'R.I.P. Phillip (Boofa). You will always be my hero,' wrote a young friend, who left flowers as a tribute on the cricket nets behind Phillip Hughes's family home.
'Happy birthday Pillip (sic). You will be missed by everyone in Macksvill (sic),' another child wrote, leaving his note in the place where Hughes's brilliant yet unfinished cricket career began.
The young batsman will be farewelled on Wednesday in the country town.
A local, who saw Hughes grow up and play both NRL and cricket alongside his two sons, says the young children in the community will be amongst those that miss the cricketer the most.
'Juniors idolised him. They absolutely thought the world of him,' he said.
'Whenever Hughes played, the whole town would gather to watch him. Everyone would come down to the pub to watch our boy.
'But it was the young ones who loved him the most. They were so excited about "Phil-Hughes-from-Macksville" as they'd often call him.'
'When he came back to town he'd always say hey and give them the time of day.'
Hughes 'never forgot where he came from' and remained incredibly close with his family, including his father Greg, his mother Virginia, sister Megan and brother Jason.
