Memorial plaques for brothers to be reinstated as council reverses decision

The McCurdy family in Mandurah, south of Perth, has won a heartfelt victory after the City of Mandurah council agreed to reinstate memorial plaques for their sons, Ryan and Wade. The plaques, honoring the brothers who died in separate accidents, had been attached to a bench at Madora Bay beach for about 15 years.

Initially, the council denied the family's request to put the plaques back on a new bench after the original one was damaged in a storm. They cited a new memorial policy that stated memorials would be removed if they fell into disrepair. This decision caused distress to the family, who regularly visit the spot.

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It means a lot [to the family], we go down there often and sit there even if the waves are bad or the weather is bad. We go down there because we know that is their spot, that's where their ashes are, everyone gets down there and reminisces.

However, after a meeting with the council's deputy mayor and CEO, the policy was amended. The council will now allow existing memorials to be reinstated if they were damaged by weather or vandalism. Matt McCurdy, brother of Wade and Ryan, expressed his family's elation, stating the decision means a lot to them as they often visit the bench to reminisce.

Ryan died in 2008 after falling from a tree, and his younger brother Wade, a bodyboarding state champion, tragically passed away on Christmas Eve in 2009 after jumping from a bridge. Their mother, who had maintained the plaques, was particularly moved by the council's willingness to adapt their policy to support the family's wishes.

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She was really humbled by the conversation with the council yesterday and how thoughtful they were and how they were willing to amend their policy just to support these kind of cases.