It’s a cold, wet morning when runners hit the pavement bound for Elliston from Adelaide.
A gruelling, 720-kilometre slog lies ahead of them, but hearts are full when the 35-strong team of Bucky’s Beach Relay take off on Tuesday.
Simon Baccanello was surfing near Elliston when he was attacked by a shark. (Supplied)
Simon ‘Bucky’ Baccanello died in a shark attack in the surf at Walkers Rocks off Elliston, but today his legacy has moved beyond that thanks to a community who loved him.
And rather than let his memory fade with time, friends and family have rallied to raise funds to cement his legacy through a new community sporting facility in Elliston.
“I feel like he’s with me all the time in lots of different ways,” Simon’s brother, Paul Baccanello
said.
“When we have a big group here together, which is what Simon really loved, he just wanted his mates to be together, and he was very good at bringing people together.”
Runners in the Bucky’s Beach Relay leave Adelaide bound for Elliston. (Supplied: Pete McDonald)
Community rocked by tragedy
In May 2023, Simon Baccanello, 46, was surfing at Walkers Rock when he was attacked by a shark about 30 to 50 metres offshore.
An avid surfer and keen fisherman, Simon joined the Elliston Area School earlier that year as a health and physical education teacher, and was involved in junior sports, football and tennis.
Walkers Rock was the scene of the first of six shark attacks in eight months along SA beaches. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
Rather than be remembered for his death, Mr Baccanello said he wanted his brother to be remembered for how he lived.
“There’s a lot of heartache that has come from Simon’s death, which was a really difficult thing at the time,” he said.
“But having said that, from it has come a lot of good.
“My family is indebted and very grateful to the community of Elliston who have just been extraordinary to our family.“
An outpouring of generosity
With a fundraising goal of $300,000, the team has already smashed it, and is now aiming for $500,000.
“I’m sure Simon would be very happy with the fact that what we’re doing is for the benefit of a community that he loved, and a community that we’ve come to love,” Mr Baccanello said.
Elliston Area School principal Chad Fleming has been with the support team throughout the run and said he was “blown away” by the support and camaraderie of the runners.
“You can just feel the vibes coming from everyone that’s participating and everyone involved,” Mr Fleming said.
Mr Fleming said while plans for the new facility have not yet been finalised, it would focus on community health, wellbeing and fitness.
Chad Fleming said he was “blown away” by the comradery of the runners. (ABC News: Jessica Warriner)
“We’ve got a really vibrant committee organised … everyone’s having a say and input on what this amazing amount of money will be put towards,” he said.
“Even building that committee is bringing people together and I feel like that’s gonna be the end result of Simon’s legacy in our town.
“He gelled with the kids straight away, got to know so many people so quickly and people talk about those conversations he had with them.
“We’re really looking to replicate that and that’s going to be his legacy, not only in our town, but for the rest of our lives.“
A beach memorial for Simon Baccanello. (ABC News: Che Chorley)
