Veterinarian and Educator
I was stimulated to compose the history of veterinary practice in Scone when I realised the original protagonists (Murray Bain -deceased) & Frank Williams were ‘nearing the end’. I interviewed Frank Williams and fortuitously I had the very best typingamanuensis in the Practice (Morgan, Howey & Fraser & Partners). The late Jackie Druery was superb! My first tome was “TheInfinitive History of Veterinary Practice in Scone”. I then followed up with ‘Geraldton’; the story of our historic home and itsoccupants. I have also co-written and re-written some other ‘histories’, including the ‘Scone Race Club’, ‘The Friends ofStrathearn Village’ etc. Much of it is social history; but I’m an ordinary bloke who is not a journalist, author, or politician. I amvery interested in ‘social history’ and did a Memoir Writing Course provided at a Sydney Men’s Club. The Tutor was a retiredSenior English Teacher, originally from Werris Creek (Irish origins) but who taught HSC English (Extension) at Ascham GirlsSchool for c. 35 years. He was a superb teacher. Ben Taffe “Read a lot and write what you read”. ‘100 pages = 1 page ofwriting’. I read a lot.I ‘plunder, plagiarize and purloin’ whenever possible. The polite term is RECENSION which I learned from Richard Fidler:“Revision of revised text”. I’ve drawn a lot from the ‘treasure trove’ at the Historical Society. I was one of the small group whichstarted the Scone Literary Long Week End (2014). Now the Writer’s Festival as you very well know. I wrote the original‘Writers in Scone’ for the inaugural event. I think the overarching philosophy prevails. I managed to persuade Dr Judy WhiteAM PhD to present the first Patrick White Oration in 2015. She excelled with some help from Sophie Bettington. I still have aPPT copy of the presentation!
Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia 2018
Fellow of the Australian Veterinary Association (FAVA) 2023
Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery (BVMS) 1966
Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Science (MACVSc)
Graduate Diploma in Education (Grad.Dip.Ed)
President Australian Equine Veterinary Association (AEVA) 1978/1979
Certificate of Australian Citizenship 1985
Scone Shire Council ‘Citizen of the Year 1995’
Inductee: Newcastle & Hunter Racing Hall of Fame 2023
President Scone Race Club 1978 – 1984
Councillor UHSC 2008 – 2012
Councillor, Royal Agricultural Society of NSW 1996*
