The site of the accident at Cockatoo Island. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied
Rod Allen with his wife Laila in 2005. Picture: Morgan James Source: Supplied
SYDNEY sporting circles are mourning the death of Rod Allen - "an all-round good bloke" - who died in an accident on Cockatoo Island today.
Allen fell off a viewing platform overhanging a cliff on Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour. He had been camping with his wife Laila and close friends.
Following a friend's birthday celebration on Saturday night the former sports editor turned sports media consultant became disoriented when he was returning to his tent on the northern side of the island.
He fell over a sandstone cliff adjacent to the historic Biloela House, where the party was held, in the early hours of the morning.
The investigation by NSW water police will centre on whether there was adequate fencing, lighting and signage around the 20m drop and the pathways leading to the platform, which appeared to be undergoing repairs.
Allen was found at the base of the cliff on Sunday morning.
The world-heritage-listed former convict island is managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, a Federal Government agency.
Executive director Geoff Bailey said "there was no construction work going on anywhere near where the incident happened".
Allen's wife Laila was too upset to speak, however, Allen's friends and colleagues have spoken about his infectious personality which touched the lives of many people.
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Allen grew up in Castle Hill in Sydney’s north-west and was the son of a newspaper compositor.
He joined the Daily Telegraph as a cadet in 1986, rising quickly through the ranks, reporting on politics and business before becoming a sports editor.
In 1998 he joined the Sydney Morning Herald where, in 2004, he became managing sports editor of the SMH and Sun Herald.
He took redundancy in October 2009 to take up the job as head of media relations at Football Federation Australia, working on Australia's bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He also worked as a consultant for the Australian Turf Club, then last year worked for the Australian Olympic Committee at the London Olympics.
Most recently he set up his own consultancy, The Rocket Group.
Stuart Gregor, who knew Allen for 25 years since they began as cadets together at News Limited said he "was one of the really good honest decent blokes who was a true news man no matter what his role".
"He's gone way way too soon," Gregor said.
Mark Skaife, five-time V8 Supercar Champion and six-time Bathurst winner, said:
"Rod was not only an outstanding journalist but also a terrific bloke. I was honoured to have met Rod many times and for him to attend the last fulltime race of my career.
"This news is truly devastating and an enormous loss to the media and sport in this country. My thoughts and prayers are with Rod's family in this terrible, terrible time."
Former Football Federation of Australia boss and friend, Ben Buckley, said Allen's legacy was summed up in a speech at his farewell party from the FFA.
"Someone said that there is no-one they would rather be in the trenches with than Rod Allen. I think that says everything about him," Buckley said.
Buckley said Allen was "very level headed" and calm but also forthright and firm in his views.
"He had a great intuition for what was right and what was wrong and was always willing to back his point of view, that won him respect," Buckley said.
"He was a great friend of many people at the FFA. A wonderful loyal team member. No-one has a bad word to say about him.
"He was well loved by many people in many different aspects of sport. We are deeply saddened by the news.
"He did great work around the World Cup bid and around the A-League.
"He was a great confidant to me - a really great friend of mine.
"He was a fun guy to have around the office." Buckley said.
AOC media director Mike Tancred said Allen was gifted and cool-headed when he ran the main press centre office for the AOC at the London Olympics.
Tancred said Allen's personality and talent "set him apart" in the media industry.
"People who worked with him were encouraged by him - he had a great way with people.
Tancred said the success of Allen's consultancy, Rocket Group, "spoke volumes of his talent".
Tancred said he kept in touch with Allen after the Olympics through their shared passion for horse racing.
Australian Turf Club chief executive Darren Pearce said Allen would "leave a lasting mark on Sydney racing, but more than anything else he will leave a mark on the people he worked closest with".
"I couldn't fathom how someone so fit in the prime of his life and with so much to live for could meet such a tragic end.
"Rod had been on an amazing journey with Sydney racing over the past four years through the merger process, redevelopment funding and the transformation that is now deep in progress," Pearce said.
"The ATC is deeply saddened by Rod's passing and we send our love and prayers to his mum (who is a regular at Sydney race tracks) his wife Laila and the team at Rocket Group," Pearce said.
V8 Supercars media manager Cole Hitchcock said Allen was "hugely respected" across a number of different sports and a "very approachable, likeable good guy".
"He supportive of V8 supercars over a long period of time" Hitchcock said.
"He recognised the growth of the sport, we literally became mainstream overnight.
"He was instrumental in helping with the profile of the sport."
Sydney Morning Herald sports editor Ian Fuge said all of Allen’s friends were "stunned and struggling" to take this in at the moment.
"Our thoughts are with Rod's family and his many, many friends.
"Rod was a terrific sports editor whose nose for a story and professionalism still resonates on our sportsdesk today.
"But to those of us who worked with him, he was much more than that - he was a close friend. Indeed, many of us were with him last night, celebrating a colleague's birthday.
"He was a champion bloke. Warm, generous, fiercely loyal, always up for a beer and a pub debate, Rod was a fun person to be around. We will all miss him."
Allen, lived in Bondi and liked to keep fit - mainly through boxing training.
He was an avid Parramatta Eels and Socceroos supporter and, as a teenager, was a top amateur tennis player.
To Rod and his family my deepest thought go out to them. We were tennis doubles partners in the early days.It has been more than 20 years since we have seen each other I was shocked to hear of this news all the way in Boston MA USA.Todd Moore
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