Mates remember man with ‘amazing’ voice

Friends of an Albany man who tragically fell to his death at a popular tourist spot in Queensland have remembered him as a talented and passionate singer.

Alistair Bruce was found floating face-down at the bottom of a waterfall at Davies Creek National Park, near Cairns on July 11.

It is understood he fell 60m from the top of the waterfall. The swimming hole under the waterfall is a popular tourist attraction.

Queensland police are preparing a report for the Coroner.

Mr Bruce, who worked as an optometrist was also an integral member of the men’s a capella singing group Southern Right Males, which performed across Albany and regional WA for four years until 2012.

The 14-member group consisted of many prominent members of the music scene in Albany.

Fellow singer Bill Hollingworth said Mr Bruce was one of the group’s tenors, who was tall in stature and had a powerful voice.

“He was one of those guys who was very comfortable with himself,” he said.

“He was a very competent singer and he loved singing. He was a man of stature who had an amazing vocal range.

“You could see the enjoyment and hear the enjoyment.”

Mr Hollingworth said Mr Bruce’s death had shocked those who knew him and had only recently watched him sing in an Albany Choral Society performance.

“What makes this so difficult to understand is that he was a very competent and experienced bushwalker, which was his other enjoyment,” he said.

“I enjoyed his company immensely and we shared a mutual love of bushwalking and singing.”

Fellow singer from the Southern Right Males, Mike Staude, said Mr Bruce began singing with the group when he arrived in Albany in 2009 from Adelaide.

He said Mr Bruce also continued to be a very active committee member of the Albany Choral Society from 2010. His funeral will be held in Adelaide this Friday.