ONE of Corowa’s great characters, Cliff “Steptoe” Broderick has died.
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The larger than life character and gifted musician died at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital after a long battle with cancer.
Many knew him as a town councillor — he served four terms and was a great supporter of the Corowa Federation Festival.
A festival highlight each year was “Steptoe” driving one of his tractors with his dog, Monty.
Mr Broderick, who ran Broderick Transport, was also known a talented musician.
His daughter, Tara Broderick, yesterday described her father as a multi-talented man.
“He played the piano, trumpet, cornet and was the band leader in Corowa,” she said.
“He also played with the Border District Band, the Wodonga Band and the Cairns Band.”
She said he was widely known as “Steptoe” because he was a collector and avid recycler before it became a trend.
“He had a use for everything,” she said.
Born at Clarence Town, NSW, Mr Broderick’s parents had moved back to Corowa when he was a boy, spent several years at a Leeton boarding school before finishing his schooling at Corowa.
After a short stint in a bank he was accepted into the Victorian Police Force when he was 20.
Ms Broderick said that his love of cars and driving led him train in vehicle pursuit.
That ended and he had an accident and found himself confined to a desk.
That wasn’t for him, so he resigned and moved back to Corowa to start a transport business.
“He was happy driving again, this time trucks,” Ms Broderick said.
She said her dad was a man with a big heart who always looked out for those in need.
Later, he started a security firm and was the night watchman for the Sanger Street.
“On night rounds he would ensure the young fellas still out after a big night on the town were safely on their way home before the plod locked them up,” Ms Broderick said.
“He would never turn down someone in need and made life-long friends all over the country.”
Mr Broderick, who was 72 when he died on December 4, often travelled to Cairns in recent years to see his grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, children Michael, Craig and Tara, sister, Helen, his father, Cliff, and two grandchildren, Logan and Layla.