Colin Davison and his wife Dianne have nurtured generations of young people throughout the region through their work at the Mullumbimby Community Preschool. It is with great love that Dianne with their son Christiaan have said goodbye to Colin.
Colin passed away peacefully in Byron Bay Hospital after a life that has inspired many.
Childhood teacher
His love of art, astronomy, science and travel has inspired many young hearts and minds through his work at the Mullumbimby Community Preschoool after he and Dianne took over ownership in 1978.
Growing up under Sydney’s Mascot flight path, Colin’s love of sunsets, clouds and astronomy were influenced by the constant aeroplanes overhead that drew his eyes skyward, and family members who were air traffic controllers.
Colin attended the Julien Ashton Art School as a teenager, which led to his interest in exploring carving, airbrushing, fine ink and pencil drawings using his imagination and his love of science fiction as the subject of many of his artworks.
Colin and Dianne met in 1965 and had their only son Christian in 1973, nine months before they moved to Mullumbimby, where they decided to stay.
Though this did not stop Colin following his passion for travel, which saw him visiting volcanoes, glaciers, and whales.
Passion for travel
He was thrilled to make it to Hawaii in 1997 to see Comet Hale-Bopp and the Northern Lights in Alaska and Canada – these being just some of the amazing experiences Colin had throughout his life.
‘Experiences were more important to Colin than material things,’ said Dianne.
Colin loved a chat and a coffee, and he spent significant amounts of time helping fundraise, collecting and transporting goods, and lending a hand throughout the community.
‘Colin was also a long-term supporter of the Fred Hollows Foundation, which became even more important to him as his eyesight deteriorated,’ said Dianne.
Stroke in 2017
In December 2017, Colin suffered a stroke, just two weeks before he marked 40 years of teaching.
He was lovingly cared for at home by family, friends, and neighbours over the last seven years of his life, and was always grateful for a life well-lived.
‘Measure your days in moments, not minutes,’ was how Colin lived his life.
Colin’s ashes will be taken to sea when humpback whales are migrating.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
