Pixie Rourke ran Pinetrees for nearly 35 years, and she was the heart and soul of the lodge. Armed with a glass of wine, big smile and special kind of natural charisma, Pixie hosted her guests like no other. Everyone received her attention and care, and not surprisingly, most came back to Pinetrees year after year. Pixie died in July 2010 and her obituary by Kerry Lorimer was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Pixie was buried in the family graveyard at Pinetrees on a wild winter’s day in front of a small gathering of family and islanders. Soon after, we held a memorial service in Sydney with hundreds of Pixie’s friends and guests – including Neville Wran on one side of us and Barry O’Farrell on the other. Not that Pixie would have noticed them in particular – she shared her endless enthusiasm equally.
