'Everything that was good about Australia': Dubbo farewells legend shearer

Mick was known for his humour and compassion, qualities his family and colleagues at the union will miss.

Mick died on February 29, aged 90, surrounded by family. A funeral service was held at St Brigid's Catholic Church, Dubbo on Wednesday, March 13, followed by interment in the Western Districts Memorial Park, Dubbo.

Mick was the dearly loved husband of Shirley (deceased), loving father and father-in-law of Michele, Michael and Dianna, Kel and Sandra, Paul and Leeanne, and Gerard (deceased), and cherished and adored "Papa" of his nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mick's son, Paul O'Shea, said he would miss his dad's "very witty" sense of humour, and he would always remember a particular tongue-in-cheek retort his dad used often.

"His favourite word was bulls**t," Paul laughed.

"Every time he debated something, he said that'd be bulls**t."

Mick loved a good debate, but he was fair and spent time understanding his opponent's viewpoints.

"He was a person that got on with everyone, so he didn't hold a grudge. The union blokes would have said that - and he was the same [way] as a dad," Paul told ACM.

Mick was born on October 22, 1933. He became a shearer in Coonamble at the young age of 15 after the death of his father which forced him from school to the shearing shed to provide for his mum Lilian and sisters Noreen and Patricia, and little brother Brian.

Paul said he thought his dad might have been "a gun shearer", however when he asked him about this, his dad was modest.

Mick loved his football and had been a "mad Wests Tigers" supporter. He also loved cycling and used to enjoy taking his six kids out on their bikes.

"He had a great idea of going out and getting mushrooms when it rained. He went out in the paddock on a Sunday afternoon and they were never there," Paul recalled fondly.

Having grown up in the country, Mick hadn't been a strong swimmer, and Paul claims to have taught his dad to swim in the sea while on a holiday in Batemans Bay.

"I was about 10 and he would've been around 45. Back in that era ... they would have swam in dams, but he didn't have the opportunity to do it much," Paul said.

Paul, who lives in Parramatta, will miss travelling to Dubbo to visit his dad. He used to call his dad on the phone every day, and said he would continue to do so, just to hear his dad's voice on the voicemail greeting.

After Mick retired from shearing, he began doing community work, volunteering at St. Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army, such was his strong faith and commitment to community.

Mick's journey with the AWU began in 1947, at the age of 16, and he dedicated his life to the union. He became an organiser from 1974 to 1993, and later served as the AWU NSW branch secretary from 1993 to 1996.

Mick was a life member for the Australian Labor Party and he actively supported local candidates, playing a pivotal role in the formation of Country Labor in Dubbo. When Anthony Albanese was voted in as Prime Minister, Mick enjoyed a whisky to celebrate.

Jack Ayoub, organiser at the AWU, said one of Mick's significant contributions to the AWU's history had been during the wide comb dispute when he served as the assistant secretary.

Mick and Jack shared a personal connection, beginning before Jack was born, when Mick shore Jack's grandfather's sheep in Coonamble.

"He embodied all that was good about this country - and I mean that in a really sincere way," Mr Ayoub told ACM.

"He dedicated his life to leaving the place better than he found it and trying to lift those around him up ...

"He never used high level language easily, he never used high level tactics easily. When he sought to conciliate disputes he did it in a constructive way, trying to see both parties ... He certainly embodied an Australia that is long idealised by many in regional Australia."

The AWU said in a statement that Mick's dedication to "improving the lives of working people" was a life's passion.

"His family remembers the countless days he spent travelling across the state, resolving disputes, and tirelessly working to support families and communities from Broken Hill to Cobar, from Mudgee to Parkes," the AWU wrote.

"Mick's ability to resolve conflicts with humour and compassion became legendary, his style was to talk through issues, not inflame situations."