Just Turn Over the Page – Geoff’s Good Go!

Bayview Haven in Portland is proud to welcome Geoff as its newest member of the Respect 100 Club. Born on 12 June 1926 in the country town of Coleraine in Victoria, Geoff lived a life full of hard work, adventure and some very good stories.

The eldest of four children, Geoff grew up on the family farm alongside his siblings Heather, Hollis and Max. He was the natural leader of the pack, something his sister Heather – who is also a resident at Bayview Haven – confirms without hesitation! 

“He told us what we needed to do and we did it,” Heather says laughingly, “but he was also protective and really looked out for us.” Geoff laughs at that. One memory he has from the farm was lining up the fence posts. “Apparently I had a good eye for those things,” Geoff said. 

He left school at 13 as the Second World War began, trading in his classroom for a life of full time farm work. He had dreamed of joining the Navy, but there was work to be done.

Rabbiting became a significant earner during those years. The skins were sometimes worth more than the meat, said Geoff and the income made a real difference. 

In Hamilton, Geoff met Mary, and the two built a life together that would grow to include five children named Marilyn, Linda, Stephen, Robyn and Bradley, followed by grandchildren and great-grandchildren who have brought so much love and joy to the family. 

The milestones came steadily. In 1953, Geoff and Mary purchased a farm at the historic town of Paschendale, later adding a second property.

They spent time in Mount Gambier and built a holiday home at Neve Valley, where Geoff spent many hours crayfishing and fishing with friends.

The caravan got plenty of use too when they explored the country together – climbing Uluru, visiting the gold mines at Kalgoorlie and Mount Isa, and taking a helicopter ride over Lake Argyle in Western Australia.

Ask Geoff about his working life and he will tell you he would have a good go at anything. Shearing, truck driving, heavy machinery, the forest commission and you bet – he has turned his hand to it all! 

His 23 years with the commission took in fire crew work, driving dozers and graders and a role as safety officer. The truck driving years came with a few close calls, particularly on runs transporting fuel and diesel.

He also had plenty of side hustles – Geoff and his work colleague collected the coils of netting from old rabbit fences in the forest and sold them. The family worked together to pull down a hay shed in exchange for the windmill that went to his property for the bore he made with his son Stephen.

He volunteered as a steward at local shows and kept chickens as a hobby. As a young man he played football – he is the first to say he was never going to be a VFL superstar but he still follows the Bulldogs closely and is a regular in the in-house football tipping competition at Bayview Haven. 

These days, Geoff is one of the names to watch at indoor bowls. He notes he had only held a bowl three times in his life before arriving at Bayview Haven. Nobody told the other players. A few times a week his son Stephen visits with Indie the dog, which Geoff looks forward to. 

And just down the hall is Heather, his little sister, not a bad arrangement for the boy who was always the leader. 

When reflecting on things he never quite got around to, Geoff mentions three: sailing a yacht around the Whitsundays, a parachute jump, and a visit to the underground church at Coober Pedy. The list is short for a man who has done so much! 

As for what comes next, Geoff puts it simply and perfectly: “For the next 100 years, turn over the page.” 

Congratulations Geoff, and welcome to the 100 Club!