Mt Barker in mourning as tributes flow for Max Mollan, 54, who died at the Plantagenet Hotel on Saturday

The heartbroken wife of Max Mollan, the Mt Barker man who died after an altercation near the Plantagenet Hotel on Saturday, has penned a heart-wrenching tribute to “the love of my life”. On Sunday, Mr Mollan, 54, a grandfather and Great Southern wine industry stalwart, was confirmed as the man who was found with critical injuries near the pub in the early hours of Saturday morning. Mr Mollan died at the scene. A 46-year-old man, who police say was involved in an altercation with Mr Mollan, was taken into custody at the scene but later released pending further inquiries. Homicide Squad detectives are leading the investigation into Mr Mollan’s death. On Sunday night, Mr Mollan’s wife, Di, took to Facebook to pay tribute to her husband. “Two nights ago the love of my life was so tragically taken from me,” Mrs Mollan said. “I just can’t make any sense of this at all. “Max, you were my world, my rock, my life. “My heart is so broken and I just can’t see any light right now.” Mrs Mollan expressed her grief at no longer being able to “grow old together” with her husband, who she described as “one of the most decent, beautiful people”. “Yes, I have so many treasured, wonderful memories of you but we were meant to make so many more together,” she said. “You were not only my husband, you were my best friend. “You will be missed so dearly by not only myself but by our entire family and everyone else you ever touched the heart of. “You are now with all the other angels for eternity. Please watch over me and guide me through this terrible time. “Rest in peace, my love.” Mr Mollan grew up in Mt Barker and had worked in the viticulture industry for decades, spending the past 13 years with Howard Park Wines as the Great Southern vineyard manager. Howard Park Wines chief winemaker Nic Bowen said Mr Mollan was “a gentle, kind, patient and dedicated practitioner of the vine and a passionate advocate of all things Mt Barker”. “Max knew everyone, and everyone knew Max, and Mt Barker and the Great Southern was the centre of his universe,” Mr Bowen said. “Max helped nurture our fruit through some of the most viticulturally challenging conditions with calm persistence and determination. “We at the Howard Park winery will miss his dry wit, stories of adventures on his holidays to Bremer Bay and the pride he had in his work. “He will be very much missed. This has been a shock to all and our thoughts at this time are with Di, as well as Max’s family and friends.” Mr Mollan was a popular figure in the local wine scene and the town’s darts circles. His friend since primary school, Mark Drage, attended the scene of his death on Sunday where he paid tribute to the “mate” he had played darts with for almost 30 years. “We started knowing each other a bit more when we were throwing darts together at 18 years of age, when we were allowed to go into pubs,” Mr Drage said. “He was in my darts team for 25 years.” Mr Drage described Mr Mollan as a “wine connoisseur” who loved playing golf and spending time with his grandchildren. “He was a very, very good moral person,” Mr Drage said. “Just a harmless person that I still got along with and knew very well. “It’s something I never would have expected, so I’m just a bit numb at the moment.” Mr Drage’s partner, Linda Della-Franca, described Mr Mollan as a “genuinely nice bloke”. “It’s going to be a great loss for the community and the darts community,” Ms Della-Franca said. Another friend of Mr Mollan, Colin Bail, also visited the scene on Sunday where he expressed his shock and sadness. “He put his grandkids above his darts — and he loved his darts,” Mr Bail said. Shire of Plantagenet president Chris Pavlovich said Mr Mollan was well known in the community and the local wine industry. He said Mr Mollan had helped grow the wine industry in the shire, having previously managed an Omrah vineyard. He sent his condolences to Mr Mollan’s family and described him as a “stalwart” of the local darts scene. “But apart from that, I think like most of us, he just enjoyed the lifestyle in the Great Southern where we’ve got fishing and four-wheel-driving and everything else,” Mr Pavlovich said. He said Mt Barker would be “very, very touched and upset” by his death. “Certainly, we’re somewhat sheltered from some of these more dramatic issues that you see in other places, so it will be a shock to the community,” he said. Tributes have also flowed for Mr Mollan on social media. Colleague Leon Rose sent his “love and deepest sympathies” to Mr Mollan’s family and friends. “I had the pleasure of working with Max for the past three years, he was a kind and friendly person,” he said. “It will not be the same not being able to see his smiling face at work.” Mr Mollan’s former high school teacher Brad Donaldson also paid tribute after hearing the “very sad news”. “I taught Max many years ago when he was a student at Mt Barker SHS and remember him as a kind, decent young man,” Mr Donaldson said. “Deepest sympathy to his family.” Another friend, Lisa Dunham, said she would treasure the camping memories she made with Mr Mollan. “Max was such a lovely, harmless man,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense for this to happen to him.” Police say Mr Mollan was socialising with a group of friends and his wife at the Plantagenet Hotel on Lowood Road in the lead-up to his death. They moved from inside the pub to the rear carpark and a motel room. It is alleged the group was then approached by guests staying in the motel who were unhappy with the amount of noise they were making. A fight broke out just after 12.30am in a motel room between Mr Mollan and a 46-year-old man who was not known to him, police say. Mr Mollan fell to the ground outside the motel room. Bystanders immediately gave first aid and called St John Ambulance, but by the time they arrived, Mr Mollan had died. The 46-year-old man, who police say was involved in the altercation, also attempted to administer first aid. On Saturday, police officers had cordoned off the rear carpark of the pub, at the corner of Muir and Lord streets, and were working out of a tent. The Plantagenet Hotel was closed on Saturday, with a sign posted on the door advising it would reopen at 12pm on Sunday. On Sunday morning, forensics officers could be seen entering one of the motel rooms and photographing the porch area. fficers were also seen entering another room on Sunday afternoon. A bouquet of flowers in a plastic container and several sunflowers were left by members of the public on the porch outside the motel. Speaking at the scene on Sunday, Homicide Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Fogell said the investigation was ongoing and the cause of Mr Mollan’s death remained undetermined Det-Sen. Sgt Fogell said police had CCTV footage of the incident. “We still have further forensic examinations to complete,” he said. “The deceased will be subject to a full medical examination including a post-mortem and we’ve still got witnesses to speak to. “I would like to say if anyone has any information relevant to this offence if they could contact police, we’d be very interested to speak to those people. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperswa.com.au.