BROADFORD BOY
Recently, I interviewed Broadford citizen Paul Fleming. Early in my time at Assumption, I met his wonderful parents Bill and Bonnie and their children Paul, Garry, Anne, and Margaret. I recall his mum and dad as very civic minded people of strong faith.
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The following story is mostly in Paul’s own words. He has vivid memories of ACK days.
“I could write a book on the daily bus trips to and from Kilmore, when, for all the years I travelled, the driver was one or the other of parish priests. Mons Ken Morrison was the most respected as he had a ‘don’t mess with me’ glare in the rear vision mirror, but the hot-headed Fr Timothy Callaghan (‘little sport’) had great difficulty maintaining order on the bus. He would often angrily skid the bus to a halt in the gravel roadside then attempt to box the ears of offending lads with little success,” he said.
“Broadford ‘day scrags’ were at the bottom of the food chain at ACK. In those days, there was over 300 boarders, about 30 Kilmore townies, and about 20 of us from Broadford. The only real respect we gained from the boarders was from trading our sandwiches and homemade cakes for enough money to sneak down the street for fish and chips and a can of coke. ACK picks up the worst of the southerly winds and was (still is) three degrees colder than Broadford in the winter.”
Beyond school days, Paul has certainly led a busy and fulfilling life, influencing many people along the way. He owes much to his parents Bonnie – a person of deep faith, as was dad Bill. The latter was for a long time involved with RSL and Legacy and was a Shire counsellor, a position Paul took over aged 27 before becoming president at 29.
Paul continues:
“My current community interests include being board member of the St Matthews Retirement Village in Broadford, taking over from mum in 2003. I have been Chairman of the Broadford Cemetery Trust and Chairman of the Glenaroua Land Management Group for most of the last 25 years, and a member and Chair of the South West Goulburn Landcare Network also for 22 years (eight as Chair). As well as representing the network in the broader Goulburn broken catchment area, I am also an active member of the Seymour conference of the St Vincent De Paul Society,” he said.
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A working lifetime of farming running a butcher’s business, a position at Telecom, plus a consultancy to represent and help farmers in difficult situations is just part of the story. Hobbies and interests have been many as Paul explains:
“There was always sport-football in the Waranga North-East League, tennis, and badminton. I loved my sport even though I was just an average participant and am still an avid AFL fan (go Blues!). A stint on the stage during the earliest days of what is now the Broadford Amateur Theatrical Society, along with BATS legend Peter Henry, too. I have held numerous volunteering roles which meant there has never been a dull moment. These days, I enjoy seeing my seven grandkids grow and challenge me! And in more recent times, an hour of pilates three times a week to keep the ageing body in shape.”
(Best) Friends
“There are those who have taken a special place in some of the toughest parts of my journey – Jim and June Fletcher (dec), their daughter Annie and husband Bruce Nicholls (dec), Bill Sammon – my longest close mate – and his wife Glynis, David and Jan Ince, mum’s cousin Barb and husband Bill Kelly, Jimmy Ekberg and wife Chrissy, farming mate Geoff Foletta, and my Monday Italian ‘dinner date’ Lina Franz.
Future Hopes and Thoughts on Australia Today
“My hopes for the future very much relate to where I see Australia today. I see our community witnessing a most dangerous path towards the destruction of the Judeo-Christian Westminster Democratic way of life which has been the pillar of peace and prosperity this nation has enjoyed for the last 80 years. I hope and pray that our leaders will develop the wisdom and strength to stand up to and defeat the extreme left wing and Marxist forces intent on destroying our traditional way of life.”
Thanks Paul, for your time and reflections. Certainly, a life well lived with more to come.
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Varia
Charlie Bannerman (pictured) was the first Australian to hit a test century. The NSW batsman scored 195 against England at the MCG in 1877. Born in 1851, he was a fine stroke player and brilliant field. Australia won that test by 40 runs and in the centenary clash at the MCG in 1977, the result was exactly the same in a thrilling clash watched in total by more than a 250,000 people. The two great Ashes foes will clash again in 2027 in Melbourne to mark 150 years of Australian V England
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This little Amish lad alone in his classroom may be pondering on the state of his America today with its political circus. There are 370,000 Amish people today living in Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. They are remarkable people who still live in farming communities, a lifestyle little changed from over a century ago.
