PATRICIA (Pat) COLLINS (née Stephenson) was born in Rockhampton on 20th October 1927, the fourth child—of 5 children—to Kathleen Sarah Stephenson (née Sheahan) and Arthur Alexander Stephenson. Her siblings Cecelia Suzanne was born in 1924, then twins Alexander (Lex) and Kathleen 1926, Patricia 1927 and the youngest, Peter 1929.  During Pat's childhood, her family moved several times due to her father being a Bank Manager.
Pat went to Julia Creek to help her brother Lex's wife when she was expecting their first child and met Philip (Phil) Collins—a local of the district at a country race meeting. They were married in April 1952 in Brisbane returning to Julia Creek to live on Phil's property Eureka. they raised four daughters— Rosemarie Anne, Sue-Ellen, Linda Mary, and Joanne Patricia on the property. Pat maintained that the time living in the Julia Creek district were the happiest of her life. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1960 when Phil was killed in a tractor accident on the property at the age of 37. Pat took her four girls back to her family in Brisbane she did however, keep the property for many years.
Pat's wish was always to return to Julia Creek and be buried with Phil. Pat died on the 22nd August 2022 and on the first anniversary of her death her four daughters brought her ashes back to Julia Creek and interred them with Phil.

 While her sister-in-law (Phil's sister) Shirley Eckford is also buried in the Julia Creek Cemetery, none of Pat's family are buried in Julia Creek. Her parents and siblings are all buried in the Pinnaroo Cemetery, Brisbane as are her husband Phil's parents. 

  Information provided by Pat's daughter Joanne in April 2024.