Wonthaggi woodcrafters

Member Profile List

July 2012 - Bernie Bambling Aug 2012 – Neil Lenne Sept 2012 – Michael Barnes Oct 2012 – Kaye Hatton Nov 2012 – Bob Porter Dec 2012 – Glenn Richards Jan 2013 – Ted Hattam Feb 2013 – Frank Kisvarda Mar 2013 – Jim Kilpatrick Apr 2013 – Marion Kerry May 2013 – Neil Bateman June 2013 – Tony Hughes July 2013 - No profile Aug 2013 – Roy Fischmann Sept 2013 – Andy Hopkins Oct 2013 – Ken Urquhart Nov 2013 – Lionel Wood Dec 2013 – No profile Jan 2014 – Alan McNaught Feb 2014 – Hartley Tobin Mar 2014 – Michael Bladen Apr 2014 – John DiStefano May 2014 – Eric Thorpe June 2014 – Alistair Lowe July 2014 - Ron Snooks Aug 2014 – Robert Millard Sept 2014 – Bruce Talbot Oct 2014 – Glenn Williams Nov 2014 – Georgia Van Rooijen Dec 2014 – No profile Jan 2015 – Okke Huitema Feb 2015 – Gavin Averay Mar 2015 – Daphne and Geoff Tinkler Apr 2015 – Alan Hurst

July 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’: This will become a regular

feature of our Newsletter, with the aim of getting to know other

members. This month our member penpic features Bernie

Bambling.

I was born in Kingaroy in Queensland (I guess that already

explains a lot), but grew up in Nundah, a Brisbane outer

suburb. I completed a fitting and turning apprenticeship and a

degree in mechanical and electrical engineering and left home for

Melbourne at 22 years of age.

My wife is Barbara and we have a son, Paul. Mostly I worked as an engineer

designing and constructing equipment in the following fields - mining, food

processing, fibreglass transport equipment, waste treatment, power stations. My last 15 years before retirement

was spent as a shopkeeper.

Barbara and I had owned a beach house at Cape Patterson for nearly 15years and the area always appealed to

us, so we decided to settle in Wonthaggi. It’s close enough to everything yet far enough away to be just about

perfect.

My father was a fitter and I helped him doing jobs around the house and making furniture. My strongest

memory of an interest in woodcraft is my father teaching me to hand saw a straight line. He let me use his new

Disston panel saw and he ruled 6 straight lines along a 6 foot long board (2 inch thick) then said, “Start

sawing”!

I enjoy being involved with the Wonthaggi Woodies because of the friendships and interaction with like-

minded people. I would love to see our Club own our premises, and be master of our own destiny.

Those who know me, realise that I love a chat, a laugh and to get things done.

August 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’: This is now a regular feature of our Newsletter, with the aim of learning

more about our fellow members. This month our member penpic features

Neil Lenne.

I grew up in Reservoir with my mother, father and adopted brother. I was born without a hip on my right side and spent a lot of my childhood at either the Children's Hospital in

Melbourne or at Mt Martha's Children's Hospital. There they tried to stretch my right leg and stop my left leg from growing (I would

have been a lot taller under normal circumstances). When I was home, I was in plaster for lengthy periods. My father never got to see me walk unaided. He passed away of a heart attack in front of me at a scout meeting when I was 10 years old. I meet Lynn when she was 16 and I was 19, and we’ve been together ever since - married for 33 years. We have 2 adult children, our son Heath is 27 and has 2 children, Emily 3 and Jack 18mths. He and his partner are expecting their 3rd in September. Our daughter Elise also has 2 children, Declan 3 and Liam 18mth (I think they got together and planned it to send us broke). So by Christmas we will have 5 grandchildren! I left school when I was 14, I missed so much schooling I just couldn't catch up and was actually asked to leave. The first job I had was electro plating and metal polishing, I was there for around 2 years. Next, I worked for a glass company in Collingwood were I learnt glazing. I was there for around 5 years. My next and last job for 20 years was for the S.E.C as a plant operator. I was finally forced to retire at 43 due to ill health. The specialist actually told me that if I didn't retire I would be in a wheel chair in 10 years. It's been 13 years now and I'm still walking, so it was obviously the right decision. It was a hard time as the kids were still in high school but we pulled together and got through. I have been coming to Phillip Island since I was a child. My uncle had a holiday house at the Cape. We started coming down as a family over 20 years ago. We always stayed at the foreshore caravan park in San Remo. Starting with a pop-top then moving on to an on-site van. We decided many years ago that San Remo was the place we wanted to be and always told the kids that as soon as they both had a full time job and could support themselves, we were off. That is exactly what we did 7 years ago. We lived in the caravan for 12 months while the house was being built just up the road in, what we believe, is the best spot in Sany. Lynn's mum moved with us, as she was on her own, and has a granny flat under the house. We love the peace and quiet, everything is at a much slower pace and we live a pretty quiet life, which suits us. My father in-law had a big influence on my life. When I met Lynn, I was immediately welcomed into the family. We found out later that my mum actually worked with Lynn's dad at the carpet mill and Lynn's mum went to school with my dad – it’s a small world. Dad treated me like the son he never had, taught me a lot about gardening and working out problems and he was always there for me. He passed away 16 years ago and I lost another father. I have always loved working with wood, the feel and smell, the different types, the way it can be changed. When I retired I did a French polishing course and have both made or repaired a lot of furniture in our house. Lynn often brings home tatty or broken pieces of furniture from the op shop and garage sales and says, "Neil can you fix it?" She thinks I can fix anything. I love pottering around the garden and I'm a life member at the Preston Garden Club. In 2011 I received a gold medal from the Horticultural Society for service to horticulture. I used to do a lot of lead lighting and I also love playing golf, but have not done either for some time. Unfortunately I have had to cut back a lot due to my health. It's a bugger getting old. I enjoy the Woodies because I meet people. Lynn works and I need company. I would go mad if I didn't do anything. Woodwork is something I can do when I'm able and I have a break when I'm not. I think speakers at the general meetings would be interesting. It would also be really good if club members would share their knowledge and techniques through more formal talks and information days/nights. It's always good to learn new things.

MICHAEL (MIKE) BARNES

September 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’:

I was born a very long time ago in Nottingham,

England and my family consists of Mum, Dad and 2

brothers.

Growing up in the war years was very difficult for us. Dad

was away for many years as he was a long term soldier in the

British Army. I started school at the age of 5 at the Highbury School for Boys in

Nottingham. I was an average pupil but did well in metalwork, woodwork and sport.

I finished up being in the school teams for swimming and athletics.

Having left school at the age of 15, I took a 5 year apprenticeship as a radio, TV and

electronics engineer which lead to me being offered a job in Dartmouth, Devon, UK,

(where the TV show ‘Down to Earth’ was made) . I was fixing up radio, TV, marine

equipment, etc., until I found employment with the electronics company S.T.C.

There I was very privileged to be on the design and development team of the original Heart Pacemaker along

with the miniaturisation of various electronic medical aids.

I met Doreen a month before my 16th birthday at the Lady Bower Dam in Derbyshire (where ‘The Dam

Busters’ film was made). We were married in 1958 on a cold December day in Sheffield, Yorkshire. Our only

child, Ian, was born 2 years later.

In 1971 Doreen, Ian and myself emigrated to Australia looking for a new life and we settled in the Ringwood

area. I still worked in the electronics field for a few years before having to retire from work with heart problems

in 1990. We moved to Korumburra in 1996, making the break from the city. After 8 years I found that the

garden got steeper, the main street got steeper, so we sold our home and moved to Wonthaggi, where

everywhere is flat and we have a good hospital close by.

Living in South Gippsland is great as we are far enough away from the city but close enough to visit family and

friends; where else would you find such wonderful country side.

The most influential person in my life has to be my wife Doreen. She has had to nurse me through many serious

illnesses and operations and now is my chauffer and aide, as it gets harder to drive.

Our interests in the UK were deeply involved in motorcycle sports which involved travelling to various parts of

the country and also offshore sailing. In Australia we took up tenpin bowling for a while and then started

playing lawn bowls. Both Doreen and I have served on various sporting committees and both became

Presidents of the South Gippsland Bowls Assoc. We have just retired from the game after playing for over 35

years.

My first introduction to wood was at school where we had to attend woodwork classes. We were taught how to

use and care for tools, producing various items. This interest faded after leaving school, until I joined

Wonthaggi Woodcrafters and now I really enjoy my time with all members of the club who have helped me so

much.

I wish to thank all at Turning and Toy Making who have made me welcome and tried to educate me about

different timbers and how to do things correctly and I hope that the club continues to progress steadily as we are

at the present. I hope to be a member for many years to come.

KAYE HATTON

October 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’:

About the time I was born in Queensland, my father

was informed that he had been approved for a soldier

settlement farm on King Island. So our family of five left

Queensland and after a short stint in Melbourne with

grandparents, we moved to a camp house at Yarra Creek on

King Island. We stayed there amongst several other soldier settler families waiting

on their farms until our farm house was built. All the soldier settlers had to work

on the farms clearing, fencing, ploughing, etc., for two years before stocking their

own farm. Father chose a dairy farm and being brought up in the city, he had a

hard time farming and as many other settlers also did, our family of seven left the

island for Victoria whilst I was still in high school. As kids we had many happy

years on the farm and the move to Frankston was a huge shock to us. Power

switches that worked without starting a generator were a novelty that we soon got

used to but I have never got used to crowds of people. Two more years of high school in Frankston and I started

work at 16 with the Reserve Bank of Australia doing the dullest, most boring and dirty job of counting old

money before it was destroyed. Moving on to the car trade I began my book keeping career with the best

employer I ever had. My dearest King Island friend had moved to New Zealand with her family so I visited and

loved the place so much that two years later and still just a teenager, I moved to New Zealand. After living

there for seven years I returned to Frankston with my little darling Kiwi daughter Sara. After many more years

book keeping I switched to the computer industry installing and training on manufacturing software systems for

the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industries. Years rolled on and I moved to part time work at the RSPCA

shelter in Pearcedale and there I met my husband to be, John. When we retired and moved to Koo Wee Rup in

2008 we looked about for something to keep us occupied and social. We had both been avid visitors of the

Working with Wood Shows in Melbourne for some years so decided on wood turning. Not wanting to travel

back to the suburbs I started researching clubs and found the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters listed in the Australian

Woodworker magazine. Pyrography was listed as well and as I was not sure of what it was, the drive to

Wonthaggi for a look about at the club started what has become a very enjoyable part of my life. Pyrography

got me hooked and it wasn’t until John decided to get a second lathe that I took up turning in 2010. In 2011 I

joined the Club Committee. As well as turning and pyrography, family history research is another hobby and

now I am doing pyrography portraits of ancestors in a beautiful leather bound book of handmade paper which

my daughter sent me from her travels in Italy years ago. When the book is completed I will give it back to her

for safekeeping and to share with her three children a little of my family history.

I look forward to many more years at the Club and hopefully I will find enough time to try other crafts such as

scroll sawing and box making. I would like to see and participate in more demonstrations at our General

Meetings with members and invited guests. I have found that Woodies are very generous sharers of their

knowledge and I think that we would gain much by occasional interclub activities.

BOB PORTER

November 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’:

I grew up in Preston, Melbourne and lived there until I

was married at 22 years old. We lived in Lalor for the

next 6 years. In that time 3 of my 4 children were born –

Maree, Glenn and Lisa. My wife Lyn and I built a house in

Reservoir over 2 years with the help of my father-in-law, Alf

Hanvey, who was a chippy. The house was then rested for 6 months to season. When

we moved in our 4th child was born.

I served my apprenticeship as a motor mechanic and worked at AMI on Triumphs

and Ramblers for eleven years. I then went on to work at many different places

including Reg Press Engine Recos, Volkswagen and Mazda.

It was necessary to do extra backyard work servicing trucks and up to 2 or 3 part-

time jobs at a time. I hated mechanics so I tried to avoid that. I have tried hop picking, bread carting, selling

part-cleaning services, fertiliser sales and also school cleaning, which lasted 9 years.

After my divorce from Lynette, I raised my teenage children in a house I bought for them in Broadmeadows

and lived there for 10 years, after which I met my present wife Maureen. We moved to Reservoir and remained

there for 5 years until Maureen retired at the beginning of 1999, when we moved to Inverloch. We loved

Inverloch and made many good friends there.

Whilst working at the Caravan Park in Cutriss Street, I developed heart trouble. After a bypass operation, we

downsized and moved to Wonthaggi. We also travelled around Australia and the U. K. and have had many

other smaller trips. I sold the van some time ago and at the moment we are enjoying short Travel Auction

holidays.

GLEN RICHARDS

December 2012

MEMBER ‘PEN PICTURE’:

I grew up mainly around Carnegie where my father

had a Newsagency business into which I followed in

1964. I also spent a huge part of my teen years and early

20s on a family farm at Burrumbeet during school holidays

and whenever possible loved to be outside. I was one of six

children and married my wife Carolyn in 1966. Subsequently we had a son and a

daughter. I started work in an office job which I hated. I then got a job at GJ Coles

& Coy in 1961, where I stayed for 3 years before going to work with my father in

the Newsagency business. As well as working during peak seasons on the family

farm, I eventually took over the Newsagency business in 1970. In 1987, I sold that

business and bought two retail liquor stores which I had for 4 years before having a

year off. I then bought another Newsagency in Cheltenham in 1991, in which my

son and daughter worked alongside me. When they were not interested in carrying on, we decided to sell it in

2002 and I was going to retire. However, being bored after major heart surgery, I decided to move onto a farm

for the lifestyle. We moved onto our farm at Blackwood Forest (between Loch & Wonthaggi) on the 1st

February 2005.

We enjoy the lifestyle and all the new friends that we have made while undertaking the various community

activities we became engaged in around the local area.

Apart from my father & my wife who’ve played a big part in my life, there are also many others too numerous

to mention. Suffice is to say that I have always been very active in community affairs and people from all those

activities have influenced my life. My hobbies and interests include farming, Freemasonry, Rose Lodge (aged

care facility Wonthaggi) and fishing when time permits. I have been involved in various service clubs and

Local Government and general community activities for most of my life and now wish to back off a bit.

My earliest memories of an interest in woodcrafting, was being taken by my wife to the Woodies Christmas

Shop and finding my friend Arthur Phillips (who I knew back in Melbourne) was involved with the Club. As I

thought the work load would be reduced on the farm with the entry of our son as a share farmer I decided

woodcrafting would be of great interest for me. It would be something new and keep my mind active. I enjoy

the comradery and fellowship amongst the members at Wonthaggi Woodies

and would like to see the Club continue to prosper, but still remain a small, closely connected group of like-

minded individuals.

January 2013

IN MEMORY OF A VALUED CLUB MEMBER:

It is with sadness that we learned of the passing of Wonthaggi

Woodies Club Member, Ted Hattam. Ted passed away

peacefully at Domain Seahaven in Inverloch on January 2nd.

He had been a resident at Seahaven since 2008. He will be

fondly remembered by his friends at Wonthaggi Woodies. Below is an extract from

the eulogy at Ted’s funeral held on 10th January. On the 24th of May 1927 Edward Donel Hattam was born in Morwell to Rachel and Henry Hattam. Edward from herein was known as TED. Ted grew up in Yallourn and attended the Yallourn Primary and Technical School. He started work at the age of 17 at Yallourn power station where his father worked. He held many positions and worked his way up to a supervisor. Ted enjoyed cycling, competing in events at Mirboo North and other areas in Victoria with Max Fox his brother in-law. He loved motorbikes, cars, dancing and tinkering in the shed. On the 19th of May, 1951 he married Dorothy Williams in Yallourn. They settled in Newborough. Ted and Dot enjoyed

travelling on the motorbike with friends and had lots of lovely times at Inverloch. After an accident at the power station, Ted suffered bad health and decided to go farming. In 1952 Ted & Dot purchased 21 acres of land at Leongatha North. They set up a milking shed and worked hard on weekends to make it into their new home before shifting over to Leongatha North. ln 1953, Ted and Dot welcomed their first child, Judy, who was born at Yallourn. With no experience in farming, only the trusty 'Blue Dairy Book’, they purchased eight Jersey cows. They quickly learnt the basics of farming with the help of their kind neighbours. While Dot went to work at 'Permewans' general store, Ted looked after Judy and they would go 'rabbiting' in the early hours of the morning, to provide meat for the evening meal. ln 1956, their second child, John, was born. Additional land across the road was purchased, which was dense bushland. With the assistance of George Baldwin the land was cleared, using gelignite and nitrapril. This allowed them to increase the herd to 50 cattle. Ted loved his Jersey cows and set up the "Buranda Jersey Stud". Life was tough in those days, but they made the most of it. Ted loved singing at the piano while Dot played. He loved his card nights at home with local people joining them. ln 1960, along with a new decade, came the birth of their third child, Pam. House renovations commenced three years later along with electricity. Then finally in 1973 the inside toilet was added. Ted loved Border Collie dogs. He bred and trained dogs which were sent all around Australia. Ted enjoyed working in his shed, repairing old band instruments that no one else could fix. He also had a metal lathe that he used to repair antique guns. Ted enjoyed casting aluminium, making each of his grand children's 21st keys from the original one given to him by his father on his 21st. ln the 1970's Ted and Dot moved away from milking cows and sold parts of their land. ln 1975, Ted ran for Woorayl Shire Council and become a councillor, later having a term as Shire President in 1981-1982. ln 1984, the Firelight Museum was constructed on the old chook shed site. Here his beloved antique guns were on display along with Dot's lovely collection of antique lamps, kitchenware and other collectable items. The museum was where Ted and Dot’s talents shone, together with Dot's famous Devonshire tea. Ted became the waiter for small weddings and functions. He also ran courses required for people to obtain their gun licence. Throughout Ted's life, he was involved in many community committees, including the Woorayl Memorial Hospital, Local Tourism, the Leongatha Youth Club and the South Gippsland Shire Brass Band (Woorayl Brass Band). The Band was struggling, so every week Ted and Dot would go to band practice to help with increasing membership and fundraising. For Ted's efforts he was awarded a life membership to the band in 1992. ln 1993 he was awarded The South Gippsland Shire Citizen of the Year. ln 1999 his beloved wife, Dot, passed away, leaving Ted to run the Firelight Museum. Due to ill health in 2006 he moved into Banksia Aged Care Lodge at Foster, then later to Domain Seahaven lnverloch in 2008. Whist living at Domain Seahaven he always enjoyed catching up with his mates at the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters. RIP Ted.

TED

HATTAM

FRANK KISVARDA

February 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Gozo, which is the small island off

Malta, and as my parents wanted a fresh start after

WW2 they decided to move to Australia. We left Malta in

November 1954 on a 6-week trip to Melbourne, with my

mother and 7 of my brothers & sisters all in one cabin on

the ship Surriento.

My father who owned a small bar, the Gleneagles in Gozo (which is still in the

family and operated by my cousin) left Malta the year before so he could secure

employment and purchase a house for his large family in Melbourne.

He found work as a labourer at Sims Metal in Kensington, where he also

eventually found a small house for us by the time we arrived in January 1955. As

I was only 5 years old (3rd youngest of 8 children) and with a limited knowledge

of the English language, I was apprehensive about how we would all manage with

our new schools and environment.

We continued to live in Kensington for a few years than eventually moved into a larger house in Flemington

attending the Catholic schools there before moving onto a Business College in the city.

After leaving the College I joined the RAAF for 6 years, working in logistics and then moving to computer

systems and analysis. The time in the RAAF was a great experience as I had the opportunity to acquire a broad

range of knowledge, travel and meet a great bunch of people.

I met my wife Margaret when I was stationed with the RAAF in Melbourne. We moved to Adelaide for my

final year in the Airforce, and after completing my term we went to the UK & Europe on a working holiday for

10 months, celebrating our first anniversary in Southampton.

When we returned back to Melbourne, I joined a transport company to head their computer processing section

and although I was keen to continue with my career in the world of systems and computers I was lured by my

brother to join his clothing manufacturing business as he wanted to go back to live in Malta and wanted

someone to take it over.

Knowing very little about garments or manufacturing I spent 12months ‘learning the ropes’ and then suddenly

he was gone and my younger brother and I were left to manage the growing business.

That experience was my entry into the Clothing & Fashion business, working with a diverse range of large and

small companies. 35yrs later, I am still involved as I now operate a part-time specialised management advisory

business, assisting and mentoring wholesale and retail companies that are seeking ways of improving their

companies in a very changeable environment.

Margaret and I have been married for 42 years, have a son and daughter and 5 grandchildren who we see often,

as my daughter and her family have decided to move to Inverloch due to her husband taking on the role of head

chef at the Esplanade hotel here. My son and his family live in Kew and as we travel to Melbourne on a weekly

basis, we get to see his family as well.

Previous to moving to Inverloch, we lived in Macclesfield (in the Dandenong Ranges) for 30 years on a small

hobby farm where Margaret grew beautiful roses, tulips and many other varieties of plants, vegetables and other

flora, and I attempted to grow grapes and make my own wine (with limited success).

We purchased our holiday home at Inverloch some 6 years ago, after looking for a change from the mountains

to the sea. This eventually become our permanent home after selling our small farm some 4 years ago.

Margaret and I decided to move to Inverloch as it seemed to offer a great contrast to the environment in

Macclesfield, with its inlet and beaches, walking distance to the shops and other conveniences.

We have regularly explored the surrounds of Gippsland and love the mountains, small villages and the general

atmosphere of this area. Although we still feel Inverloch has a lot to offer, it is disappointing that the level of

development that is being permitted is starting to spoil the ‘village’ atmosphere of the town.

When living in Macclesfield my main hobby was to look after the vines, and build up to each season in picking

grapes and then trying to make that wine.

Since arriving in Inverloch on a more permanent basis, I have taken an interest in woodturning and

subsequently joined the Wonthaggi Woodies some 18 months ago.

Joining the Woodies has made me realise how many things you can do with a simple piece of wood and given

me the opportunity of meeting some great people who have generously passed on their knowledge and expertise

to enhance my woodturning.

JIM KILPATRICK

KK

March 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in the town of Rothesay (pop. 7000) on the

Isle of Bute, which is off the coast of Scotland. The

island is about the same size as Phillip Island and was a very

popular holiday resort in the pre-war period before foreign

holidays became the ‘in thing’. Rothesay boasts an 800 year

old castle in the middle of the town, in remarkably good condition.

I trained as a draughtsman with the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in

Aberdeen. Later, having become interested in Electrical Engineering, I studied this

branch of engineering and gained a Higher National Diploma. I subsequently took up

a position as an engineer with the Hydro Board, working in turn in the Planning,

Construction and Operation & Maintenance departments.

In 1955 I married Jean and in 1957 our only son Gerald was born. Some four years later I successfully applied

for a position as project engineer with the South Eastern Electricity Board in Kent. We moved to Kent, settling

initially in the small town of Cranbrook, later moving to Folkestone. My work there was taking charge of the

construction and commissioning of electricity substations up to 11,000 volts.

I took early retirement at 55 and Jean and I moved back to Scotland. Gerald had gained an Honours Degree in

Electronics and was working for British Aerospace in Lancashire. He had also married Anita, whom he had met

at University. They did not move to Scotland with us as they lived and worked in Preston. On our return to

Scotland, Jean and I eventually settled in Falkirk. I had been keen on drawing and painting from an early age

and joined the local art club. I exhibited at the annual art shows, fortunately selling most of the paintings I

entered. Falkirk Council staged an annual themed show in Callander Park, a huge park with a stately home,

Callander House, as a very imposing background. I painted two fairly large pictures of successive annual

shows, one with a medieval theme, the other with a western theme, which are now in the Falkirk Council art

collection.

Sadly, my dear wife suffered a stroke in 2002 and passed away. Gerald and Anita had emigrated to Australia in

1982 and now had three daughters. As I had no reason to stay in the UK, I decided to come to Australia and

arrived in Melbourne in 2004. I rented a unit in Wonthaggi, purchased a block of land, and arranged to have a

single storey house built. I got my Australian licence and bought a car. When that was all done, I felt I could

then look for some interesting leisure activities while my house was being completed. I joined the Bass Coast

Art Society and was fortunate enough to sell some of my paintings. Also, Gerald had previously been a member

of the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters doing turning, until ill-health made it difficult for him to continue. He

suggested we join the pyrography group. We went along and I met the famous Billy Moat. She was indeed a

real character and she showed us the basics of the gentle art of pyrography. Billy has passed on, but I’m sure

she left a deep impression on everyone she came in contact with. I am pleased to have known her and will be

eternally grateful to her for introducing me to what has proved to be a very absorbing hobby.

Marion Kerry

April 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

We were born on the longest day of the year, 21st

December 1948. My mother had travelled up to Sydney

from the small town of Ardlethan in the wheat country of

southern N.S.W. where my father had his first parish as a

Presbyterian minister. Little did she know that she’d be

bringing home two baby girls until the middle of December when the doctor leant on

the end of her bed and casually informed his students that Mrs Kerry was having

twins. So she obtained needles and wool and madly tried to knit another few baby

singlets.

Dianne and I were brought back to Ardlethan slightly prem but both with healthy

weights and proceeded to be fussed over by the congregation. 18 months later our sister Colleen was born who

from day one tried her utmost to keep up with ‘the twins’.

When we were 3 we moved to Tumut in the Snowy Mountains, where Dianne and I eventually started school.

As we returned for holidays nearby as we grew older I remember driving on rough tracks, tooting at blind

corners as we drove on a one lane road down around the side of a cliff to the Yarrangobilly Caves and paddling

in trout streams while dad played at being a fisherman.

While we lived in Tumut Mum went to hospital one Sunday morning, walked home to cook dad (and us)

lunch then was driven back to give birth to Kathryn the next day.

At the end of the year we swapped houses with the minister from Nowra for holidays where we were

introduced to oysters (yuk,spit) and prawns (bee-utiful). Unfortunately I also came into contact with the

hepatitis bug around that time and by the time we had moved to Drummoyne in Sydney later that month and

begun Grade 1 I was diagnosed and sent to the infectious diseases ward at the North Shore Hospital, where I

stayed for a good six weeks and at one stage was at death’s door.

We continued with our schooling in Sydney until we were half way through Grade 5 when we moved to

Caulfield North in Melbourne where the neighbouring kids indoctrinated us the necessity of ‘having a team’.

We’d barracked for a local soccer team in Drummoyne so the hands on aspect of VFL was very different.

Eighteen months later when we were 12 mum was due to have another child, and to her delight she presented

dad with a SON, Gordon. The first male with the Kerry name for our generation.

We went on to MacRob Girl’s High from 3rd to 6th form, then I went to Toorak Teacher’s College for

Primary training and Dianne did secondary training through Melbourne University. I met my ‘husband to be’

the day before I left Melbourne to start teaching at Timboon Consolidated in the Western District. After we

married in 1971 I taught at Hartwell, had 12 months off to have Kerryn in 1972, went on to Mooroolbark East,

had Monique in 1976 and transferred to Fairhills Primary as we had bought a house in Ferntree Gully. After

that I did a couple of hops between Upper FTG and Fairhills before retiring in 2009 with 21 years at UFTG.

In 1997 my twin Dianne was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had a massive operation after which she

lived most of the time at our place until she died in 1999 at the age of 50.

By the beginning of 2005 my husband and I had separated and I found myself a little Hobbit Hole to rent in

Belgrave where I began to rejig my life and continued to build up my stock of craft material and books. As I

finished my teaching career I began searching the net looking for a place to call my own and thanks to a

friend’s comment looked at Wonthaggi.

Four years ago when I drove down Murray St. the feeling of the place was sensational!! I knew no-one but

that was never a problem as I checked out Mitchell House and joined some groups – craft being of prime

importance. A friend told me about Wonthaggi U3A and I was thrilled to discover that Astronomy was on the

curriculum which related to my long time interest in science-fiction. There I met Stan Landells who

encouraged me to turn to turning.

So here I am in a unit overflowing with books, craft materials of all sorts, a variety of sewing machines and

other craft equipment, a garage with wood turning equipment, wood, tubs of yarn and currently no space for a

car. I have two stunning daughters, four granddaughters (2 of whom are currently living in Germany) and many

good friends. Thank you all.

NEIL BATEMAN

May 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born at Bendigo Vic. on 11/11/1945. From

around 5 years of age, the family moved around central

Vic and finally ended up in Clayton, Melbourne about

1957. I left school during the credit squeeze and started

working for James McEwan & Coy at South Melbourne and Chadstone

Shopping Centre (this was 6 months before it actually opened).

When I left that employment, I ventured into the army in May 1965 where I

remained through to May 1985. I served in Malaysia from February 1966 to

February 1968, was posted to Nth. Queensland that year and met and married my

wife Rhonda that December 28th. From there on we were shuffled through the

eastern States. Upon discharge from the army, we decided to stay within the

Brisbane district and settled in Caboolture where we remained for around 25

years.

Post-discharge, I gained employment with the Qld. Education Dept., where I stayed for 9 years until taking

redundancy. We then decided to embark on a different venture and took on a mixed business on Bribie Island

at Woorim. This lasted for 5 years, until health issues pushed us into retirement.

With retirement, and meeting a new set of friends, new horizons opened up and I was nudged into having a go

at turning wood. I got serious about it and my mate George started calling me a ‘termite’! That was around

2000 and I have been at it ever since. I’ve been in three different clubs - Caboolture, then Redcliffe, where I

was given a good grounding in woodturning and especially finishing techniques and now here at Wonthaggi

Woodcrafters.

When our two remaining children, separately, decided to move to southern climes (the other went to the U.K.)

both ended up here in Wonthaggi and after a couple of years of constant pressure I decided to move to those

same southern climes, (apples and trees). Silence in empty houses is deafening.

Rhonda and I are both happy now that we are here. I have joined a nice progressive country Woodies Club,

with excellent facilities and equipment. The club enjoys good community rapport through their toymaking

venture.

Joining Wonthaggi Woodies has been a shot in the arm for me and I would hate to think how I, and a lot of

other Members, would be without it. I appreciate the comradeship and especially seeing new members learn

and enjoy our common hobbies.

TONY HUGHES

June 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Melbourne; the youngest of three

children just after WW11 ended and spent my first

four years in Mentone while my dad built a weatherboard

house for us in the scrub at Beaumaris. We moved in to

our new home in 1950, I clearly remember being driven

along Beach Road in an old green Ute with the last of our belongings.

I consider myself extremely lucky growing up then as I was allowed to muck

around in the scrub with friends without any restrictions other than coming home

for lunch and tea.

I was introduced to woodworking at a very early age, my dad used to make things

at home for his work to get a few extra quid, I was his helper and loved it.

My Secondary schooling was at Sandringham Technical School, a great school

where I made lifetime friends, several of whom went on to Caulfield Technical

College with me to do Engineering Diplomas, mainly Civil. Just to be different, I did Electrical with another

mate doing Mechanical.

After completion, I joined the cadet engineering program at the SEC which tried to turn very green engineers

into worthwhile professionals. I spent most of my time at the SEC in the Meter & Tests Section at Richmond

where I learned the finer points of metering by very talented and dedicated engineers.

Getting itchy feet at the SEC, I applied for and got a position with a controls company owned and operated out

of America. It was a great job and introduced me to how brutal commercial reality is, USA style. My first job

in the field was to calibrate all the control systems for the brand new “Arts Centre” in St Kilda Road. I was

terrified something would go wrong during the “Grand Opening Ceremony” and was really pleased when it was

all over. Not long after, I was asked to pack my bags and open a new branch for the company in Perth. My

memory is permanently imprinted with the first night in Perth, it was very hot and the hotel room had no air

conditioning. When I opened the window, in came a squadron of mossies looking for blood, and no fly spray.

I submitted to the mossies and left the window open.

Unknown to my boss, I had met and fallen in love with a beautiful paediatric nurse from the Royal Children’s

Hospital who chose to come to WA and work at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital. We married in 1970 and set up

home in WA until returning to Victoria in 1972 when Liz was very pregnant with our first child, Stuart.

We bought a home in Dingley, Melbourne and with a dog and cat from Perth and a new boy, started married

life in Melbourne and a new job as the Instrument Engineer for Pilkington-ACI Glass at Dandenong not long

after. It was the only Float Glass Manufacturer in Australia, so we had to either look overseas for specialised

equipment or make it ourselves, they were good times. The company grew significantly during my time and

expanded into processing the glass it produced as well as building a second float glass manufacturing plant in

Sydney. At its peak, the company was producing and

processing over three quarters of Australia’s flat glass, a significant outcome. As with other Australian

manufacturing, it struggled to come to terms with the new reality of China which could make, pack, ship and

unload flat glass into a local warehouse at equivalent or better quality, for less than we could make it for.

Something had to give.

From the early 1990s till today, local glass manufacturing and processing has had to make major changes to

survive. Fortunately, local glass merchants recognised that if they let local manufacturing go under, they would

be at the mercy of the importers, so a delicate balance between the two has kept local flat glass manufacture

going so far.

I was fortunate to be involved in a number of projects that introduced new ways of toughening, laminating and

coating glass for Architectural use in Australia, building the new float glass plant in Sydney, rebuilding the

furnace, etc., at Dandenong three times and the Sydney furnace once. Unfortunately, this took me away from

home a lot, sometimes for lengthy periods which was very hard on Liz and the kids, it wasn’t easy!

Our three children, a boy and two girls lead independent lives with fulfilling careers and have provided us with

six wonderful grandchildren; we try to see them all as often as possible. The girls are based in Melbourne and

our son and his family are in the process of moving from Melbourne to Castlemaine with their work, we will

have to get a bit inventive in maintaining regular contact. Our eldest daughter was diagnosed with MS about 10

years ago; it turned her life upside down, poor thing. She has come through it reasonably well, but her body

continues to fail her. Her employer is really supportive, we are hoping she can continue working for a while

and maintain her independence.

As well as the Woody’s, I am also actively involved with the Glen Forbes History Group, a member of the

Wonthaggi & District Historical Group, The Wooden Boat Club, the Australian Plants Society and I enjoy

keeping up to date with the latest science and what we are doing to our planet.

I still do casual work for Landmark Rural Merchandise at Wonthaggi and when I can drag Liz away from her

Lawn Bowls, VIEW Club and sewing/patchwork groups, we get away in our pop-top caravan, exploring the

outback or just setting up down the road. It’s a wonderful lifestyle.

We are both looking forward to coming into town, settling in and enjoying being able to walk to the shops or

just pop around the corner to see someone, bring it on!

July 2013

NO PROFILE THIS MONTH

ROY FISCHMANN

August 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

The Wonthaggi Woodcrafters would like to

congratulate Roy Fischmann on becoming the

Club’s 7th Life Member. He joins George Hill, , Bill

Moat, Okke Huitema, Hartley Tobin, Billie Moat

and Eric Thorpe, in the respected group who have

served the Club so well for a long period. Roy was presented with his Life

Membership certificate by President John Hatton at the July General Meeting.

Following the presentation, Roy gave a talk about the history of the Club. It

was a comprehensive and intriguing speech, especially for those who have

only been involved with the Club for a short time. Roy then presented the Club

with a file of documentation to archive. Roy has written this Month’s Members Profile below and for those who

weren’t able to attend the general meeting, his ‘History of Wonthaggi Woodies’ is attached and is essential reading.

I was born in Malvern Victoria to Danish parents who migrated to Australia in 1913, just before the start of

WW1. After losing my father in the depression when I was only 4 years of age, my mother remarried and

relocated to St Kilda where I lived until leaving home. I attended the Brighton Road State School and later the

South Melbourne Technical College, where I was educated before commencing work at the Commonwealth

Aircraft Factory. Here I helped build military aircraft, starting work in 1941 in the middle of WW2 as an

apprentice engineer.

On reaching 16 years of age I joined the ATC (Air Training

Corps) now known as the Air Force Cadet Corps which at the

time was part of the RAAF Reserve and I served until the ATC

was disbanded in 1946 a year after the war finished. I also

served as a Junior Air Raid Warden patrolling local streets at

night, alerting households if their houselights were visible from

outside.

To enable the purchase of my first motorbike I worked at Luna

Park at night time and it was here that I met the love of my life

Pauline, who with some girlfriends visited Luna Park “Just for

Fun”. Today Pauline wears her engagement ring that was

payed for by the sale of my last motor bike.

We married in 1949 after the obligatory 12 months engagement (how times have changed). We built 2 rooms of

a 12 square home on a block of land in Mt Waverley that we were paying off, only to find 12 months later that

we had built on the wrong block! We never could find all the survey pegs and had no money for a surveyor. I

had to cash my superannuation and move the 2 rooms 60 feet onto the next block.

While living at Mt Waverley we brought 3 little Fischmanns into the world. Two

sons and a daughter have now increased our immediate family to 8 grandchildren

and 5 great-grandchildren with another expected in September this year. Because

they are spread interstate and overseas, the iPad is a most useful piece of

technology to keep in touch with them all.

After changing engineering jobs a couple of times I decided that my future

required a boost and I took a chance on selling office equipment with an American

company. This proved to be financially rewarding and the start of a career in sales

management that in the long term provided extensive overseas travel and a South

East Asian area responsibility.

After retirement in 1989 we decided to leave the “Big Smoke” and relocate to

Inverloch which provides much interest with its close proximity to both beach and

bush. It also offered me the pleasure of contributing to the community by being

involved on executive positions with the local JP’s Association, the Wonthaggi

Heart Support Branch, Anderson’s Inlet Probus Club, the Wonthaggi

Woodcrafters and the Gippsland Brach of the RAAF Association.

My other interests include my family, woodwork, military aircraft, reading and travel with Pauline who perhaps

has had the greatest influence on my life by exhibiting her often stoic examples of never giving in in adverse

situations. Another person who influenced me was George Hill, Past President of this club who is a

perfectionist, believing that near enough is not good enough.

I joined the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters in 1993 to help improve my woodworking skills and have made some

wonderful friends over the years. I believe that the success of this club should be recorded by the appointment

of a club historian, plus more guest speakers at meetings.

Andy Hopkins

September 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in 1964 in Baltimore, USA, where my father did

an internship as a doctor at John Hopkins Hospital.

We returned to Australia when I was 18 months old with my

older sister and lived in Hawthorn where my 3 younger

siblings were born. We were now a family of 7. We

continued to live in inner Melbourne and spent many weekends at a rural property,

where as a family, we built a mud brick house.

In 1978 we travelled to Paris where Dad swapped jobs and living quarters with a

French doctor. This experience was truly amazing.

On our return I changed schools from Melbourne Grammar to Preshill in Kew where

I flourished in visual arts and drama.

I left school at 16 and started work for Channel 7 as a video-tape operator. I continued there for 3 years until I

returned to Europe to ski the Alps.

After a short stint I returned to Melbourne and became a window dresser at Dimmey’s in Richmond.

At 28 I married my now ex-wife and had two beautiful kids, Jesse and Maddie. I started an Art Gallery for

young artists, which continued for several years but was then sold.

Fortunately, the marriage didn’t last and I was lucky to meet the most beautiful person in the world, my wife,

Minnie.

We quickly moved to Castlemaine where I farmed on a small scale and Minnie studied to become a nurse.

In 2005, once Minnie was qualified, we moved to the Mornington Peninsula where I worked as a deckhand on a

fishing charter boat and then a dive master on a dolphin swim boat. I did this for a couple of years and then I

started a gardening business and Min continued community nursing.

This chapter ended when we moved off the Peninsula to Coronet Bay, followed by a move, a year later to

Inverloch.

So here we are, I have always loved wood and wanted to work with it. My dream has materialised, thank you

Wonthaggi Woodies.

Ken Urquhart

October 2013

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Melbourne in 1950 and until my early teenage years I lived with my parents and two younger

siblings in Carnegie. I have many fond memories of those

early years– such as “Bluey” the baker coming down our

street in his horse and cart and giving all the kids a tiny

freshly baked roll. Our street was also visited by the green grocer, milkman, the

iceman and the butcher. There was always plenty of horse manure for the vegie

garden. I attended Carnegie Primary School and in sixth grade was introduced to

making things with wood – I still have the ‘fold away’ chair and fruit platter I made.

My first job was as a paper-boy for Richards News Agency in Carnegie. I was

pleasantly surprised to read in a previous edition of the Wonthaggi Woody that this

business was owned by the father of one of our club members. I have since had a terrific chat with Glenn about

those early years in Carnegie.

Scouting was an important part of my life up until the age of 18. I believe my love for the outdoors and a bit of

adventure originated in this movement.

I commenced my secondary education at Caulfield High School. During Form 2 my family decided to move to

the ‘outer suburb’ of Chadstone. My brother and I worked as ‘casual boys’ at Coles New World supermarket

after school. We must have done a reasonable job because as far as I know we were the only ones kept on

beyond our 18th birthdays.

After failing Form 5 at Chadstone High School and being told by the Principal to give up girls until I had

completed my studies, I thought it was time to become serious about education.

After completing my matriculation I commenced my teaching qualifications at Toorak Teachers College. I

loved every aspect of it. Those tertiary years at “Trak” were life changing in that they opened my eyes to a

world well beyond what my family and friends had experienced.

After a couple of years teaching I realised it wasn’t for me so after ten years part-time study and a diploma, a

degree and post-graduate studies later plus two years intensive on the job training I became a qualified

psychologist in 1980. In those days there was only a relatively small number of us in Victoria. Now institutions

churn out thousands per year.

For most of my working life I had various roles as a psychologist in the Department of Education primarily

working in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. Over the years I also had a private practice which included some

exposure to organisational psychology in industry.

I was married for about 25 years and had some great times but unfortunately we disagreed on almost

everything. A psychologist and a teacher are not a good combination particularly when it comes to child

rearing. Fortunately we managed to raise two well-adjusted children whom I love dearly. My son Cameron, is

happily married to Renee and I enjoy being “ Pa” to Hudson and Matilda. My daughter Sheona is a very

confident and talented young woman whose first love is music and entertaining. She will be moving to

Germany in 2014.

I purchased a farm at Foster, in South Gippsland about thirty years ago. It has always provided balance in my

life because it was a complete contrast to my professional life.

I had always dreamt of retiring to the farm. For me, attachment to the land is very special. Thankfully I am

living the dream and loving it. Together with seeing family and friends, tending sheep, cattle, heritage fruit

trees and vegie garden, having endless building/renovation projects, fishing, training my working dog Lucy,

listening to and playing music, having an interest in old engines, motor-cycles and photography, having the

occasional overseas trip and for the last two years woodturning, this period in my life is proving very exciting,

satisfying and fulfilling.

Woodturning has been great for me. It has been a great fit with the farm because I have ample natural resources

and the space to spread out. I have been very thankful for the friendship and helpfulness of club members and

look forward to many years learning new skills.

Lionel Wood

November 2013

MEMBER PROFILE: I was born in the Royal

Women’s Hospital in Melbourne on the 11th. January 1940.

My Father was away at the war at the time – He started Mum

off with me, and promptly joined the army as soon as war

was declared in 1939. I’ve never worked out why – perhaps

that’s why I am an only child. He returned as a wounded digger in 1942.

My first memories are of a sub dairy that Mum and Dad ran in Oakleigh, a suburb

of Melbourne – the milk and cream would arrive from the factory in big churns, and

would be ladled out to customers into their Billies, and butter would arrive in big

lots to be weighed and patted into shape for sale the customers. Everything was sold

in exchange for coupons - does anyone else remember them? As I grew older, one

of my chores was to help ladle out the milk to the customers, as Dad was working full time as a wrought iron

blacksmith. There are some other fond memories I have of watching my father working at the forge,

hammering a piece of glowing iron into shape as a leaf or a flower as part of a set of gates or a fence that he

was crafting.

I attended Oakleigh State School, and then Oakleigh Technical School until I was 15. On achieving my Junior

Technical certificate, Mum and Dad said that I had to start work, as they could not afford to send me on to

higher education.

So I started work in 1955 as an apprentice Motor Mechanic in a little corner service station in Warragul Rd.

Bentleigh , at the princely sum of £3.15 per week – of which my Mum took £1.00 for board! So £ 2.15 was

what I had for me – that’s $4.30 – I’m not sure how that converts to today’s dollars, but I know it sure wasn’t

much even then.

After a year, I changed employers, and commenced work with Perkins Diesels, at their engine rebuilding plant

in Dandenong. There I learnt the complete machining and refurbishing of diesel engines, including rebuilds of

injector pumps and injectors – the whole bit. After completing my apprenticeship, I had twelve months working

for that company in their Sydney office as a service representative.

On return, in 1961 two things happened rather rapidly – I got married, and became a father (We celebrated our

52nd. wedding anniversary last September). I continued working for Perkins, until an opportunity came up to

become a diesel mechanic in Morwell in 1962.

I worked for that company until September of 1963, at which time one of the partners absconded with the

firm’s cash, the firm folded, and I was left without a job – and with a wife and two kids I needed a job real

quick. So I joined the State Electricity Commission in the Latrobe Valley as a fitter and turner.

I worked for the SEC for 30 years, working in the brown coal mines, gradually working my way through the

ranks – first on the trade side as fitter and turner, leading hand fitter (3-10 men) Senior leading hand (10- 30

men) and finally as a Maintenance Foreman with a team of 40 men. At that stage, I decided that

managing men was not my forte, and in 1984 switched to the Technical Assistant stream, managing spare parts

and equipment used in the mines. From there I worked my way up again, so that by 1986 I was the Senior

Technical Officer, Coal Production – The highest position in the Latrobe Valley Mines then attainable without

an engineering degree, and accountable for a budget of $11 million, chiefly in control of co-ordinating

purchases and repair of conveyor belting, and also of the fire service equipment used by all the mines.

During this time two more kids were added to the brood, and my widowed, retired father came to live with us,

so it was a very full but happy home at that time.

In 1993, Jeff Kennett swung an axe through the SEC, and sold it all off. 8000 people in the Latrobe Valley lost

their jobs. I was fortunate, as a company called Beltline Services which had the major contract for repair of

conveyor belting in the Latrobe Valley headhunted me out of my position – and I finished work at the SEC on a

Friday, and commenced work in a new job on the Monday, with better pay, a company car, a nice redundancy

from the SEC, -and still doing the same work. I was one of the lucky ones. I know of suicides and marriage

breakups caused by that traumatic time in the Latrobe Valley. That redundancy allowed us to purchase a home

in Inverloch.

I worked for that company for 10 years, during which time I took up the task of managing Quality Assurance

for them, (including getting them externally registered as a Certified QA company) as the new private owners

of the mines demanded it, and as a natural progression from that I took up managing the company’s

Occupational Health and Safety program – although I must admit I never quite had that external certification

accomplished.

By 2003, that company had twice been swallowed up by bigger companies, and was no longer a place I wanted

to be. One Saturday morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table bitching about life in general and my job in

particular, when Jenny, who never reads the Age, picked it up and said “here’s a job for an OH&S/QA manager

– why don’t you try for it?” So I did – having never applied for an outside job in 40 years- and got it.

So I commenced the final 2 years of my full time employment, as the Quality Assurance/OH&S manager for

Olivecorp in a little town called Boort, with an olive grove of 1 million trees. They were the happiest 2 years of

my working life.

In 2005, I resigned from that job into semi – retirement, contracted back into the company for six months until

the new recruit for my old position was fully settled in, and then fully retired in 2006.

Jenny and I now live in happy retirement here in Wonthaggi, with varied interests to keep us active and

interested in life. I have been a member of the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters since 2007, and for a little intellectual

stimulation I am a member of both the South Gippsland Singers and the Bass Coast Chorale – locally based

choirs. Our dog Lucky makes me walk every day, and the vegie patch and garden need constant attention. So

life is good.

December 2013

NO PROFILE THIS MONTH

Alan McNaught

January 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

It is very appropriate to feature Alan McNaught in our Member profile this

month, for two reasons. Firstly, Alan turns 90 on 7th February and Alan, all

your friends at Wonthaggi Woodies would like to wish you a very happy

birthday. Secondly, Alan had a feature article in this month’s Australian

Woodworker magazine. The five page article covers the design and

construction of a segmented vase. Alan had made a similar vase for sale at the

Christmas shop. If you would like to read the article, the Club’s copy of the

magazine is in the meeting room (please do not take this from the Club) and a

couple of photocopies which may be borrowed are on the noticeboard. If you

are interested in learning how to do segmented turning work, have a talk to

Alan, as he is planning some more training

sessions at his home workshop this year.

I was born at Kew in 1924, the seventh of eight

children after the family moved to Melbourne from

a farm near Rochester. I was educated at

Blackburn State School, Box Hill High School and Scotch College, then obtained my B.Com degree from

Melbourne University in 1951 after studying part time.

I joined the State Savings Bank of Victoria as a junior clerk in 1940 and apart from serving in the Army for 4 ½

years during World War II with the rank of Sergeant, stayed with the bank for all my working life.

After working at various branches of the Bank until 1952, I was transferred to Head Office. In 1961 I became a

computer programmer, writing programs for the first computer to be installed in a bank in Australia. In 1964 I

visited the U.S.A, to study computers for the bank. In 1966 I was appointed Personal Assistant to the General

Manager of the bank, and in 1972 became Manager of the E.D.P Operations Department in charge of operating

the bank’s computers. I was Manager of the new Bankcard Department, the first Principal of the bank’s

residential Staff College at Baxter, Secretary of the bank, and Chief Manager Lending. In 1981 I became the

Deputy General Manager (Administration). I retired from the bank in 1983 (well before it was taken over by

the Commonwealth Bank in 1992).

I lived in Blackburn for over 50 years but after retirement resided at Vermont, Leongatha and Boronia. In 1988

I moved to the Salford Park retirement village at Wantirna, where I stayed for 14 years and was a Director of

the Rechabite Community Villages. In 2002 I moved to Inverloch to be nearer my family. I’ve always been

involved with church work, being Treasurer of the Blackburn Presbyterian Church from 1948 to 1966, Session

Clerk from 1966 to 1974, Chairman of the Parish Council of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches before

church union and Secretary of the Parish Council at Blackburn from 1977 to 1982. I’ve been a representative to

the Presbytery of Maroondah and was Convener of the Property Committee. At Leongatha I was Parish

Treasurer and at Inverloch, Chairman of the Congregation and Church Council until 2008.

In 1940 I met Bonnie Lang at Community Singing at Surrey Hills, which her father ran in aid of the Prince

Henry’s Hospital. Bonnie won a singing competition run by Hoyts Theatres at the age of 14, studied singing

and was in the Y.M.C.A. concert party during World War II, entertaining the troops. We married in 1945 and

have three children. Judy was a primary school teacher and with her husband, Allan Morcom, had farms at

Kongwak and Dumbalk. After their retirement, they moved to Inverloch. David established a walnut grove at

Dargo, had a farm at Valencia Creek, and now grows pecan nuts at Murwillumbah in N.S.W. Andrew trained

as a forester and lives in Brisbane. He is a consultant to the timber industry. Their daughter Erin was an

Australian contestant in the Miss Universe competition. Bonnie and I have 10 grandchildren and 15 great

grandchildren, who give us much pleasure.

I have been interested in building and renovating houses for our children, caravanning, writing a book on

family history, welding (I made a nut grader, trailers and a cattle crush), music, playing the organ and singing in

choirs at Blackburn and Salford Park. At Salford Park I organised woodwork classes for men in the Hostel and

made toys. At Inverloch, the late Dennis Tyler introduced me to the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters in 2002, where I

was taught how to turn wood properly by George Hill, Bill Moat and Hartley Tobin. I’ve won a number of

prizes for my segmented wood turning at the Australian Woodturning Exhibition at Nunawading. I’ve also had

several articles published in the Australian Woodworker magazine.

I have enjoyed my retirement and am now a carer for Bonnie who is visually impaired and has other health

problems. I’m looking forward to celebrating my ninetieth birthday in February.

Hartley Tobin

February 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Essendon in 1936. My father was a clerk

with the Victorian Railways and we shifted around a

bit. With the start of the Second World War 1939, my

father enlisted and with mum and my two brothers, I

moved to Wonthaggi where my mother had grown up

and my grandparents lived. I commenced primary school at Bilson Street and have

vivid memories of what Wonthaggi was like in those days when The Mine was the

life's blood of the community.

In 1944 my father returned from the war and took up the position of Night Station

Master at Warragul. I completed my primary and secondary education at Warragul

and then qualified as a primary teacher at Burwood Teachers College (now

Burwood Campus of Deakin University).

While at Teachers College I was able get more involved in my two favorite sports, athletics and baseball. I was

boarding close to the facilities of the Collingwood Harriers Athletic Club and the Collingwood Baseball Club

so, obviously, they were the clubs I joined. In baseball I reached A Grade level before baseball was changed

from a winter sport to a summer sport and the Collingwood Baseball Club, along with a number of others

closed, or became combined with another club. In Athletics, I represented Collingwood at A Grade level in all

the jumping events, the throwing events (except for the hammer throw) and the hurdles. Occasionally I would

fill in (not very well) one leg of a relay. For twenty years I competed in the Veteran Athletics winning

numerous medals at state level and in 1987, in the Australian Veteran Athletic Championships (50-55 age

group), I won the Bronze Medal for the Triple Jump and the Gold Medal for the Pole Vault. In 1962 I married Meryl Brown and we moved in to our partially completed house in Bayswater. Our three

children, Michael, Michele and Derek, were born while we lived there. As a teacher I took promotion whenever

possible as well as completing a Science degree part-time (majoring in Botany and Zoology). Another of my

interests is travelling Australia, especially the more remote areas. Together, with Meryl, (and our children when

they were young) we have made trips covering much of Australia. Our combined interests in Australian flora

and fauna, scenery, history and indigenous culture means we always find something of interest and also realize

there is still more of Australia to cover.

In 1996, because of my interest in Australian native plants, the Australian Horticultural Judges Association

approached me to draw up a completely new set of guidelines for their section on Australian Flora. Prior to this,

Australian Flora had been forced to fit into the criteria set by the Royal Horticultural Society for the other flora

of the world. It just didn’t work.

In 1972 we purchased a block of land at Coronet Bay and built a holiday house which gave us the opportunity

to relax away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life. We loved the area so much that we thought how

great it would be to live in the area permanently (at least in retirement) and in 1979 we purchased the land

where we are currently living. In 1983, after 21 years in Bayswater, we shifted here as I had secured the

Principal's position at Bass Valley Primary School, a position I held until I took early retirement in August,

1991.

After 35+years being involved with large numbers of people (children, teachers, parents and the public in

general), I felt I would enjoy being a semi-hermit, enjoying my native plants and tinkering with my new interest

--- woodturning. At high school I had done woodwork in Years 7 and 9 and, although there were woodturning

lathes in the workshop, we were not allowed to use them. They were reserved for students doing the ‘trade’

courses. I would have to wait another 40+ years.

In March, 1992, Harry Oates introduced me to the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters. At that stage the Club had about

11 or 12 members and held a monthly meeting.

I am thankful especially to George Hill, Okke Huitema and Guilio Marcolongo, whose encouragement in my

early years with the Club helped get me to where I am today. I enjoy the friendships I have made and the Club’s

fantastic working/learning facility and social atmosphere.

Apart from our three children, Meryl and I currently have seven grandchildren and three and a half

great grandchildren.

Michael Bladen

March 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Middlesex, near London in 1948. My

parents and I came to Australia in 1952 as ten pound

migrants. Dad was a teacher and shortly after we

arrived he joined the Army, serving in the Education

Corps so I spent most of my childhood at Balcome

Army Apprentices School at Mt Martha on the Mornington Peninsula.

I went to RMIT and studied Applied Chemistry. That’s also where I met my

wife, Ann, and my future brother-in-law, John DiStefano. After graduating, I

worked at the Defence Standards Laboratories in Maribyrnong for about ten

years. During this time I did an Arts Degree part time in Philosophy of Science

and Psychology at Melbourne Uni. We also bought our first house, an old timber

California bungalow that meant I had to get some carpentry skills. So my first

woodwork project was to build a pair of sawstools so I could build a workbench

so I could build a kitchen. Slowly that place got renovated and I got better at it. I built some furniture and the

like.

The next project was an old house in Eaglemont. I registered with the HIA as an owner builder and we

embarked on an ambitious Grand Designs build. I took six months off on long service leave at half pay for this.

Had a ball, knew the plans backward, contracted the trades and laboured for the carpenter/builder, after a couple

of months he actually let me put on a nailbag.

At the end of the build, barely past the lockup stage but liveable I quit the lab and went partners with the

carpenter on renovations, small builds and later his new house. All up I spent about ten years "on the tools".

Then it was back to Uni as a mature age student to do yet another degree, this time in Social Work. After

graduating I worked at PANCH until it moved to Epping and then went to an agency that provided case

management services for people with acquired brain injury from drug and alcohol use. I stayed in that job, first

as a Case Manager and then as Deputy Director until I retired.

We bought our beach shack at Harmers Haven about 35 years ago and when I retired we put on an extension

and substantially rebuilt with a view to spending more time here. What happened was that one day we woke up

to the fact that we hadn't been back to our Melbourne house for more than six months, so

here we stay, except for South Gippsland winters when we have taken to exploring the northerly warm bits.

I joined the Woodies about seven years ago. How it happened was John DiStefano was the President and one

day at dinner he told me that he had paid my membership dues and by the way how would I like to be the

Treasurer? For that he got to teach me turning, thanks mate.

There is a lot to enjoy about being in the Woodies. I think an active retirement is healthy and a club such as

ours gets a person out, interacting with the community and always learning new stuff. Otherwise I am an avid

reader and birdwatcher.

April 2014

John DiStefano

April 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

We arrived on a boat in 1956, just before the

Melbourne Olympics and black and white TV.

My father met my mother, sister, brother and me

at Victoria docks. He had come from Italy five

years earlier. Those were exciting times for an

eight year old boy. The voyage to Australia took us through the Suez Canal,

past Ceylon, now Sri Lanka and my first experience of a banana. Then on to

Fremantle and Melbourne. What an adventure!! Never to be forgotten.

I entered Errol St. Primary School in North Melbourne late April 1956, with

not a word of English. By the year’s end I was proficient and jumped from

grade 2 to grade 4. Maths, art and sport were my best subjects; top high

jumper in the school during these early years. My English improved and I

become integrated into the school community. Since there were no state

secondary schools in North Melbourne in 1959, or now, grade 6s went to Princess Hill High School in Carlton,

or Brunswick Technical School further up Sydney Road. Later, I came to understand that recent male migrants

were sent to the technical school. For me, it was a lucky choice. At the tech school, boys had exposure to good

academic teaching as well as significant exposure to trade subjects; woodwork, sheetmetal, engineering

drawing and engineering workshop classes. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. In my final year at tech school Mr

Duane, my young, charismatic chemistry teacher, made me fall in love with his subject in preference to

Mathematics and Physics, at which I also excelled.

I continued with the study of chemistry for a further six years; four at the then RMIT, now RMIT University

and two years at La Trobe University. By this time I had met Felicia, the love of my life, who was studying

primary teaching and decided to switch to teaching too. After an initial six months at Thornbury High in

Melbourne, teaching chemistry and science and a year at teachers’ college, I was posted to Richmond Technical

School; an environment almost identical to my own secondary school experience. I was 25 years old, a good

age to be, ready and excited to commence a career in science teaching, but fate had other ideas.

Soon after starting at Richmond Technical School teaching maths and science, I was asked to join a project to

acquire a computer at the school. Computers in secondary schools were unheard of in 1972.

But a staff member, Brendon O’Dowd, who the previous year had built and launched a three metre rocket with

the help of the army, was now onto a new project; to acquire a school computer thus inspire students

with enthusiasm for learning. I fell in love with the emerging technology; in particular with the art of

programming. The ability to think of an idea then transform it into a useful tool; a computer program

(known as an ‘App’ today) saw me returning to Melbourne University to study Computer Science. I graduated

with a degree in computer science in 1978. Writing software was to be my profession for the next thirty years;

thirteen at Richmond Technical School, the remainder running my own private software development business.

During those early years at Richmond, Felicia and I purchased a small house in Glen Iris, which we still own.

Our only son, Julian, was born there in 1972.

Both Felicia and I benefited greatly from Australia’s post war immigration programme. Our parents came to

Australia for a better life, but in reality it was their children who benefited mostly. Young migrants like Felicia

and I, profited greatly from the Australian education system as we took up opportunities offered by tertiary

education and further opportunities that flowed from that.

I sold my software business in 2003, the year I joined the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters. Under the skilled tuition of

George Hill and Hartley Tobin, I too was turning wood soon after. I have enjoyed my experience with the

Woodies ever since. Many thanks to one and all.

Eric Thorpe

May 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Aspendale in 1940. While my father

was away in the army, my mother moved us 5

children to Poowong, where we stayed for a few

years. When dad came out of the army we moved to a

12 acre property at Krowera where I started school.

My sister Marion and I walked 2 miles to school and back each day. This school is

now the home of Arthur Phillips’ daughter, Robyn. While we were there, we used

to take our herd of 12 cows out to eat the grass along the roadside. A few years

later we moved to a property in the hills above the Jeetho station where we then

had 40 cows. Dad did the mail run while us kids did the milking. We now had a 3

mile walk to school. Our next move was to Loch where Dad ran a dairy farm, this

time with 60 cows and I was able to just walk across the paddocks to school.

I left school on my 14th birthday and helped on our farm as well as other

properties nearby.

Nola and I were married in 1963 and we have 2 daughters and a son and also now, 9 grandchildren.

We have lived in Wonthaggi since 1970. I first worked for Curly Gardner, then for Knox Brothers Timber and

Hardware for 18 years. After that I became a fencing contractor building town fences, with my son Matthew

working with me for a couple of years.

For the last 10 years of my working life, I was a gardener at a private property at Wattlebank.

I have always been interested in working with wood, even when I was a school kid. My other big interest is

breeding aviary birds ranging from canaries and finches to rosellas and galahs.

I have also enjoyed fishing over the years.

I joined the Woodies at George Hill's invitation about 22 years ago. In November 2009, I was awarded a Life

Membership, of which I am very proud

Being in the Woodies has provided me with friends, learning opportunities and a good reason to remain useful

and active in retirement.

Alistair Lowe

June 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

Being quite new to the Woodies and 30 years of age,

I find it a challenge to give a brief history of myself

and my experience with woodworking, but I’ll try

my best. I was born in Fitzroy in 1983 and my

family moved to Wonthaggi around two weeks later.

My father Alan was a detective for the Wonthaggi

Police and mother Linda a primary school teacher at Wonthaggi North.

I completed high school at Wonthaggi Secondary College and throughout

my school years I struggled to find interests in hobbies and sports, having a

go at many things but not sticking with them. So when I told my parents that

I was interested in joining the local CFA at age 16, they were sceptical that I

would not last long. To this day I am still an active member of the

Wonthaggi Fire Brigade. From the date I joined my ambition was to have a

career in firefighting. I enjoy the comradery and challenge that firefighting

gives, and the important role it has in the community.

I haven’t gone down the path of a firefighting career, as my other major interest

was in computers. When I left school I worked at Harvey Norman as a computer salesman for 8 years until I

moved to my current job at Wonthaggi Secondary as an I.T. Technician. It is a challenging job as all high

school students now have their own computers and computers always require a lot of attention. I had a very

close friend through high school, Michelle (Harmer), whom I later married and have a beautiful daughter

named Kiara (6yrs old). I am so happy that I was able to find someone with the same interests and attitude to

life and look forward to the years to come. My interests in woodworking were non-existent until the start of this

year; I was never good at woodworking at school and found metal work more enjoyable. Earlier this year my

grandfather in Warragul offered his lathe to my brother or myself. I hadn’t considered woodturning at all, so at

first I declined his offer. When I was at the Bass Coast Show I watched Alan and Hartley do some turning - it

was the first time I had seen someone turning and I was quite intrigued. Later joining the Woodies, I am now

hooked and look forward to coming along to the Monday night sessions. Turning has become an enjoyment to

me as it is something totally different from my other interests, the club is amazing! I was very surprised by the

facilities and all the member have been most welcoming and great to chat with. I will never look at trees and

wood in the same way again. I now look at it and think, “I wonder how that would turn”.

I hope that I will keep enjoying wood turning and be a member of the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters for many years

to come.

Ron Snooks

July 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Korumburra, and in early years lived in Arawata and Ruby where my parents had a dairy farm. I finished school at Leongatha Tech. at 16 and started a carpentry apprenticeship with Alf Parsons, with whom I

worked for 11 years. He had a great influence on my life and eventually convinced me that building wasn’t the way to make money and to move on. I built a new home in Leongatha with my wife, Joy and we sold it in 1965 and bought a dairy farm at Archies Creek. Our 2 daughters and son grew up there where they enjoyed animals, horses, calves, lambs and bloody motorbikes!

I worked for Coldon when the farm was quiet and that meant long hours but we survived till farming picked up again. Archies Creek was a very supportive small community and our family was involved in schools, sports and other community activities. I had played

football, cricket, tennis for Leongatha and now I play bowls. I really enjoy meeting the fellows I knew back then. We also play Indoor Bowls which used to have a much bigger following than it does now.

We retired to Wonthaggi in 1990 and renovated a few old houses including the one we now live in which was a miner’s cottage. Belonging to Gippsland Caravan Club gave us lots of friendships and trips. We made many outback trips and the “big one”. I had a few years as a guide at the mine and loved it and wish I had more time to go back to it, but bowls and woodwork take care of any spare time. For my 50th birthday I was given a lathe and became interested in woodturning. In 1993 I joined the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters and enjoyed learning woodturning with George Hill. He insisted on perfection, so was a hard task master. George started the toy group and we made tool boxes, cradles and pencil cases with involvement from the kids to assemble as we do now. The toys have changed to vehicles with wheels so more for the kids to do. I enjoy the involvement with the kids and would like to see more small group activities rather than concentration on sales at the shows, as these days are very taxing for all those involved. The photos of the school groups playing in the stones afterwards with their graders and cars, says it all. The friendship and comradery of the Tuesday group is very special and we’d like to see more participants, particularly younger members.

I now have 10 grandchildren including 2 grandsons who are chippies and love the work. One granddaughter has also renovated an old house and astonished her Grandpa with the skills she has! From the internet!

Pat and I have been together for 7 years now and share a lot of interests, like holidays and bowls. Retirement is good and with good health, I hope to enjoy many more years of travel, woodwork and bowls.

Robert Millard

August 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

My parents were unskilled migrants from Birmingham UK who came out in the 30’s.

I am the second of four children, born (in Heidelberg, Melbourne) during WW II

when my father was away fighting in New Guinea. We moved around a lot during

my childhood, pursuing my father’s wish to become a farmer and from age 13 on I

lived on a dairy farm in the Geelong district, attending Geelong High School. Like

John DiStefano, I benefited from post war educational opportunities and graduated from the University of

Melbourne in Medicine in 1966. Soon after graduating I was married with a family started, and after hospital

training, I worked in partnership in Glen Waverly as a General Practitioner for the decade of the 70s. I then

returned to the Austin Hospital and trained in the specialty of Psychiatry, graduating in 1984 and from then on

working as a private psychiatrist, retiring at the end of 2011. My role and identity as a working doctor has

always been central to who I am. At age 73 I still work about 6 days a month out of interest rather than

necessity, in public service roles such as sitting on the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

As a farm boy I learnt lots of practical skills and loved woodwork (Sloid) in Primary School. I took up

woodwork as a hobby and began making furniture in the early 90s, missing the “hands on” practical aspects of

General Practice such as delivering babies. I built up a workshop over time and have made lots of furniture for

the family. I didn’t think I would ever broaden my skills to woodturning until early last year a friend who was

throwing stuff out, offered me a wood lathe (which turned out to be a machine lathe). This in turn led to me

calling into the Club where I met Hartley and the rest, as they say, is history.

My life story is incomplete without mentioning sailing. As a junior Resident Medical Officer in Geelong, I was

initiated into sailing on Corio Bay by Senior Consultant Medical staff, leading eventually to a love of ocean

sailing; many ocean crossings and 6 Sydney Hobart races as navigator. This culminated in 1999-2001 in a 3

year world circumnavigation with my wife Claire on our 35 foot steel yacht Beatrice; 33,000 nautical miles

travelled, over 30 countries visited, mostly in tropical waters and through the Suez and Panama canals.

We haven’t really moved to South Gippsland, we have a beach house (and a workshop) at Cape Woolamai

where I spend about half of my time. Claire is still busy on a part time basis as a consultant economist and

family, social network, and other interests (including golf) anchor us to Melbourne for the time being.

Our own family consists of 4 married children all living in Melbourne with mortgages and children. We have 8

grandchildren. Two of our daughters now also have beach houses at Cape Woolamai.

My experience of learning woodturning at the Wonthaggi Woodies has become an enjoyable and important part

of my life. At my age I’m sure I must be hard to teach, with a tendency to want to learn by my own mistakes

and a resistance to instruction but Hartley, Neil, Neil and others have been supportive, patient and sensitive in

getting me started, for which I’m very grateful. I think it’s a great Club, with a wonderful mix of people and a

strong sense of camaraderie. The “freely open to all” atmosphere is a credit to all members.

Bruce Talbot

September 2014

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in the Wonthaggi hospital and I have lived

in Newhaven all my life, moving only 200 metres

when I built my own home prior to getting married.

I am the oldest of 5 boys. Dad was a fisherman and

living by the sea we all spent a lot of our time on the

water, fishing, sailing and generally mucking about in boats.

Newhaven being a small town with not a lot of people meant all the boys in the

town spent a lot of time together, just one large family really with lots of parents

looking out for you and telling you off when you were in the wrong place,

which was often.

In 1968 I married Caroline, who I met through the Yacht Squadron (she was an

import from Melbourne). Her parents had a yacht there and we met at a dance

and as they say the rest is history. We have 2 boys, Darren and Chris and 2 grandchildren, Ami and Jin (they

have a Japanese mother Misako).

I went to Newhaven Primary School then Wonthaggi Tech. I then did an apprenticeship as an electrician (mum

said I couldn’t go fishing till I had a trade). I then went fishing for 3 years followed by some part time work for

an electrician in Wonthaggi – this lasted for 20 years. When the building trade suffered a down turn, I went to

King Island to work for 2 years. A job came up as Maintenance/Gardener at Warley Hospital and I was there

for 12 years until I was diagnosed with MS and had to give up work.

Fishing was my main hobby, I spent all my spare time on the water or building or doing up boats. I was a scout

leader for 15 years but then I found woodturning when a new head teacher moved to Newhaven. He had a lathe,

showed me how to use it and I was hooked. I had known Guilio for many, many years and one day I was

cutting down a tree and burning the wood when Guilio came to visit – don’t burn it, turn it. He encouraged me

to join the Wonthaggi Woodcrafters and as they say the rest is history. I even sold my boat to buy a bigger and

better lathe. One of the demonstrators was Vic Wood and Caroline booked me in for a 2 day session with Vic,

which was fabulous. Guilio and I went to a Woodturning event in New

Zealand and came back full of thoughts of running such an event here. Caroline said if I wanted to run one here,

she would help us with it and within months we were underway. That was 18

years ago and Down Under Turn Around is still one of the most popular

turning events on the calendar with turners coming from all over Australia

and many overseas countries.

I fully believe that everyone should take advantage of demonstrators at

your own club, neighbouring clubs and many of the turning events that are

held each year. You meet great people and see different ways of doing

things, be it turning, sharpening tools, making gadgets, trying out different

lathes, etc. It is well worth the effort.

Wonthaggi Club has gone from strength to strength. When I first started

about 20 years ago we met in the Pigeon club rooms at South Reserve, then we

used one room and the shelter shed (of the old Dudley Primary School)

where we are now. Still a far cry from what we have now.

The thing I enjoy most about turning is the people I have met, I most enjoy

showing and helping others and I really do enjoy a good chat session. I

know most of you would find that hard to believe!!

I spend most of my day in my work shed, I can lose myself in my turning, I

don’t think about my disability and just get on with life.

Bruce showing a little extra

colour. At least our fearless

leader was game to laugh.

Glenn Williams

October 2014

I was born in Wonthaggi, middle child to Gerry

and Irene Williams. I went to North Wonthaggi

Primary School and then on to Wonthaggi Tech.

My Pop (mum's father) came from England to

work in the Wonthaggi Coal Mine. My dad's

family were farmers, Poppa Jack got a soldiers settlement in Poowong, from

being in the First World War. Dad worked at Pages engineering in

Wonthaggi. Mum was a teacher and was friends with the office girl in Pages

who introduced her to dad.

I have a brother and a sister, my sister is living in Wonthaggi and my brother

in Melbourne. I live on a couple of acres in Dalyston, with my partner Berni

and my daughter Sam. I also have a son, Aaron who is living in Melbourne.

I completed my plumbing apprenticeship, working with a couple of local

plumbers. I spent a few years working in Melbourne, plumbing and labouring. One of my jobs was doing

plumbing maintenance at Pentridge Prison. One time a prisoner went missing so we were locked in there until

he was found. The job we had to do took us ½ an hour, but we were locked in for 2 hours. I wasn't worried

about it, just a bit cranky as it was a Friday afternoon!

Moving back to Wonthaggi, I started working as a drainer. After getting a knee injury playing football I started

working for Hos Davis, building and refurbishing industrial cooling towers. I worked on the cooling towers for

about 10 years, working all over Australia.

I stopped doing the cooling towers 14 years ago and since then I’ve been working as a drainer with Knoxs'

Quarries. The majority of our work is connecting the sewer, water and storm water pipes in new housing

estates.

Of all the places I've been I love to be at home. I love living on my few acres with no immediate neighbours.

We are so lucky to be able to have the rural aspect as well as being near Australia's best beaches.

My parents and grandparents are the people who have had an exceptional influence on my life. They are all

hard workers and have instilled in me a good work ethic - work hard, take pride in your work, do a good job

and you'll always get work.

I played local football, starting in the fourths with the Wonthaggi Blues. My last four years of football was

played with Tarwin, before a knee injury ended footy for me. I also enjoyed playing cricket and hockey.

Now I enjoy going to the movies, and in the last few years have enjoyed exploring Australia with Berni in our

4WD and off-road camper. Our latest trip, last year, was up to Cape York and driving the Old Telegraph Track

was a highlight.

While working on the cooling towers, I salvaged the old tallow wood timber baffles from a cooling tower at a

power station in Lithgow NSW. It sat in my paddock for about 10-15 years before I renovated my house, using

the timber for floor boards and dado walls. We also made our bench tops, kitchen, stair case and all of the

internal doors. We had just enough timber to make our dining table and we had a furniture maker do the chairs.

The table is a square 8 seater; it took six men to bring the table top into the house!

My pop being a miner inspired me to volunteer to help restore the Wonthaggi Coal Mine to working order, so

that it could be reopened for underground tours. For a couple of years I went underground once a week, after I'd

finished my usual job. I really enjoyed it, especially hearing the stories of the old mining days from some of the other volunteers, who had actually been miners and had worked with my Pop.

I have been down to Antarctica for a Summer stint of 4 months, working as a maintenance plumber. It was the

most amazing experience, one that very few get to enjoy. I have also applied to go back down for a winter,

which will be a 12 month stint. I hope to find out very soon if I have been accepted.

My earliest memories of woodcrafting go back to school where I liked wood work. I’ve always liked timber

and loved renovating our house. I joined the Woodies early this year because I was looking at going back to

Antarctica and wanted to learn new skills so that I had a hobby while I was down there.

What I enjoy most about the Woodies is that everyone is so helpful and willing to share their expertise.

I think that you have all done a great job; it’s a terrific set up. As a new comer I have been made very

welcome. Thank you everyone.

Ed. Note: Glenn got accepted for the Antarctica trip and left last week. Initially he will do a week’s training

in Tasmania before the voyage south. He will be back home in April. We wish him luck.

Georgia Van Rooijen

Williams

November 2014

I grew up on a flower farm in the Dandenongs with my

parents and two younger sisters. My father is Dutch,

but we didn’t grow tulips! Our main flower was an

African lily called Gloriosa.

My first memory of loving woodcraft was when I was

14 and I saw a beautiful teak desk with lots of drawers and secret compartments. I

saved up to buy it by working on the family farm. Every year I lovingly sanded and

polished the desk with linseed oil. As my school was purely academic I didn’t have

the opportunity to learn woodwork back then.

After I bought the desk, I saved up for a round the world ticket to travel with my dad

on business. The first country I visited was Zimbabwe, where I learnt to waterski

amongst crocodiles, followed by Holland to see my father’s family and USA on the

way home.

After school I moved to college at Melbourne University. I started in Architecture, but transferred to Geomatic

Engineering which covered surveying and all types of mapping and measurement. When I finished uni, I was

already working for a geodemographic marketing company. My boss wanted me to stay and take over the

business, but I wanted to travel and see the world! It was around then that I decided to try and make life

decisions as if money wasn’t an issue. I moved to Holland to get to know my family and I treasure the time I

spent with my Oma and my Aunt and Uncle who are artists. I struggled to find a job though as I had limited

Dutch, but eventually got work for an international engineering software company who transferred me back to

Melbourne when I wanted to go home.

My next move was to the jungles of Cambodia to work on land rights issues as a mapping advisor. This was

such an amazing experience which opened my mind to different cultures, ideas and ethical issues. After a year,

I followed a man to London, but after the vibrant colours of the tropics where everyone smiles and says hello it

felt like my life was now in black and white in a concrete jungle – what a culture shock! I stuck it out for a few

years working as a GIS consultant in local government and then managing a project for a sustainable

development charity. With the prospect of my third London winter approaching, I moved home to help on the

farm and determine what next! I decided to study something I was passionate about so I moved to Birmingham

to do a Masters in Global Ethics.

On return to Australia, I moved to Melbourne to work for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) as an

Innovation Catalyst, then Intelligence Analyst and then Information Manager. Around this time I started

Vipassana Meditation in the Yarra Valley. I began to take regular retreats and the meditation has had a positive

impact on my life.

In 2011 I moved to Glen Forbes to be with my partner Alister who won me over with a beautiful turned cherry

wood “lotus bowl” he made for my birthday. We were there for about 18 months before travelling up North in

a 4WD that Alister rebuilt, returning at the end of 2013. I also regularly practice yoga, I love cooking and I’m

always happy in the kitchen. Al and I plan to live a simple self-sufficient life on a few acres.

I have a family connection to Wonthaggi as my Pa was born here. His father worked as a carpenter in the mine.

I joined Wonthaggi Woodies as I love woodcraft and I want to learn more practical skills. I am grateful to

everyone at the club for making me feel so welcome and for their patience and amazing help and support. I

would love to see more women at the club as before I joined, I didn’t even think of it as a male pursuit.

Okke Huitema Williams

January 2015

MEMBER PROFILE:

A special one this Month – founding Club Member

and Life Member, Okke Huitema. I was born on the 24th of April 1930 in Bolsward,

Friesland which is in the Netherlands. I had four sisters

and eight brothers. We grew up on a dairy farm which

was located next to a river. Life was tough especially during the wartimes. My

mother was very well organized and resourceful and we all had jobs to help run the

household. I was the potato peeler for two years along with one of my brothers. My

father worked hard on the farm to make ends meet.

I finished primary school in 1944 when I was 14. After this I worked on the family

farm for three years and then went to trade school and studied metal trade for two

years. I then went and worked for a blacksmith for a further two years.

My older brother Rients had moved to Australia and after hearing about work prospects there, I decided to

migrate as I felt this would provide me with a better future. I left the Netherlands on 23rd of January 1952 on a

ship named the Johan Van Olden-Barnvelt. I was 22 years old and travelled the 6 week journey alone. It was

difficult arriving in a country where you didn’t speak the language. I learnt to speak English by listening to

conversations and trying to read newspapers.

My first job was on a farm working for Tommy Parks in Wonthaggi. I also worked on many other farms in the

district and travelled there by push bike. I helped bail hay with private contractor Bob Hitchings for a season

and did other jobs such as tussock grubbing and fencing.

Wanting to get back into the metal trade I found a job with Len Humphries making mufflers. The business was

bought out and I was then transferred to a farm machinery manufacturer. After a couple of years there I left and

went to Archies Creek Butter factory and got my boiler attendant certificate.

In 1959 along with my wife Betty, I started my own business with a combined service station and engineering

business. We ran this for ten years and I eventually leased out the business and gained employment with the

Borough of Wonthaggi for 13 years as a maintenance engineer. Due to an ongoing back injury I was forced to

retire from this job.

I met my wife Betty in 1955 on a blind date at a dance at the Wonthaggi town hall thanks to Betty’s brother

who organized it. We were married in 1957 and had four sons and three daughters. The family has grown to

include 16 grandchildren, two great grandchildren with two more on the way!

Throughout my life I have been involved with organizations such as Apex and Birthright. I was lucky to be

contacted by the Leongatha wood turning group who found out that I had built my own lathe. They invited me

to join their group and I was a member there for two years. At this stage there was enough interest to start a

club in Wonthaggi. Along with Harry Oates and George Hill we formed our own group. From there the club

has grown to what it is today. During this time I have made many of my own tools and ten or twelve lathes for

various members. I had to give up making lathes as I found I had no time to make things myself. Much of my

wood has been gathered from various parts of Australia and was collected on some trips Betty and I have had

together in our renovated campervan.

After many years of bragging about my ability to use tools safely, I have recently had a couple of slip ups and

now only have 9 1/3 fingers and not much feeling in my left hand. Even the master makes mistakes! Despite

this and through sheer determination I am back in my shed adapting my tools and skills to continue delighting

my grandchildren with wooden toys. I enjoy the companionship of my woodturning mates and still take part in

meetings. I am very proud of how far the club has progressed over 25 years thanks to the dedication of all the

members. I have met some wonderful people over the years and hope that the group continues to support and

encourage people to enjoy their love of woodcraft.

Gavin Averay

February 2015

MEMBER PROFILE:

I was born in Elizabeth, South Australia and grew up in

the Elizabeth / Salisbury area north of Adelaide. At 16, I

left school and my first job was as a trainee Upholsterer.

When I was 18 I left Adelaide leaving behind my Mum,

Dad and brother, and ventured over to Melbourne. Later

on I married and had a son and a daughter. Several years

later divorced. A few years on I married Leesa, who already had a son, and

together we had another daughter. Two years ago we became grandparents

with a baby girl born to our eldest daughter.

After moving to Melbourne I started work as an Aluminium Die Caster and 28

years later was retrenched. I then worked as a Department Manager in a small

Supermarket for 2 years. From there I worked in a small crew sub-contracting

for 12 months concreting and building huge chicken sheds on rural properties mainly near Castlemaine. For the

past 2 ½ years I have been working in Dandenong as an Aluminium Extrusion Press operator.

We moved to Cape Woolamai 11 years ago and then about 6 years ago moved to Corinella, mainly to be closer

to Leesa’s family, but we also enjoy the lifestyle the area has.

I’ve always enjoyed working and playing with wood but never really knew how to take it to the next level.

Early last year my wife Leesa brought home a wooden item from a market and asked me to make another

similar item for a present. Little did she know the monster she had created by this simple request. I told her I

could but I didn’t have the tool to do it. I then searched the internet, found and brought a cheap and basic Scroll

saw and produced the item for the present. A short time after this I ventured to Loch for their Woodworking

Weekend and found a scroll saw display fascinating due to the huge variety and quality of items that could be

produced from what appears to be a simple piece of equipment. Whilst at Loch I picked up a brochure for the

Wonthaggi Woodcrafters as I was very interested in scroll sawing and other activities offered and the rest is

history.

Since joining the Wonthaggi Woodies I have enjoyed the general atmosphere , laughter and banter around the

workshops. There is always someone along with the supervisors more than prepared to help and point you in

the right direction, to show you how to do it safely and properly. I can only hope that in the years to come,

when I finally get around to retiring, that I can enjoy the lunch breaks with the rest of the Toymakers group and

that the club will still be going strong. As the club appears to be steadily growing, sometime down the track it

would be good to see the workshops expand in size.

Geoff & Daphne Tinkler

March 2015

MEMBER PROFILE:

Our Member Profile is a little different this month, with husband and wife members presenting a joint pen picture of their backgrounds and thoughts.

Geoff: Until Daphne and I became a couple in

the last years of our High School years we had

gone through two very different upbringings.

Daph will outline her thoughts about this later.

I was born in Melbourne but mum and dad

were very much Wonthaggi people. Mum's

parents, Adam and Una Keltie, and her brother

Jack were stalwarts of the town. Adam was

entrenched in the bowling club, the very essence of the town and being the

local representative for the Manchester Unity Friendly Society alongside

working full time in "The Mine" were his passions. He was elected Mayor

and had strong ideas about the future of the town, although he would now probably tell everyone within hearing

that he couldn't get a bloody parking spot near his beloved "Club". He was also on the rescue team when 20

shaft blew up. Dad’s parents, Moff and Marge Tinkler, were of a different nature, being very involved in their

church and spending a lot of time in quiet activities. Moff was a very enthusiastic fisherman and we had great

times sitting on the banks of the Tarwin River waiting for a "bite".

Mum and dad both went to school in Wonthaggi. Mum then worked in the Pelaco factory and dad at the State

Bank before joining the RAAF and serving in Borneo.

When dad returned they married and moved to Melbourne where my life started, but all through my childhood

our trips to Wonthaggi for holidays provided wonderful memories.

Then Daphne and I met at school.

Daphne: Prior to this, my life had been the opposite to Geoff’s, due to my father's occupation in the RAAF. In

seventeen years I had lived in nineteen houses and attended thirteen schools! When Geoff and I became

engaged at 19, my father's last move was to London to assist the Australian High Commissioner and to liaise

with the French Airforce.

I had a huge choice to make - go to London for two years or get married and stay in Australia. The choice was

easy and we celebrate our 44th Anniversary this year!

Our most interesting trips in recent years have been to Borneo, where we have visited four times, absolutely

loving the people and the culture.

We have three fabulous children and five very much loved grandchildren .

Our interests at the moment are of course, woodturning, as well as a multitude of crafts, gardening and keeping

up with the family.

We always had a soft spot in our lives for Wonthaggi and travelled down from Melbourne at every opportunity.

As you can imagine we didn't have to look far for somewhere to stay! When our children were young they grew

to enjoy the town and the life away from the "big city" and over time our family grew too big to stay with

relatives so we purchased a house at Cape Paterson. We made this house our getaway from the stresses of

Melbourne and it eventually became our main residence. We had added on to the house a few times and

eventually, after our children made their own lives with partners, it became too big for just the two of us, so we

reluctantly sold and moved to Warburton in the Yarra Valley. We still travelled regularly to the town to visit

friends and so kept an attachment with the area.

Throughout this time, since the early 60's, we maintained an enduring friendship with Ken Urquhart and as all 3

of us moved into a new phase of our lives Ken became a member of the club and told as at every opportunity

how much he was enjoying being a member of "the Woodies". Our discussions lead to me joining last year and

as Daphne became more interested about how it all worked, she developed the passion for wood turning. The

difference between us here is that Daphne can see what the outcome of her efforts will be as she starts the

project. This is probably as a result of her many years producing handcrafts such as quilts.

ALAN HURST

April 2015

MEMBER PROFILE:

As an only child, I was born in Altona and lived in

Newport until I was 21. I attended Williamstown High

School and then went on to Melbourne Teacher’s

College. Carol and I married in 1972 and we lived for

some years in West Footscray before building our first

house in Gisborne where we remained for 15 years. From there we shifted to

Bendigo for 17 years and we have now been in Inverloch for 9 years. We have two

daughters, one residing in Melbourne and the other in Brisbane. They each have

two beautiful little girls. Boys are hard to come by in our family as Carol is also

one of two girls. We’ve even got a female dog! Thankfully, I have two great son-

in-laws to do the “boys’ stuff” with when we all get together.

After graduating from Teacher’s College, I spent the next 35 years as a primary

school teacher. Carol was also a primary teacher. I was appointed Vice Principal of St Albans North Primary

School in 1988 and thus began an initiation into administering schools in tough areas. I became Principal of

Bendigo Violet Street Primary School at a relatively early age and after 4 tough years was looking for a change.

I resigned and Carol and I started a Computer Education Centre in Bendigo. After several years of sampling a

life away from teaching, we got out of the business and I returned to teaching until retirement. Or should I say

semi-retirement, as I took on the role as an ICC International Cricket Match Referee.

Time to backtrack a little. Cricket was my passion from a very early age and in my mid-teens I was invited to

Footscray Cricket Club. I worked my way from the thirds to the firsts over the next few years with some

supportive coaching. In 1970, I was selected in the State practice squad and played my first State Sheffield

Shield game against Western Australia at the MCG in 1972. In 1974, I was selected in the Australian Test

Team to play New Zealand in Adelaide. In 1977 I had to choose between an offer to play for Kerry Packer or to

stay with the ‘hierarchy’. I chose the latter, as I really wanted to play for Australia. Consequently, I played a

full Ashes series in 1978 and my first-class cricket career spanned 9 seasons until a severe back injury brought

it to a sudden end whilst on a tour of India with the Australian team and after just 12 Tests. I went from being

named one of Wisden’s World Cricketers of the Year in 1979 to being totally out of the game two years later.

However, over the following years I kept involved, including roles as a commentator for ABC radio cricket for

10 seasons and ABC television for 5 seasons. I also wrote feature articles on cricket for the Bendigo Advertiser.

In 2004, I received an offer from Cricket Australia to be nominated for four available International Match

Referee positions. There were 17 applicants interviewed from 8 countries, but I was lucky enough to be offered

one of the roles. Being one of just 7 Referees supervising all International cricket was quite a challenging role,

but I loved it, although at times stresses were extreme. Being overseas for up to 7 months of the year was

demanding and I decided to retire fully in 2011.

Since then I’ve enjoyed life to the full. Carol and I are both heavily involved in community activities. Carol’s

choirs, church, Probus and knitting groups commitments keep her pretty busy and as President of Inverloch

Probus this year, I’ve also got plenty on my plate. Besides looking after my 96 year old mother and seeing our

kids and grandkids when I can, the Woodies has become a big part of my life. I love the Club and the great lot

of people involved. With a growing membership, the Club can only get better and I look forward to being an

active Member into the future. I get out into my own workshop whenever I can and really enjoy the solace and

all the pleasures of working with wood.