Daylesford-Ballarat family pay tribute to adored baby brother Wayne Shields

Wayne Shields, 58, was the youngest of nine siblings - many of whom still live around Daylesford and Ballarat.

"He was a cute little thing. He was a bit spoiled by Mum and Dad. He always had his own way. He was the baby," one of Mr Shields' siblings, who did not wish to be identified, told The Courier.

"He loved cars, music and fishing. Wayne was just a nice country kid. He was happy-go-lucky and lived in Ballarat for most of his life."

Some of the last people to see Mr Shields alive were the new staff at one of his favourite cafes, Muffins and More, where police said he was involved in an alleged misunderstanding shortly before he was found badly hurt near the Daylesford Coles carpark.

He died a short time later.

The sibling said Wayne was friendly with the former cafe owner, who had moved on about two weeks before.

"She always said he was a lovely guy and that everyone around the Daylesford shops loved Wayne," they said.

"I remember her saying to people, 'stop running Wayne down. He's somebody's brother and son'.

"She stood up for him."

The family member said Mr Shields was still paying rent and bills at his Office of Housing unit in Creswick, but felt unsafe living there and had been sleeping rough around Daylesford, usually in sheds.

They said police were aware of the various places Wayne was staying.

"His demeanour was pretty good," the family member said.

"He was just kind and nice to everyone and he was one of those old fashioned people who shook hands with you."

Wayne Andrew Shields was born in Daylesford on May 31, 1965.

The family later moved to Ballarat where he attended Golden Point Primary School.

"He was a loveable larrikin," his sibling said.

"He was very generous and would help anyone.

"Dad died last year at age 98 - and he said, 'can you please keep an eye on Wayne?' - which we tried to do.

"I was speaking to some of the (homeless) men in Bridge Mall last year, trying to find Wayne - and they all knew him.

"They said to me the worst thing about Wayne was he was so generous that he would just give anyone money on his payday - then he would have none himself.

"People don't always appreciate that generosity. Some people took it for granted."

As a young adult, Mr Shields worked in a sawmill where a bad accident saw more than half his hand cut away.

"It was stitched up and reattached but it was never the same after that," the family member said.

"After that his hands weren't strong enough for a lot of work. That's when his life became really hard."

Mr Shields is also remembered as a great gardener and cook.

"He made the best pork crackling - it really was good," his sibling said.

"Even after the hand injury, he still did the lawns for people around his units in Creswick."

The Courier spoke to Mr Shields in January, 2022, after his home was flooded for the second time and he was sleeping on a camp stretcher on a bare concrete floor, waiting on repairs.

"(There's) nothing in there," Mr Shields said at the time.

"I've got to sleep there like a bum. The oven's stuffed. I threw (the furniture) out. I've opened all the windows trying to air the joint.

"I'm really stressed. It's not good."

His family said the unit was renovated shortly afterwards.

Mr Shields' sibling said the family went to look for recent photographs, documents and other property the day after Wayne died, but found an empty unit.

Calls to the Office of Housing failed to reveal what had happened.

"We were told we could not gather his belongings because of privacy laws and we had to get permission from the owner of the belongings," the family member said.

"I couldn't believe it."

Mr Shields had no partner or children.

"To be told his belongings were worthless - and to not be told where they have gone - it's just wrong," his sibling said.

"What's worthless to one person may be worth a million dollars to someone else - not in monetary value, but in personal value.

"It's just horrible."

The family wanted answers from Housing Minister Harriet Shing about who was living in the unit at the time Mr Shields fled - and what happened to his property.

"Everything was in my brother's name. There was still rent coming out after he died," his sibling said.

"Why were his things removed without letting someone in the family know? What did they do with them? Personal effects? Photos?

"They're very basic questions."

The Minister's office has been contacted for comment.

Mr Shields' sibling said they had been pushed to breaking point by thoughtless comments and assumptions.

"I was in Big W Ballarat the other day and I overheard two people speaking about the case. They said he deserved what happened to him because he had robbed a cafe," they said.

"That's just wrong. There was no robbery.

"I didn't know these people, but that's my little brother they're talking about.

"How do you clear up gossip - the terrible things that have been said about Wayne?

"I've come in to The Courier ... because I really need people to know who he was - and how he was let down by the system."

Mr Shields is survived by six of his eight siblings.

"We loved Wayne, but he did infuriate us sometimes," the family spokesperson said.

"The siblings are feeling really knocked around by all of this. It's affected every one of us."

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, October 31, from 1.30pm at the Verey Chapel in Millar Street Daylesford.

Meanwhile, the Major Collision Investigation Unit is continuing to investigate the circumstances and collision that led to Mr Shield's death.

Police said it was understood the 58-year-old was struck by a vehicle on Bridport Street Daylesford, sometime between 6.10 and 6.30am on Tuesday October 17.

Anyone with information, dashcam footage or who may have witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppers.com.au

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