The community of Tongala is in mourning following the tragic passing of brothers Luke and Benny Smith on Saturday, November 16.
Luke, 20, and Benny, 16, died in a plane crash at Tinamba West in Gippsland. Their 15-year-old cousin Dusty Daly was also on board and died at the scene.
The Smith family have received an outpouring of emotion and support from the Tongala community, with Tongala Football Netball Club, Tongala Cricket Club and Moama Cricket Club paying their respects among others.
Luke, Benny and their brother Ryan all played for both Tongala football and cricket clubs, with Benny also playing in Moama’s under-17s side in 2023, where he won a premiership, and in 2024.
“The Tongala Football Netball Club, together with the Tongala Cricket Club and the broader sporting community, is devastated by the tragic loss of two of our much-loved players and brothers, Luke and Benny Smith, along with their young cousin, Dusty Daly,” Tongala Football Netball Club president Daniel Cox said in a joint statement with Tongala Cricket Club president Travis Johnstone.
“We offer our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Alistar (AJ) and Leonie, Ryan and Olivia, Amy and Mathew Daly, and their families.
“We also offer our unwavering commitment to support them all as a family during the unimaginable days ahead.”
Moama Cricket Club president Kirk Teasdale expressed the sympathies and condolences of the club to the Smith family and reflected on Benny’s time playing in the juniors for Moama.
“Our deepest condolences to Alistar (AJ), Leonie, Ryan, Olivia, their family, friends and the entire broader Tongala community on the passing of Luke and Ben,” he said.
“Benny was a much-loved player of our under-17s and was an under-17 premiership player last season. He was set to return to the team in the next few weeks after recovering from injury.
“Even through his injury he was a dedicated club man attending games, cheering his teammates on, that was his character, the best teammate anyone could ask for and a wonderful young man whose smile was infectious.
“He will be sadly missed, and always in our thoughts.”
The boys were said to be often seen volunteering, supporting and giving their time to the Tongala football and cricket clubs and the wider community.
Mr Cox and Mr Johnstone reflected on the individual character of the brothers and emphasised their kind and generous natures.
“Luke was an exceptional young man whose smile could light up any room. Known for his drive, intelligence and unwavering love of friends and family,” Mr Cox and Mr Johnstone said.
“He had a cheeky sense of humour that was infectious — a charm that could lift anyone’s spirits. He was generous, caring, and someone his friends could always count on.
“Benny was a quiet achiever, naturally shy, with extraordinary talent and a bright future ahead of him.
“A humble yet fierce competitor, he was the ultimate team player who always gave his best. He had an exceptionally kind nature, and like all the Smith kids, he was polite, friendly and warm.
“Beneath it all, Benny was a gentle soul with a heart full of compassion. He had a beautiful gift of making everyone around him feel better — he was truly uplifting.”
Mr Cox and Mr Johnstone also reflected on the importance of the Smith family to the town of Tongala and how the community would endeavour to support and comfort the family in any way they could.
“The Smith family is much loved, appreciated and respected within our town and our clubs, and it seems unfathomable that such a happy family occasion could end in tragedy for this generous, kind and loving family,” Mr Cox and Mr Johnstone said.
“It is heartbreaking to hear that the boys were on their way to help their nan set up her Christmas lights in Maffra, a much-loved yearly tradition.
“The Smiths are well-known for being among the first in the trenches within both the local sporting and professional communities. Their home is also famous locally for the incredible Christmas lights display they put on each year for the town.
“Our doors will remain open, our club’s motto is ‘One in, all in’, and as a club, we will use this as a guiding principle as we attempt to navigate uncharted waters in the hours, days and weeks ahead.
“Their laughs, tackles, marks and kicks with mates will be forever sown into the soil here and into the hearts, minds and memories of the entire town that loved them.”