistance in Queensland.
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