Reginald Byron Jarvis "Rex" Pilbeam (30 October 1907 – 31 July 1999) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and long-serving mayor of Rockhampton.

[3] He was also the Liberal Party member for Rockhampton South in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from the seat's inception in 1960 until his defeat by Keith Wright in 1969.

[4] Just over a year into his first term, Rex Pilbeam escalated to national notoriety when he was shot in the chest by a former lover.

He was shot on Lion Creek Road in the early hours of 8 June 1953 by 26-year-old Jean Frances McGregor Jennings with a .22 calibre revolver.

She worked at various firms in Brisbane before returning to Rockhampton in October 1952, when Pilbeam was several months into his first term as mayor.

The movie starred Colin Friels, Kris McQuade and Harold Hopkins with Pilbeam making a brief cameo appearance.

The structure features 18 lift gates which can be opened during river rises to allow excess water to escape downstream.

[15] Prior to Pilbeam assuming office in 1952, Rockhampton's ratepayers had overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to establish a local swimming pool, due to what many viewed as an unnecessary and expensive cost.

He walked door-to-door and explained his vision for a swimming pool to be built in Rockhampton, before handing out money boxes for residents to donate any change they could spare.

The World War II Memorial Pool was opened on 26 March 1960 which was marked with a swimming carnival where some well-known swimmers in attendance.

On 13 September 1967, The Lord Casey officially opened the gallery in the auditorium at Rockhampton City Hall where a rotating selection of pictures from the Brisbane collection began being displayed.

Pilbeam soon noticed a Federal Government scheme where galleries were provided with a 70% subsidy for each piece of art, to assist contemporary Australian artists.

The venue was officially opened on 6 June 1979 by Sir Zelman Cowen who said at the time that Pilbeam should take great pleasure in the theatre being named after him as recognition for his efforts for the city.

In his own speech, Pilbeam said that the opening of the theatre and adjoining art gallery were high points of his civic career.

[22] Although bushwalking tracks had been cut in 1932, it was Pilbeam who ensured that a road for vehicular traffic was built up to the peak of Mount Archer which overlooks the city.

Pilbeam said he believed the ceremonial burning was an historic occasion as it signalled the end of an unpleasant and often unhealthy era for Rockhampton.

[26] There is a sports ground in the suburb of Lakes Creek called Pilbeam Park, which is home to the Nerimbera Brothers Football Club.

The clubhouse and the sports ground suffered extensive damage when Tropical Cyclone Marcia struck Rockhampton on 20 February 2015.