Two years have passed but the disbelief, agony and grief remain raw for the families of two police officers slain in a "senseless and evil" crime at a remote property.
Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were among six people shot dead at Wieambilla west of Brisbane on December 12, 2022.
Both young constables loved Christmas and were just days away from spending it with their families when their lives were cut short.
Mr Arnold may have playfully grumbled about the festive period yet when he returned home, he would climb the roof to string up the Christmas lights and take charge of decorating the tree.
But 2021 would be the last time he begged his mum for a Christmas ham with enough for leftovers.
"Matt was excited to come home for Christmas," his family said in a statement on Thursday.
"He was just one shift away from being with us, but he never made it."
Ms McCrow also adored the festive season, each year hanging the tree and house lights, playing Christmas games with her family, dressing up and sharing Secret Santa presents.
A day before the Wieambilla shooting, Ms McCrow and Mr Arnold had pulled a Christmas office prank on their boss by wrapping his computer, keyboard and mouse in wrapping paper.
They never got to see his reaction.
Now Christmas marks a period of emptiness and unbearable sorrow for the two families.
"There will always be a void in our lives: a forever hole in our heart," the McCrow family said.
The pair were killed at the Wieambilla property as they walked up a driveway as part of a missing persons investigation.
Brothers Nathaniel, 46, and Gareth Train, 47, set up concealed sniper positions on their driveway and opened fire on the constables.
Nathaniel Train joined Gareth and his sibling's wife Stacey, 45, to fatally shoot neighbour Alan Dare, 58, soon after killing the two constables.
All three Trains were shot dead by specialist police officers hours later after refusing to negotiate or surrender.
On the second anniversary of the constables' "senseless and evil" deaths, their grieving families will visit their gravesites with flowers, candles and a bucket of Mr Arnold's favourite food, Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Both families say their devastating loss will be a pain they suffer for a lifetime.
But they do not want the deaths to be in vain, saying they want the pair's legacy to be protecting other officers from a "preventable" death.
"We owe it to her .. and every police officer .. and their families," the McCrow family said.
The families are still waiting for the findings of a five week inquest into the Wieambilla shootings that concluded in August.
However, they have called for measures to be implemented ahead of the coroner's recommendations.
The McCrow family has called for aerial drones to be made available to police before entering a scene.
They also asked for satellite communications in all police cars, a national weapons database and better training.
"This should never have happened," the Arnold family said.
"We live in the hope that no other family will ever have to endure this anguish, sadness, and grief."
Premier David Crisafulli said current and former officers across Queensland would walk with a "heavier heart" on Thursday.
"The emotions of that day are still so very raw," he told parliament.
"I want the families, friends and colleagues, Rachel and Matt and Alan, to know they are not forgotten, and they won't be forgotten."
