Hi Neil, can you tell us a bit about your early years?
I spent the first two years of my life in Keilor. When my father came back from the war we moved to a dairy farm in Ballarat. We had horses and carts to carry the milk and from the age of 10, until I left home at 19, I looked after the horses. I went to Melbourne University where I studied economics for eight years. When I finished my studies I was conscripted, but I failed my medical due to old football injuries, which I was very pleased about, especially as I was involved with opposing the Vietnam War.
You spent some time travelling in South East Asia and India, what was that like?
I was 27 and stayed in a Buddhist meditation retreat in India for six months. One day this Canadian guy, a lapsed doctor, said I had a dirty, big lump in my neck and I should get it seen too. I had my thyroid taken out at Bombay Hospital, but in the end, I was so exhausted that I had to come home to the care of my loving parents. After I recovered I went to Nimbin and stayed in Tuntable Falls at co-op for a year. There are quite a few people in Castlemaine who were there at that time. We lived in tents, gardened, played music, and swam. It was a marvelous lifestyle. I played piano in a band called Smiling Ruth and the Backward Boys which became quite popular.
When did you get more involved in environmental work?
After Nimbin, I came back to Melbourne and became the State Coordinator of Friends of the Earth. That was in 1975-1976. We worked 12-14 hour days working on uranium mining. We had energy then. We lived in primitive circumstances around Carlton and were paid $30 a week. I did that for 18 months. Then my wife Heather and I became involved in making environmental kits for schools. We bought four acres in Castlemaine, where we raised our three girls and at first, we ran our business out of 20 old concrete duck sheds on the property that we had fixed up. It was a very busy life. We had Environment Audiovisuals for 25 years.
Later, Heather, myself, and a few others started Mt Alexander Sustainability Group. In 2002 we bought the old closed-down pub and used it as an office. We then renovated and turned it into the Hub, which was a great pleasure to run and was always full of good tenants.
We also set up the Mount Alexander Solar Homes which helped set up over 1000 systems and was sold to Central Vic Greenhouse Alliance.
Oh and I nearly forgot, Heather and I have both been awarded OAMs in 2020 for our environmental work.
Tell us about The Paddock Eco Village- when did that begin?
We began work on The Paddock in 2015 and it really brought together everything we’ve been doing on the environmental scene. There are 26 houses and a big garden complex and a community space. It should be finished for us by May next year. At the moment there are 20 people, ranging in age from three to 83, living in 15 houses. People get along so well and enjoy being among like-minded people. The buildings hardly use any energy except for solar, which is being exported back into the grid.
As a long-time environmentalist do you have hope or worry about the future?
I feel so much frustration. While the government is much better than it was, they are still allowing new fossil fuel projects. Unless we take very serious action now and stop using fossil fuels we are going to have to adapt to many changes, like the risk of having 50-degree days to deal with.
What are you reading at the moment?
Humanity’s Moment written by Joelle Gergis, a climate scientist. In the book, she expresses strong emotions about what is happening to the world.
What other interests do you have?
I do a lot of cycling and I’ve been writing; memoirs and family history.
What philosophies do you live life by?
What I jokingly call the three C’s: Kindness, courage, and curiosity.
Who are your three dream dinner guests?
Tongerlongeter, the leader of the black resistance in Tasmania. Alexei Navalny who opposed Putin and is now in jail. Oscar Peterson, the greatest jazz pianist. If I could choose a fourth it would be Maurice Rioli the greatest centre man of all time.
What genres of music do you like listening to?
Jazz and classical. I like to play jazz on the piano. I made a CD in 2022 called Rags, Boogie, and Honky Tonk: Warts and All, with an emphasis on the warts!
What do you love most about the place you call home?
The wonderful range of people. I’m constantly bowled over by how many people with interesting backgrounds live here. And the environment. I cycle all around Castlemaine and it’s a delightful and interesting environment to be in.
