Salamanca 6 Hour Challenge - April 2006.

The Salamanca 6 Hour Challenge involved making or adapting a Human Powered Vehicle then racing around a tight circuit, the team with the most laps wins.

Designing, constructing, adapting and racing - Craig was in his element.

Dad

Craig and I off for our first overnight bush walk. By the look on my face and my stance I would say I felt pretty proud that I was off on a ‘serious expedition’ with the best guy I knew. Craig made my backpack himself and I think I carried it for about 100 meters and got tired so he just popped it inside his pack, I guess it wasn’t too heavy after all! We walked to Pelverata Falls and camped overnight on the way. It was also my first night away from mum so Craig took off his blundstone boot, told me it was a phone and I ‘called’ home had a chat with mum and happily went to sleep. This memory sums up how I always feel about Craig

From Jenny Scott

During all the years I knew Craig through sea kayaking, including working with him on the Tas Sea Canoeing Club committee, I greatly admired and liked him.  We tended to have a fairly combative relationship - I don’t like being bossed around much!  - but it was always with mutual liking amidst the prodding and teasing and testing.  He was a very generous-hearted person, and for all the reasons which so many people have mentioned already, you couldn’t help but warm to him.  The most recent time I spent with Craig was completely brilliant, and completely made up for any past prodding and teasing.  It was on Roydon Island in the Furneaux group (Flinders Island) in May last year at one of the fantastic working bees run by FOBSI, the Friends of Bass Strait Islands Wildcare group.  We were tackling big out-of-control  boxthorn bushes – huge untidy masses the size of a shed, and often taller.  They had been semi-bulldozed a few years back, but not completely killed, and the regrowth had grown up all through great piles of dead branches and then got covered with native creepers.  Messy and challenging – and acres of it, all intertwining together.  Craig and I worked as a team of two, him with chainsaw and me with loppers, and both with poison.  It was great, and for me a real privilege.  We would discuss our strategy with each one, walking around it poking and thinking, then get into it with huge energy.  All around us others were doing the same, and the slope was filled with the roaring of chainsaws and flying branches of cut boxthorn. We would get down to the final stumps, then crouch in the dirt and systematically and rapidly work through the cutting and poisoning in a co-ordinated dance of loppers and dabbers.  Nice.  And all the way through, despite the chain-sawing, we managed to fit in a huge amount of talk and discussion on every topic under the sun.  At the end of each day we would all trudge down the slope to the hut, covered in sweat and dirt, and race down to the beach for a cold dip before dinner.  Some of us, anyway.  At night in the hut Kat and Donna-Lee would be tinkling away on their ukuleles and others would be getting stuck into making crochet squares for a Roydon Island rug.  Craig became restive, having neither an instrument nor a crochet needle (although, as Karen noted, he didn’t think much of crochet and much preferred knitting). So he set to work to make some knitting needles.  The twigs on the island just weren’t up to scratch.  But old chain-saw files, a different matter. After unsuccessfully trying to file away the rough bits, he wound grey tape around them – success – and proceeded to knit a few squares for the rug.  Which now is a wonderful and useful item in the hut.

Fabulous to know you, Craig, and amazing just how many people you inspired along the way.

Craig and Col moving Roydon Island water tank May 2012.

Craig knitting with chain saw files. 

Donuts

Craig came back from his long cycle tour in the UK in 2010 raving about Tesco jam donuts, 'only 20p each and just what the hungry cycle tourist needs to keep them going"

When Lynne and I were cycle touring in Scotland the following year, we discovered they had gone up to an extortionate 22p! I took a picture of them and sent it to Craig. 

Ever since then there have been a number of emails between us and Craig discussing the cost and merits of jam donuts available in the big UK supermarkets. 

If I remember rightly from his trip last year he had changed his allegiance to Morrisons.

We didn't get a chance to try the Morrisons donuts but on seeing this in Tescos Lynne couldn't resist the temptation. A dozen for 50p! Craig would have wet himself with excitement! 

So in memory of Craig and his love of jam donuts for keeping the pedals turning we had to buy them. You'll just have to excuse us now though we're feeling a little ill from eating too many of them too quickly. 

xxx

Tim and Lynne. 

Paddling WIth Craig

Craig was one of the most energetic and generous people I knew.  He was always on the go often doing things for others. 

I first met him a dozen or more years ago when I took up sea kayaking.  He very generously helped me build my first kayak which was done in one of the sheds on his and Desley’s Pelverata farm.  The process of building the kayak with Craig demonstrated many of his attributes.  It was built efficiently, no mucking around, straight into it but with the process well thought through, and the end product may have been a little rough around the edges but like Craig it proved an efficient economical machine.  The kayak has served me well. 

Craig also gave generously of his time to teaching me and many others the skills necessary for sea kayaking.  I particularly remember a couple of night time paddles with Craig on the D’Entrecasteuax Channel ending up camping on Snake Island.  On one of these, a navigational exercise,  we had a trip north from Gordon under a very dark sky, no moon or stars and eventually we navigated our way to Snake Island where before long, Craig had served up hot golden syrup dumplings to warm us up. 

Craig also attacked with vigour many a Spanish heath plant on Snake Island on numerous working bees and the number of weeds that Craig cut, pulled or poisoned around the state probably ran into the millions.  He did an enormous amount of environmental work.

Craig always had a laugh and a grin on his face.  The only time I remember him not laughing was one evening when he ran into me while I was walking home up  the Rivulet Track.  While he pushed his bike and told me of his latest pedalling adventure to France, he begged me not to make him laugh as he thought had had a broken rib after a recent mountain bike fall,  though after chatting with for a while he still had the energy to hop on his bike and cycle home to Pelverata.

A man of endless energy, purpose and open friendliness, Craig will be missed by many.

Mike Comfort

Craig Steven Saunders

Craig's Funeral

One of Tasmania's most dedicated and respected community volunteers was remembered yesterday as a man with boundless energy, a zest for life and and the ability to challenge himself and others to achieve great things.

A crowd of around 400 packed Huonville Bowling Club to overflowing to farewell Craig Saunders, 57, who died when the bicycle he was riding was struck by a car near Huonville on August 5.

The memorial service heard of a focused, organised and competent ourdoorsman - with remarkable a love of cake - who inspired many and passed on his skills and passion onto hundreds of people through his involvement with environmental volunteer group WildCare.

Mr Saunders was remembered for his confidence and sense of adventure, whether he was leading intrepid nighttime paddles across the D'Entrecasteaux channel, or tackling giant thickets of blackberry on remote Tasmanian islands or competing in 24-hour mountain bike races where the result was a far less distinct memory than the good time everyone that had.

Mourners were told he responded to any request for help with a sparkle in his eyes and the words ``I'll see what I can do'' and before long the task was done and done well.

That attitude saw him become an integral part in a diverse range of activities from the running of the local sea kayaking club, the organisation of of mountain bike races, WildCare and the Huon Valley Concert Band - which was on hand to play in his memory at yesterday's farewell.

Desley Saunders said her husband tackled everything with energy, purpose and passion, who filled his life with challenges he could not resist.

By way of example, she said he wanted a sea kayak, and ended up building boats not only for himself and his whole family, but helped many others build their own.

``Our shed was a kayak factory for a while, not only did he build our boats, but he inspired and helped many others as well,'' she said.

``His ability to have ideas and lots of them and to make them work was something I always admired about Craig. ,

``He planned to live forever because there was so much he wanted to do -- I'm sure he will live forever for those of us here today, in our hearts and in our memories.''

Son Rowan and daughter Amy remembered a childhood of bushwalking and cycling and kayaking while growing up and their father's spirit of adventure.

``I feel proud to had Craig for a dad and feel lucky he was always there to rely on,'' Amy said.

Tasmanian Sea Canoeing Club member Jenny Scott said Mr Saunders had inspired many people with his dedication to so many volunteer endeavours.

``I remember him saying once that if he got involved in something there was no point in doing it half-arsed,'' she said.

Glen Hywood from the Dirt Devils mountain biking club remembered a man who loved his cycling and had tackled everything from mountain bike racing to a circumnavigation of France.

``Craig rode his bike the way he lived his life, with passion, enthusiasm and energetic confidence,'' he said.

Police investigations into the crash which claimed Mr Saunders life are continuing.

On September 8, a group of cyclists will set out in his memory to complete the short ride he didn't come home from - a gentle return ramble up to Judbury and maybe beyond.

From Leah and Andrew

Craig was an inspiration and a mentor to both of us.  We met Craig over 10 years ago where he first taught us the basics in sea kayaking; we were inspired by his enthusiasm and energy and pursued sea kayaking to proficiency with Craig as our instructor. Craig had a remarkable ability to push us to gain the most from our sea kayaking, an encouragement we still carry in life to other things we do. We maintained a friendship with Craig and were continually inspired by his pursuits in is cycling and his capacity to embrace life and everything he did with full energy.   

He will be remembered as the caring, generous and compassionate person he was. And a person with a healthy appetite for some good cake, over a lengthy chat.

Leah and Andrew

Sailing

Craig liked to do what ever he did very well! Here is one example.

Back in the mid nineties I introduced Craig to the joys of sailing a small cruising yacht I owned. Apart from cruising to Port Davey and other places with me Craig helped me race my little yacht in Port Cygnet and Huon races. One year we entered the Shipwrights Point Regatta. There was a lightning pennant of five races run over a short course during one hectic afternoon. Craig and I had a ball throwing my little yacht around the course and to my great surprise we won. We were naturally pleased. I cannot remember what the prize was but we did not need one. The joy of winning and the camaraderie of working as a tight knit team was enough for us. We sailed back to my mooring at Deep Bay. When we dropped the mainsail the boom fell to the deck with a crash. We had won those races with a broken gooseneck. We had probably broken the fitting while crash jibing in haste to get the best position in a race. No matter we had won! The boom would soon be repaired.

This is just one example of Craig's enthusiasm for competing. I have many others. Can you skip a stone on water with 21 bounces Craig was sure he could!

Dear Saunders Family.

I am so sorry for your loss and have been thinking of you over the last week. I heard the news from my father Andrew and was shocked by the sudden, awful accident.

Although it has been a long time since I have seen you, I have fond memories of coming up to your place and having soccer matches Mollison vs Saunders before lunch time (you guys always won!). Craig would run around endlessly, never tiring. I remember Craig as a fit, fun, energetic, intelligent and thoughtful man. Being a person so full of life it is difficult to think he has gone.

Thinking of you,

Love - Kate Mollison

From Ken

I was lucky enough to meet Craig during our undergrad years at Utas. An exceptionally clever bloke, he managed to excel at uni work while also living life to the full. We shared many, many laughs.

I'd like to remember him as we were making our way to a party, on a dark moonless winter's night in Grosvenor St. Craig had a bike, of course, and was carrying a flagon of wine. The bike had dynamo lights that only worked when the bike was moving. As always he was keen not to waste time, so he was ahead of me, a red tail light weaving its way ahead as he pedalled while trying to hold the flagon in one hand.

The weaving got worse as he lost his balance, and then there was a noise as the light went out and he tumbled onto the nature strip. 

And out of the darkness came his voice: "I'm OK, and we've still got the wine". Then his unmistakable cackle of laughter.

Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Tasmanian Sea Canoeing Club

Craig Having A Lot Of Fun.

Thanks to Duncan Giblin for these photos of Craig cranking it on his mountain bike. 

Funeral ceremony

Hi everyone, We will be holding a funeral on Tuesday the 13th of August at 2pm. It will be at the Huonville Bowls Club. Everyone is welcome! If you would like to say a few words in memory of Craig there will be an opportunity. Amy, Rowan and Desley

Mountain Biking

RIP Craig Saunders full on, straight up, firey, compassionate, someone who cared about the world around him in both a social and environmental way and lived his strong beliefs through his actions. I will miss our philosophical debates when working on trails, our arguments and our shit stirring of each other. 

Duncan Giblin

Parks and Wildlife Service

Dear staff

Craig Saunders, whom many staff would have encountered at some stage, and in some cases knew very well, died as a result of an accident while riding his bicycle in the Huon Valley on Monday.

Craig was employed as a track worker with the PWS for different periods for more than 20 years. Craig quickly proved to be a person who was always enthusiastic and regularly used ingenuity in his daily work. Craig had a special relationship with the remote Southwest of Tasmania.

Craig was also employed as the Southern Region volunteer facilitator, a role in which he established strong connections with the volunteer community that he maintained even after leaving the PWS. Craig set up and continued to organise working bees for many of the more remote and isolated locations, such as Maatsuyker Island.

During the past five years, Craig provided his services as a volunteer to help the PWS manage some of our more remote areas, and also volunteered for a range of other community based organisations.

This is a tragic loss of an enthusiastic and passionate person who made an enormous contribution through his work as a volunteer facilitator and as a Director of Wildcare Inc, including in the position of Treasurer for many years.

We will miss his sense of humour and high levels of energy. Craig was the type of person who certainly gave more than he took in life.

Yours sincerely

Peter Mooney GENERAL MANAGER PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Melaleuca Working Bee March 2013

Craig at the March 2013 working bee at Melaleuca. Craig, bespattered with mud, grinning in the rain, working hard as he loved to do. His energy and capacity for work were legendary, and his rational mind and good humour will be sorely missed.

One Wild Day - Circa September 2000

Craig suggested paddling from Hobart to Launceston until it was pointed out that the sometimes viciously strong sea breezes on the East Coast come from the NE. Quite sensibly it was decided to do the trip the other way around. 

Desley dropped us off at Low Head, the surf was up, up enough that it took a couple of attempts for us to leave the beach in our laden kayaks. 

It was very windy and we realised in our busyness and anticipation of the trip neither of us had actually checked the weather forecast. By this time Desley had driven away and we were both outside the break line so it was far too late to pull the pin. 

It was exhilarating sailing downwind with the gale force wind behind us but as the seas built the day became a bit of an epic. 

First of all I got a bit close to Craig negotiating some offshore rocks, as the pointy bow of my kayak headed straight for him he capsized on purpose and my hull bounced off his. He rolled up and we continued. 

Then in the big breaking seas I capsized and couldn't roll up as my mast had bent and jammed in place on hitting the water. Craig paddled over quickly, popped me back in my boat and we continued. By this time the seas were huge so for mutual support we rafted up and sailed together for a while. 

Finally we were within almost within reach of shelter from the wind and seas on the eastern side of West Sandy Point, the big seas were breaking in beautiful big surf radiating out from the point. I went out very wide well clear of the surf, Craig didn't. 

Whether he was just a bit too close in or it was just one big breaker but suddenly Craig had capsized and was out of his boat. With dread and adrenalin pumping I paddled as quickly as I could into the break zone, executed the fastest rescue in the history of sea kayaking we got the hell out of it as fast as possible. 

What a day, it was an epic, it is such a strong memory of a day with a mate you can totally trust, a day that now has taken on an even more special significance because the opportunity to share such any such adventure again has gone. 

Thanks Craig.