One-hundred-and-six years ago, in room two of the Nebo Hotel, World War II veteran William 'Bill' Bruce was born.
Before moving to Caboolture after his 100th birthday, the Nebo RSL sub branch president lived in the town - located 93km south-west of Mackay - his entire life.
A community stalwart, Mr Bruce was president of the local cricket and tennis clubs, and secretary of the local jockey club.
At 101, he was the oldest person to carry the Queen's Baton on its route to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018 - after which a walkway, the Bill Bruce Nature Walk, was named by council in his honour.
Mr Bruce ran every ANZAC Day ceremony at the Nebo RSL until its closure in 2012, travelling to his hometown every single year - bar one year during COVID - to participate in the ceremony.
Last Saturday at 6am on November 11, Mr Bruce passed away.
It was a significant day - not only Remembrance Day, but also the 100 year celebration of his birthplace's moniker.
"It gave me goosebumps," Nebo Hotel owner Kristen Stevenson said.
"He was a very sweet, gentle man. He really loved Nebo and really took his time in the war and serving seriously.
"He was strong, courageous, soft...he's going to be sadly missed.
"It's going to be a sad ANZAC day next year with him not there."
While Mr Bruce could not make the milestone event, his legacy of good old country values and mateship lives on amongst his friends.
"We thought it was a perfect ending to a perfect life. We were not just celebrating Nebo but everyone knew Bill or who was touched by him was celebrating (his life)," Mrs Stevenson said.
The 100 year celebration was an impressive affair - with at least 500 people turning out to celebrate 100 years of 'Nebo' - to which was renamed in 1923 after being known by its original name of Fort Cooper for 40 years prior.
"It was a very good turn out. The people who attended have lived in the area before, who are current locals and a lot of property people from over the years, and anyone that's had interest in Nebo or has lived there before. There were a lot of families," Mrs Stevenson said.
"We hosted it alongside the annual Christmas Fair, which we used to host 10 years ago. It's been at the bowls club for a while...but we bought everything back to the street like it was back in the day, and we had the pub as the centrepiece of that."
With 45 Christmas trees attached to the front of the hotel, and a commemorate plaque unveiled in the afternoon by Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker, attendees had plenty to feast their eyes on - including a visit from Santa, horse and carriage rides, amusement rides, a cake cutting, and food and refreshments.
"The local P&C and school did displays, then the museum was open as well with a blacksmith...demonstration," Mrs Stevenson said.
"It was really successful. It was an Isaac Regional Council event. They came to myself and also to Nebo Sports and Recreation Club who normally host the annual Christmas fair. We all came together to put on the event."
The celebration was particularly important to Mrs Stevenson and her family - who have strong ties to the Nebo Hotel.
"I've been at the helm for seven years and then prior to me was my husband and prior to him was my mother-in-law. The family has had it since 2000," she said.
"That's why we put a lot of effort into the hotel when it comes to Christmas. My mother-in-law and I absolutely love Christmas...and my husband does it for seeing the kids' faces light up.
"We love that pub. We have such a connection to it."
The pub itself is a centrepiece to the town - largely tied to the transient mining community and local grazing industry.
It has stood in Nebo since 1863, watching generations pass and the community build itself up around it.
Mrs Stevenson's father-in-law, David, died in a helicopter crash when her husband was just 11, leaving his widowed wife to raise their six children.
"She had the pub. The kids were in and out of boarding school but they grew up there," Ms Stevenson said.
"Now I have kids and we've developed that connection. We keep grandpa David's name alive and keep it a family-friendly pub.
"We put in the effort and do events to bring the community together. Being a small community, we feel it's our social responsibility to provide community events."
Offering a room, a "welcoming hospitality experience" to temper miners' loneliness on swings, and home-cooked meals, the pub helps regulars and visitors feel like "part of the furniture and part of the family".
"There's never a dull moment," Mrs Stevenson said.
"Because we're in a regional area, everyone is so separated and so far apart at their property and working away from family in the mines. It's important to bring everyone together so everyone gets a dose of what it's like to be in a community."
With her children now making six generations to grow up in Nebo, there is an undeniable pull that makes the rural pub home.
"It's a home away from home. It's a very charming hotel. We renovated it back in the early 2000s and everyone's sort of blown away by the antiques and the history...it's just a very calm, family-friendly vibe," Mrs Stevenson said.
The Nebo Hotel not only offers its popular annual Christmas fair, but also a street party on the third weekend in Mackay before the town's rodeo event.
"We'll get 3000 people on the Friday night...then we support the women's event in March," Mrs Stevenson said.
A tradition at the Nebo Rodeo - an anthem of sorts - is the song penned by famous country singer Slim Dusty - 'Nebo Pub'.
"That's pretty cool. We play it all the time at the rodeo," Mrs Stevenson said.
"Nebo is a great little town with great people and if anyone gets the chance to come through, they wont be disappointed. You'll be treated like family and it will feel like home."
