IT’S more than seven years since Wodonga teenager Matthew Stubbs died in the Kerang rail disaster, but his family say they often feel like the tragedy occurred only yesterday.
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Ahead of what would have been Matthew’s 21st birthday on Monday, his mother Dot Stubbs and one of his sisters, Rebecca Barry, have revealed a wish for him to be honoured in Wodonga with a permanent memorial.
Ms Stubbs said there had been commitments made by the former Victorian Labor government and police for a memorial to be erected at Kerang to the 11 people who died when a truck driven by Wangaratta man Christiaan Scholl collided with a V/Line train on a level crossing outside the town on June 5, 2007.
But nothing had eventuated and she said she now wanted a tribute to Matthew on the Border where he had grown up and where his family and friends remained.
Ms Barry said she and her mother had joined previous gatherings at Kerang but had found it difficult to be there.
“Matthew was an Albury-Wodonga boy, so even if there was anything at Kerang, we would be unlikely to visit,” Ms Stubbs said.
She said before the crash and while she was living in Brockley Street, Matthew regularly rode his bike to the Wodonga skate park.
“Any chance he had he would be up at the bowl riding his bike,” she said.
“If there was a memorial, why not put it somewhere he loved and where his friends go?”
Ms Stubbs said Matthew’s paternal grandparents Ray and Carol Stubbs still lived on the Border, as did his sisters Rebecca and Paige, his brother Adrian Barry and their families.
She now divided her time between Albury and Queensland where she had other family.
“I feel there should be something around here because he was so well-known,” she said.
“We know the community is our family and we know everyone feels our grief.”
Matthew was 13 and travelling home to Wodonga from Swan Hill, where he had been living with his father Brett Stubbs, when the crash occurred.
“It was supposed to be for only a short time but he got involved playing football and said to me ‘mum, I think I’ll stay a bit longer’.”
Wodonga mayor Cr Rod Wangman said on behalf of all Wodonga residents he remained sympathetic to the family’s grief.
Cr Wangman said the council and its place names committee, of which he is the chairman, would give due consideration to a written request from Ms Stubbs and her family to name a street or a park after Matthew.
At the time of the crash, Matthew had been an uncle to his nephew Ethan, then 3. Since then, two nieces, Lily-May and Evie, had arrived, all Ms Stubbs’ grandchildren.
She said the family would gather at Matthew’s grave at Wodonga cemetery today to recognise his birthday on Monday.
Ms Stubbs invited friends to join them between 2pm and 3pm.