Page 118 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

Sadly, their marriage did not last. Brian and Linda divorced, and, in
November 1971, Brian emigrated to Australia to work on the Greenvale
Nickel Mine project, some 220 km northwest of Townsville, Queensland.
Brian was employed as a Civil Engineer, helping to create facilities for the
nickel mine and the vast workforce it employed. At its height, Greenvale
accommodated some 3,000 people. When the nickel mine ceased
operations in 1993, the Greenvale township almost became a ‘ghost
town’.

6.32.2.3 Beverley Denise Chapman (1950- )
Born: 3 October 1950, Ayr, Queensland, Australia
Married: 3 August 1974, aged 23 years, married Brian Leslie Cook;
Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Beverley worked as a ‘Swimming Instructor’.

6.32.2.4 Brian Leslie Cook and Beverley Denise Chapman
Brian and Beverley initially lived in Townsville, Queensland – a city on the
north-eastern coast of Queensland, adjacent to the central portion of the
Great Barrier Reef. They had 2 children:
• Natalie Louise: b. 19 January 1975, Townsville, Queensland
• David: b. 15 February 1976, Townsville, Queensland

Natalie, Brian, Beverley & David Cook: 2008

Brian and Beverley now live in Sinnamon Park, Brisbane, Australia.

6.32.2.5 Natalie Louise Cook (1975- )
Born: 19 January 1975, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Married: November 2008, aged 33 years, married Sarah Maxwell;
Queenstown Millbrook Golf Resort, Queenstown, New Zealand

Natalie is particularly noteworthy, as she is a professional, multi
Olympian Beach Volleyball star.

She was the ‘dux’ (i.e. leader) of her school, Corinda State High (located in
the western suburbs of Brisbane). She enrolled in pre-medicine college
courses, and also took up volleyball, captaining the Australian Indoor
Junior Team in 1992. In 1993 she began playing Beach Volleyball. In 1994
she became a professional Beach Volleyball athlete, and gave up her
pursuit of a medical degree.

She has competed for Australia at 5 consecutive Olympics, a unique
achievement in Beach Volleyball. The highlight of her career came in
2000, when, together with her then Volleyball partner, Kerri Pottharst,
she won the Gold Olympic medal on Bondi Beach, Sydney in her ‘home’
Olympics. In recognition of this achievement, Natalie and Kerri were