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tail wheel
3rd Jan 2013, 04:42
Anyone that refuelled at Windorah in the past thirty years will have met the legendary refueller Bub Ploger.

It seems Bub and family have gone to retirement in Toowoomba. I read this amazing story in todays Toowoomba Chronicle:


Merv is blind, but unstoppable

http://media2.apnonline.com.au/img/media/images/2013/01/02/9-1646498-twb311212merve005_fct1024x630x51_t460.jpg

ALTHOUGH impressive, running the town service station in outback Windorah for 36 years wouldn't ordinarily appear all that unique.

But when one learns for the last 22 of those 36 years he was totally blind, it's little wonder Merv Ploger is considered something of a legend in Queensland's south west.

Mr Ploger lost his sight through diabetes 22 years ago at the age of 48 but to him being totally blind proved a mere setback that was never going to hold him down.

"You still have to get things done," he said matter-of-factly.

"I can't stand sitting around doing nothing."

So, with the support of wife of 39 years, Bub, Mr Ploger continued to run the Windorah service station, filling up, changing tyres and checking the engines of countless travellers driving through the Channel Country.

"A lot of them (customers) didn't know I was blind and I never told them," he grinned.

"And, it (being blind) does have its advantages.

"You can give them a bit of cheek and they don't knock you down."

Mr Ploger initially moved out to the Windorah district for work.

"I went out there working as a stockman when I was a kid in the early 1960s and I couldn't afford to get away," he said.

However, last month the Plogers eventually left Windorah and moved onto acreage on Toowoomba's outskirts to be closer to family.

"Thought it time to give it away and move to Toowoomba," the 70-year-old explained.

Finding his way around the new surrounds has proved another challenge but it hasn't daunted him.

In recent weeks, he has been familiarising himself in his new surrounds with his "trusty guide dog" - a covered fibreglass pole that is his walking stick.

"I've got my trusty guide dog here," he says, tapping the walking stick.

"He lets me down sometimes and walks me into trees and he won't come to me when I put him down.

"When I first lost my sight it wasn't that difficult because I knew where everything was.

"Now I've got to learn everything again."

Apart from his eyes, Mr Ploger remains fit and healthy and hasn't dismissed the possibility of one day regaining his eyesight.

"It's mainly a retina problem and they tell me they're making them now.

"Nothing's impossible. I might look into it."

Amazing. I swear I've seen Merv drive Bub to the airport to refuel an aircraft............ :confused:

I'm sure all those pilots that met the amazing Bub Ploger at Windorah will wish Bub and Merv a great retirement in Toowoomba.

Jabawocky
3rd Jan 2013, 05:52
Probably flown a few circuits too...:eek:

Legend of the outback for sure. :ok:

Grogmonster
3rd Jan 2013, 09:45
Yes Bub was a character. I dropped in early for fuel one day and offered her a stubbie, just to test her, about 7.30am one morning as I had some cold ones in the esky from the day before. With out any hesitation she ripped out one of those fold up stubbie coolers from her back pocket and said, "It's after 5 o'clock somewhere", and hooked into it as I refuelled. My passengers from the city were amazed. I think it was the highlight of their trip.

Groggy

Flopt
3rd Jan 2013, 10:24
First time I met Merv (1990...first trip to Windorah in my new M20j VH-JDU.....the Thompson River was about 30 miles wide in places) I conducted an eye clinic on the back verandah of the Western Star hotel.The sand flies were as big as scotch grey mossies and the mossies were as big as swallows!
And the characters were larger than life..."Wingie" the local "odd chap"and Merv and Bub!
Told Merv I thought he should give up alcohol due to his rampant diabetic retinopathy....he did after it was too late....
Service at the bowser always good and hospitality at the Western Star just as good....discovered early on that Bub could go beer for beer with any of the hard drinking locals....though sometimes she cheated with 7oz glasses!
She also startled the genteel ladies in my waiting room in Longreach with a loudly shrieked expletive after I "puffed" her in the eye with a non-contact tonometer for measuring eye pressure a few years later.....
Surely they will be sadly missed.The colourful people of the west are one of the main reasons I have been going west for 25 years...I guess my retirement is now coming sooner rather than later but I hope not too soon...just put a new IO360 in the current M20j.


Flopt

185skywagon
3rd Jan 2013, 18:40
Flopt,

Wingie...aka wing commander Anderson. Legendary grader driver. He never let the truth stand in the way.
Gone now.

Sandy. Another legend. Sadly fading away.

185.

my oleo is extended
5th Jan 2013, 09:12
Bub also had a somewhat unique way of 'mitigating birdlife hazards' at the aerodrome! It was always very fun to watch (but not fun for the birdlife). Good thing the EPA are too scared to go out West.

The bush has lost a character, no question about that:ok:

Spinnerhead
5th Jan 2013, 10:31
Lets just say I "crossed" Bub one day in Windorah. She wasn't too happy with the way I did something. She rang the "department", I got a call from the "department". As it turns out I was exonerated by the department. Bub was great as long as you agreed with her.

I won't be unhappy never to see Bub again.

airwolf117
6th Jan 2013, 08:36
Always great fun to chat to, even if you (God forbid) stopped by on short notice! Def one of the great characters of the aviation community! Sorely missed!

hurlingham
6th Jan 2013, 19:33
Bub was a wonderful person -
Spinnerhead, you must have really upset her.

Jabawocky
6th Jan 2013, 23:17
What did you do? :}

mullokintyre
1st Sep 2015, 10:27
My wife and I flew into Windorah the other day to refuel in the fancy new Credit Card refuel bowser, then headed to Charleville.
Stayed at the very pleasant Rocks Motel and was having dinner at the Rocks Restauranrt (very nice meal I might add).
Who should wander in but Bubba herself.
She had driven over from Toowoomba with a friend on their way to Windorah.
I was surprised when she remembered me from past trips.
She even remembered my bloody plane rego!!
Nothing has changed with Bubba!
Mick

Desert Flower
3rd Sep 2015, 06:59
Lets just say I "crossed" Bub one day in Windorah. She wasn't too happy with the way I did something. She rang the "department", I got a call from the "department". As it turns out I was exonerated by the department. Bub was great as long as you agreed with her.

I won't be unhappy never to see Bub again.

Spinnerhead, strange that she should dob you in for doing something the wrong way when she herself was breaching company regulations by consuming alcohol on the job. One rule for her & one for everyone else by the sound of it!

DF.

Stanwell
3rd Sep 2015, 09:47
I used to work out that way doing mineral exploration.
I've got a picture of them both out the front of the service station.

Real characters, both of them - but, nothing lasts forever.
I wish them well in their retirement.