Denne Bourke on Thursday Island with Jase and Simon from All 4 Adventure.
If you’ve ever paid a visit to Thursday Island, chances are you’ve met Denne Bourke.
The owner of The Coffee Department trailer will always greet you with a smile on his face and take the time to ask about your day ahead.
His ability to remember your coffee order is legendary.
I first met Denne in 2020, not long after he purchased the mobile coffee trailer business on T.I.
We crossed paths several times again. He’d say: “You’re the newspaperman from Weipa!” with a smile. “Cap(uccino) with one sugar, right?”
Of course, it was.
Denne with Patty Mills and his wife Alyssa.
It’s been roughly 36 hours since Denne was last spotted rowing his single-man outrigger canoe off-shore from his home island.
Emergency services continue to search for him, although hopes are fading. We need a miracle for Denne to come back into our lives.
Forget our dose of caffeine, the stakes are much higher for Denne’s return than a cuppa.
His beautiful partner Georgia and their young child will be without the light in their lives if he’s not found safely.
As these images show, he is the light in many people’s lives. Not just as a coffee man, but as a community-minded citizen.
The Torres Strait needs a miracle and I desperately hope we get one for Denne.
Denne and Georgia
