The man who spent the best part of three decades getting one of Australian cricket's most dominant stomping grounds ready for the summer onslaught is calling it quits.
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The Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell jnr has confirmed he would retire in November after this year's opening Ashes Test in Brisbane, ending 33 years at the ground.
Mr Mitchell became head curator in 1989, taking over from his father, overseeing a ground that has had to juggle cricket, AFL, soccer and even a concert in 2016.
In the past three decades the hallowed ground played host to Queensland's first Sheffield Shield win, the Brisbane Lions' celebrated AFL premiership trifecta and countless memorable moments as the Aussies tore apart their cricketing foes in the traditional first Test of the season.
Queensland cricket legend Matthew Hayden belted 197 on the deck Mitchell prepared in 2002, while English quick Steve Harmison shot to infamy when he sent the first ball of the 2006-07 Ashes series to second slip.
"In the '80s we had the really good West Indies teams touring with the likes of Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and the big four fast bowlers and that was an eye-opener for me, I thought, 'what a great place to work'," Mr Mitchell said.
"... The Gabba is a famous, iconic, historic stadium and you feel that responsibility to create something that Queenslanders are proud of, you have to love the job, it's a big part of your life."
Queensland Sports Minister Mick de Brenni said Mr Mitchell's impact on Australian and world cricket was immeasurable.
"The name Kevin Mitchell jnr is synonymous with the Gabba and the pitches he curates are recognised as the best in the world, striking fear into the hearts of visiting cricket teams," he said.
"To keep producing an absolute world-class deck on a ground that is used all year round takes a particular talent."
Mr Mitchell had moved into a less-physical, part-time role in recent years, focusing on guiding his team and helping recruit a successor, he said.
"Kevvie Mitchell has meant so much to the Gabba and his work on the playing surface has really been instrumental in a lot of our success as a venue," the Gabba manager Blair Conaghan said.
"It's been a fantastic journey for him, from the days when it included the old greyhound track to its transformation into the more modern facility it is today and to consistently deliver over such a long period of time is an incredible achievement."
