Born in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, brought to Australia by his parents when he was six years old , activist , conservationist , distinctive woodworker and a Queensland ALP staffer , the late Peter le Grand made his mark in many ways on Magnetic Island and nearby Palm Island
His father French , he was named Pierre , changed to Peter after being ribbed at school .
He involved himself in the arts , architecture and design . His parents were potters of note, some of his father's pots in the national collection.
Moving to the island with a large Eureka Stockade flag , he designed and helped build an octagonal shaped house , in which he and his activist partner, Linda, later held a large party in 2004 to mark the 150th anniversary of the uprising .
While sorting out Little Darwin's files , we recently found the first edition of the October 1999 magazine , The Eye, bearing his name on the top left corner.
He became involved in many issues on the island and nationally . One of the activists on the island with whom he associated was artist Gavin Ryan , a sculpture of his with a little known message relating to the controversial safe harbour construction on the wall of the waiting room in the ferry terminal .
Peter's brother, Harry, designed a T-shirt which urged people to vote for comedian Norman Gunston as Prime Minister. Some of the T-shirts were worn in Brisbane and people came up wanting to known what party Gunston was representing. One of those rare works of art is said to be locked away on the island .
Peter's involvement with the ALP included being an advisor to the Member for Townsville, Mike Reynolds, Minister for Emergency Services in the Queensland Government . Reynolds also served as Speaker.
Greatly Interested in Indigenous affairs , Peter spent much time on Palm Island and had many friends over there .
Most Europeans who went to Palm were regarded as blow-ins , in and out in one day . Not Peter le Grand.
Linda delights in telling how the grandmothers of Palm Island , denied attending debutante balls when they were young, staged their own belated ball .
Peter and Mike Reynolds were invited as guests and the eager grannies danced them off their feet that night . A unique reminder of that marathon is held by Linda .
There is an octagonal memorial plaque to Peter in the Nelly Bay Habitat Reserve on Magnetic Island . It is said to reflect his fascination with the shape , which he incorporated into much of his wood-crafting -from tables and planters , to the house which he built at Horseshoe Bay .
Linda explains Peter said an octagonal design best coped with a cyclone and he also incorporated the poles in raised Queenslander homes .
