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Bob (Aust)
02-06-2008 13:14:12
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Re: Bob (Aust) - I'm Dissapointed!!! in reply to Jeff-oh, 02-06-2008 06:42:07
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Oh, dear!
Had a good night’s sleep, wonderful sun rise here in the Aussie Outback, made my first coffee, turn on my computer and go to one of my favorite forums ……. and what do I find?
A whole thread just for me!!!!! !! :lol:
Perhaps I need to correct a few misconceptions? I hope the following does not bore my friends out there in Fergy land!
I’ve lived in the town of Roma, 500 kilometers west of the Queensland state capital of Brisbane, for the past six years. The town has a population of 7,000 and as it is the center of the gas exploration region, is very affluent. It is also the regional center for the cattle and grain industry and our cattle sales yards are the largest store cattle sale yards in Australia.
It’s very “laid back” out here, very much an Aussie country life style, with drovers and ringers (you’d call “cowboys”) and oil and gas riggers always in town, not on horses but in cattle station Toyota Landcruiser utes (you’d call “trucks” I guess). Guns are illegal here in Australia, but it would be easy to imagine many of those guys right at home with Gen Custer or at the OK Coral, slinging a six shooter!
I am Chief Executive Officer of a non profit “group training organisation”, the largest private sector employer in south west Queensland. We are a non profit corporation employing and training 450 trade apprentices and trainees with branches at Toowoomba, Dalby, Roma, Charleville, Longreach and Emerald – and service an area of almost two million square kilometers! We employ apprentices in all trade callings, from chefs to diesel fitters, carpenters to hair dressers. I am also President of the Chamber of Commerce.
At 63 years of age I have no intention of ever retiring. Growing old is obligatory – growing up is optional – and I have a heap of growing up still to do.
Born in Tasmania (island of 400,000 population, ten surnames….. :lol: ), learned to fly when I left school. Escaped the island state at 19, went to Papua New Guinea to work and studied accounting by correspondence. Spent 23 years in Papua New Guinea, the last 13 years with a large domestic airline. In my airline days I traveled the world, visiting over forty countries on both business and vacation.
Returned to Australia in 1985 and established a domestic airline here in the state of Queensland. Moved to Asia in the 1990’s for five years managing an aviation corporation providing air transport to mostly US oil drilling corporations working in the South China Sea.
Six years ago I accepted my current position here in the Aussie Outback. The organization was insolvent – today and with a great team, we own over $3 million in assets (offices and vehicles etc) and are expanding our employment, training and support services to rural youth. I work around 60 hours per week and still manage to drive 60,000 kilometers per year visiting our branches, Members and apprentices. (No air services out here between the towns). Keeps me busy and young!!!
My father was a brilliant tradesman fitter and turner, welder who went on to become an engineer, serving in the Navy as an engineer during the war. He believed his sons should also be tradesmen and started force feeding mechanical skills from a very young age. He also held an amateur radio license for over 60 years and 30 years ago I also obtained my amateur radio license (call sign originally P29NBF, now VK4VEE). Over the years I’ve done all the usual things, racing sports cars (in Australia) and stock cars (in Papua New Guinea), restored old Land Rovers and more recently, the Jaguar E Type and the Ferguson TEA20. Over the years I’ve also owned nine aircraft (from Cessna 150 to Cessna 402) and when I lived in the islands and on the coast, a number of cruising yachts.
Whilst I am definitely not a Ferguson expert, I've learned a few things over the 25 years I've owned my Fergy and am more than happy to help with limited advice, where I can. I have hundreds of photos taken whilst restoring my tractor and hope the photos I've posted here, help others.
All my kids learnt to drive on the Ferguson tractor from a very young age on my property in Brisbane. They are now grown up – a daughter is a registered nurse here in the Outback, a son is a pilot with Qantas, another daughter lives in Houston TX married to an oil drilling engineer and only my youngest son is a motor bike mechanic.
According to my daughter, I’m planning a trip to Houston later this year after she delivers my sixth grand child in June - I'm still coming to grips with the concept one of my grand kids will be a US citizen! At that time I’m hoping to catch up with some of my airline mates in the US and a few of you guys – and see and hopefully drive my first US built TO20 or TO30!
If any of you ever get to the Land Down Under you are very welcome here in the Outback. Always a bed and a fridge full of cold beer for my mates!
Hope that rather mundane and unexciting life story doesn’t bore you all!!
Don.
[quote:a050a960c0]"...but the folks I've met (granted, most are from Victoria) could just as easily be from Denver or Dallas."[/quote:a050a960c0]
They are a little "odd and different" in Victoria..... :lol:
Bob in Oz
P.S. There are a couple of links above which will take you to other web sites of interest.
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