Source : Perth Now news
Traces of two fallen police officers killed during a shooting ambush hang heavy across a picturesque region still in recovery.
A small plaque labelled “Neal’s corner” in his favourite cafe. A refillable animal water bowl outside the local cop shop.
The reminders of loss are evident.
They’re gestures that might go unnoticed by outsiders but to the policing community and grieving families, they’re sacred.
The memorials will ensure Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart are not forgotten.
The two were on Wednesday remembered for their courage and grit during a service marking a year since they were fatally shot by Dezi Freeman.
They were serving a warrant at the gunman’s regional property in northeastern Victoria’s idyllic High Country when the ambush unfolded on a stormy Tuesday morning.
The shooting set a deep divide in the community and in the days, weeks and months following, the small town of Porepunkah became known as the starting place for Australia’s biggest manhunt.
Freeman, a 56-year-old self-proclaimed sovereign citizen, had fled into bushland amid rampant speculation about where he was and whether anyone was hiding him.
“We consider he may still be in the area. It’s a possibility he may be harboured,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Russell Barrett said at the time.
The region was placed into lockdown approaching the AFL grand final long weekend as it rolled into the Melbourne Cup.
Marty Robinson, who had known Freeman for decades, told AAP during the 2025 emergency declaration the shootings had left a mark on the town.
“It’s affected the businesses in Porepunkah financially,” he said.
And it continued to hurt.
“We were almost in virtual lockdown and that led to businesses having no cash flow,” recalls Bright and District Chamber of Commerce president and Pepo Farms owner Marcus Warner.
“Obviously there’s no playbook for a incident of this nature and it’s never occurred in our lifetime, anything of that level.”
Mr Warner says the impact was also felt keenly by businesses in surrounding towns.
“It’s critical to understand the incident will always be part of the history of the region, especially for Porepunkah and the Bright area,” he adds.
“Obviously, we’re not allowing it to define us.”
Many proprietors in the neighbouring alpine town of Bright have declined to speak about the tragedy as they consider it too sensitive.
Porepunkah was this week virtually a ghost town, with most main street doors shut.
Police members gathered with friends and family who travelled to the region to attend two memorials, one in Wangaratta and another in Bright.
A dog fountain was unveiled near the entrance of Wangaratta Police Station, to pay tribute to Det Sen Const Thompson’s love of animals.
Meanwhile, in a Moyhu cafe, not far from Wangaratta, sits a plaque by a bench which reads “Neal’s corner”, a favourite spot where the 59-year-old would visit.
Tuesday’s memorial was not a time to speak of the “senseless murder” but to remember and reflect on the grief and loss of family members, a relative who wished to remain anonymous offered.
The relative of Det Sen Const Thompson acknowledged that “people died at work every day, but not like this”.
At the Bright service, his sisters, Lois Kirk and Dianne Thompson, hugged each other in the front row as tributes were read to the large crowd gathered beneath a beautiful blue sky.
“We miss our big brother every single day,” they said.
“Neal was fiercely loyal, a natural leader and just as tough as he was soft.”
His partner, Sergeant Lisa Thompson, sat nearby hand-in-hand for support with another officer.
Jackie and Shane Dellavedova, the aunt and uncle of 34-year-old Sen Const de Waart-Hottart, laid a wreath at both sites.
While life and policing still continue, the pain felt by local police will remain heavy for years to come, Victoria Police Legacy chair and Inspector Kate O’Neill told AAP.
“It’s always a struggle to find your new normal after something so tragic.
“It’s the worst day in a police force when two of your own are murdered, especially during such a horrendous event.”
Insp O’Neill was working the morning the shooting occurred and described a frantic shift once news started to filter through.
“It’s a really uneasy feeling,” she said.
“It’s this sense of dread until answers come through and then the grief comes with the actual real knowledge of what’s occurred.”
Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt reflected that it had been a rollercoaster for members, with more downs than ups.
“We’ve seen a degree of comfort in the resolution, but we have worms in the stomach,” he said.
“They don’t go away. We know that.”
The impact on the force, particularly those who attended the scene in Porepunkah, continues to be felt daily, with some yet to return to work.
While lives are rebuilt, the tiny towns of Porepunkah and Bright are slowly finding their feet.
Scars remain, but the healing continues.
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