What is your connection with Footscray?
I have lived in Footscray all my life, though in various houses. Dad worked on odd jobs till he became a signalman in the railways. My family has lived in Yarraville since the 1900s. I went to Kingsville, Geelong Road, Hyde Street schools and Footscray Technical College. Apart from a job in the city, I was a postman in the Footscray and Yarraville area for 25 years.
What do you love most about the area?
I think the friendly people of the area, the informality. When I was growing up everything was in reach, Yarraville was and is a small intimate shopping strip, Footscray was downtown where I went to the cinemas, shopped at Forges and Coles, bought my clothes, records and books and swam in the old baths in Buckley Street.
Everything was within walking distance or bicycle. I would like to see the area become more walk and bicycle friendly.
What do you think of as quintessentially ‘Footscray’?
To me Footscray always had the feeling of community. There was the shopping area with its own character, support for Footscray Bulldogs and walking to the Western Oval to support our team. The local streets were our playground.
Did you have a favourite place to spend time?
As a kid I loved the old Grand Theatre and the old Swimming Baths in Buckley Street, but my favourite was the old Footscray library in Buckley Street. Being an avid reader, I loved going there and sitting in its friendly atmosphere, it was small and intimate. It had the feeling of an old-fashioned bookshop. Now the new library is my favourite haunt.
As the president of Friends of Stony Creek, what inspired your interest in the area’s natural habitat?
Stony Creek was a wild area when I was a kid and I loved to explore it. Later I became involved with the Friends of Stony Creek, went to a planting and was inspired by what you could create with the help of the community.
What sparked your passion for history?
I have always had passion for history in my reading. With my involvement with Stony Creek I started to research its history and the area and became fascinated with it, hence my involvement with the Footscray Historical Society. Am fascinated by the ever-changing character of Footscray.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
My fascination with science fiction. I started with books at the Footscray children’s library, and now have a huge collection at home of books and DVDs. When I want to refresh myself I curl up to read or reread or view my favourite old TV show or classic sci-fi.
