Jim, balancing on top of the bridge, with camera in hand, photographed Harry doing a handstand on the very top of the structure, way above the Manning River.

This memorable photograph was a fitting tribute to the fearless Harry, chosen to represent his lust for life on the cover of his farewell order of service at Manning Great Lakes Memorial Gardens on Monday.

Harry died peacefully with his loved ones by his side, last Wednesday at Manning Hospital where he had been for nine days. His deteriorating health had made it necessary for him to live at Alma Place in Taree for the last 10 months, where he was cared for magnificently by an attentive staff.

Harry (or simply 'H' to his friends) was born Henry McLaren Bennett on September 27, 1929, his family and friends gathering just a month before his death to celebrate his 80 wonderful years in fine style.

Both his grandfather and his father were also officially named Henry, but went by the name Harry. Both were chemists - among Taree's earliest, dating from the 1800s.

Young Harry was sent off to Newington College at an early age in the hope of him becoming a brilliant scholar. Instead, he bucked the family trend and enjoyed instead a brilliant sporting career.

He began photography with his father in his Taree shop at the time when photos were developed and printed on the spot at chemist shops. Harry went on to manage two photographic studios in Brisbane and Sydney for Paramount Studios, which was known for its portrait work and especially high society weddings in far-off western grazing districts.

He then spent two years in New Zealand including a 12 month stint in the hair-raising job of driving a superphosphate truck to and from steep mountain-side farms.

Returning to Taree to be bestman at Ted and Ruth Saxby's wedding, he resumed the somewhat safer career of photography and became a freelancer in and around Taree.

Staying safe and sedate was not in Harry's dictionary, however, and it was about this time he took on the odd jobs of painting the 2RE tower and checking the underwater pipelines up the river.

He then became heavily involved in Black Head Surf Club - a love affair that began in 1955 and stayed with him till the end. At 44, he surprised crack young surfers less than half his age by taking out most of the top awards at his 'farewell' branch championship performance - but of course in typical Harry fashion he was to make many comebacks - mostly in tales shared passionately with his mates back at the clubhouse. He was awarded life membership of the club in 1989.

Harry met Fay (nee Skinner) in 1956 and they were married in 1960, with daughter Nicole born in 1965 and son Chris in 1966.

Together Harry and Fay operated their photographic studio for a number of years before in 1971 taking on the first of a series of public swimming pool licences, firstly Taree (the old Olympic pool in River Street), then Wingham and Cundletown where Harry finally retired in 1991.

When their children were aged 11 and nine - in 1976 - Harry and Fay took them out of school for three months and - with a backpack each and a tent and sleeping bags in a shopping trolley - took off for a life-changing three months in Greece and on the Greek Islands. While much of the time they were welcomed into private houses, they did spend memorable days sleeping in a cave on Crete - a practice that is strictly prohibited today.

Harry began to develop the first signs of Parkinson's disease the year after he retired, and it took him on a discouraging journey of gradual deterioration which was to end last Wednesday.

His brother-in-law Allan Skinner MCd his service of celebration, with prayers said by Harry's brother, the Reverend Geoff Bennett.

Daughter Nicole, an acclaimed musical artist, farewelled her dad in song accompanied by her husband Michael Carr, while son Chris offered a dedication.

Dr William McLean joined with Geoff Bennett for several musical tributes, and Harry's mates Allan Skinner, John Edstein and Ted Saxby recalled some of the incidents which contributed to so memorable a life.

Harry is survived by Fay, Nicole and Michael, Chris and his wife Melissa.

His memory will live on forever in their hearts, and in the life of his granddaughter, to be born early in the new year.