SACHLIKIDIS, George

SACHLIKIDIS, George

George Sachlikidis, late of Lake Street, Cairns, passed away peacefully on Monday 20th April 2020 at Regis Whitfield, aged 91 years. He was laid to rest on Friday 24th April at the Martyn Street Cemetery. The simple and peaceful ceremony, with close family in attendance, was officiated by Father Menelaos Hatzoglou of the Greek Orthodox Church, Redlynch.

Born to Christos and Eleni Sachlikidis in 1928, George was part of a large farming family and knew of hardships early with not only the loss of his mother at eight years of age, but also life under Nazi Occupation. He was to spend his teenage years as part of the local resistance movement during World War Two.

George came to Cairns in 1954 after leaving his home in Rahi, Veria, Thessaloniki in the north of Greece at the age of twenty-five. He travelled to Australia on the Cyrenia, docking at Freemantle and Melbourne before the train journey to Cairns. He immediately took up work on the cane fields of Cairns working from Gordonvale to Edge Hill and Redlynch, and learning English along the way.

He soon met Anna Condullas, herself an immigrant from the war-torn island of Castellorizo, Greece, and they married that same year. They were to set up their home in Lake Street and raise a family of three boys - Chris, Stanley and James (Jimmy).

As time moved on George established the Black and White Café in Shields Street, Cairns.

Between his work in the cane industry and his café management, he worked cutting timber for the Clohesy River Brickworks and later in a local Cairns sawmill. Following a second café enterprise in Sheridan Street near the Cairns High School, he was to work for Samuel Allens for many years before being employed by Northern Australian Breweries where he was to finish his full-time working life. He later worked part time at the Cairns Wharves tying up cruise liners, cargo ships, tankers and other large vessels.

After the passing of Anna in 2006, George’s health began to fail him severely - though he never lost his passion for family, gardening and prawning on the Cairns Esplanade where he established himself as an identity with the local prawning community and passers-by.

He took great delight in his three grandchildren - Nikolas, Alexi and Christopher (Uggy). With his grandchildren’s marriages to Charlene, Anita and Amy respectively he was to become a great grandfather to Luca, Summer, Elena, Isabella and Matilda - all whom he loved with great passion. He leaves behind his immediate family: his three sons, his two daughters-in -law, Gillian and Susan, his three grandsons and their wives, his five great grandchildren plus many relatives and friends, both old and new…