27.12.1917 – 02.08.2008

Last Saturday morning, with the death of George Felix Cartwright, Birchip lost one of society’s great men. George was in his 91st year.

Today, we remember George and thank him for his amazing loyalty and service to the people of Birchip and district.

George Felix Cartwright and Birchip – what a duo!

George loved Birchip and subsequently spent a large portion of his time working in unpaid capacities for many and varied committees and sporting organisations.

Education and the Birchip School

The Birchip school was one such organisation which benefited from George’s interest and enthusiasm. George’s children, Yvonne and Max, commenced school during the 1950s, and subsequently George joined the Higher Elementary School Council in 1952. He was a driving force, alongside the principal and others, in gaining high school status in 1964.

Reported in the local paper on 3 January 1963:

“George, together with Alan Lee and the Birchip Shire secretary, made a deputation to the Minister of Education. Their main point was for the provision of a High School for Birchip. Many students had to go away for the completion of their education, whilst others whose parents could not afford to send their children away had to leave school at an early age. The deputation was to obtain signatures of parents of at least 75 children who would attend the proposed school in 1964, then steps would be taken for the establishment of such to commence in the school year in 1964.”

He believed in education for all and fought long and hard to win many battles with governments to ensure all Birchip and district students had access to an excellent education.

He subsequently became the first chairman of the Advisory Council and later School Council, a position he held until 1979.

In the late 1970s, George and his committee spent much time and energy bringing the two schools – Birchip Primary and Birchip High – together on the one site to become the Birchip Community Education Complex, later known as the Birchip P–12 School.

George was the unpaid curator and was in charge of the grounds committee. He was a keen waterer and often left hoses on to ensure playing surfaces were always green.

As a young teacher in the late 1970s, I even remember George turning the fire hydrants on to keep the water bill down and, of course, the playgrounds and ovals fresh and green.

George was given the honour of opening the school’s new-look quadrangle in 1997 – a much-deserved honour, considering the many years of leadership and work he gave to and for our school.

George drove the Birchip West and later Watchem/Wilkur bus for 35 years. In the local paper on 4 December 1987, George was reported to have said:

“I’m different from ‘Joh’. I’ve got to retire. In its wisdom, the Education Department has set the age of seventy for retirement, and I have reached that age.”

Local Government and Community Service

In 1967, George was elected to the Birchip Shire Council for the Central Riding. He carried the title of Cr George for the next 24 years until his retirement in 1990.

In fact, as I became Shire President in 1990, it was my duty to acknowledge the amazing legacy George gave to the Shire and Birchip community.

He was Shire President on three occasions:

• 1970–1971

• 1979–1980

• 1988–1989

He also served on various council sub-committees, including:

• Chairman of the Parks and Gardens

• Recreation Reserve Committee

• North Central Health Group

• Municipal Association of Victoria

• Birchip Cemetery Trust

• A & P Society

• Chairman of the Birchip Sewerage Authority

George was an outdoorsman, and the committees he served on often had some component of greenkeeping. I never knew of a patch of ground left uncovered.

George was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1970.

In 1971, George was awarded the Birchip Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award for outstanding community service. The citation from the Birchip Guardian on 11 February 1971 stated:

“George went about his community work quietly and unassumingly with very few people knowing the extent of his community effort. He has been selected for the award for his work at the High School as President of the Advisory Council, and voluntary curator of the High School grounds, his untiring efforts at the Recreation Reserve and finally his work as a Shire councillor and church organist.”

In 1987, George received his 20-year service medal with the Municipal Association of Victoria.

Cricket

George commenced playing cricket with Birchip at the age of 13 in 1930 and continued until 1959 – a cricketing career spanning three decades.

He was captain of the club for many seasons and president from 1948 to 1956. George was a member of the premiership cricket teams in 1933 and 1948. He was known primarily as a bowler, with some batting ability.

The oval was upgraded in 1930, which included a turf wicket and a watering system. Cricketers were required to assist with the preparation of the wicket each week. I believe this was the commencement of George’s love affair with green grass and water.

George was curator of the turf wicket during the 1940s. He continued to take an active interest in the oval until 1995.

He was honoured with life membership of the Birchip Cricket Club in 1960 – the first life member of the club.

George wrote the History of the Birchip Cricket Club, 1890–1997. His love of cricket, his passion for the game and his involvement in the Birchip club spanned nearly 80 years, from 1930 until 2008.

Football

George’s diary indicates that he played his first game of football in 1934 for the Birchip Rovers in the Birchip Football Association.

George and his brothers, Stewart and Keith, were great footballers and played for the Birchip senior team in the North Central League.

George carried his association into administration when his playing career finished. He was a committee member and club delegate of the Birchip Football Club from the 1930s until the 1950s, when the club was a member of the Birchip District, Wycheproof District, Tyrrell and North Central leagues.

George was awarded Best Clubman for the Birchip Football Club in 1940.

He held the following positions and honours:

• President of the Birchip Football Club from 1954 to 1962

• President of the North Central League from 1965 to 1968

• Life membership of the Birchip Football Club in 1963

• Life membership of the North Central League in 1969

He even served on the appeals board for a period of time and on the independent tribunal for the junior body from 1983 to 1990.

This was a most impressive playing and administrative sporting career.

When the Birchip Football Club joined the North Central League in 1953, the oval was again upgraded with a new watering system, making it the first oval in the league to be watered on a permanent basis.

It is also interesting to note that George worked alongside A. D. Hillgrove during the 1950s and 1960s, and together they continued the development of Birchip’s recreational facilities.

Other Community Involvement

George’s commitment to Birchip extended well beyond education, local government, cricket and football.

Birchip Urban Fire Brigade

George was a member of the Birchip Urban Fire Brigade for more than 20 years.

Birchip Lions Club

He was a member of the Birchip Lions Club from 1964 to 1984, including serving as president and holding various regional offices during this time.

Birchip Masonic Lodge

George was a member of the Birchip Masonic Lodge from 1944 until its closure in 1983, serving as Master in 1959. He was organist from 1949 to 1983.

Birchip Cemetery Trust

George was a member of the Birchip Cemetery Trust from 1958 until recently.

In 1975, he was one of those who helped establish the Lawn Cemetery and was appointed curator in a voluntary capacity from 1975 until 2004.

Notice again the affinity with green grass and water.

Birchip Brass Band

George played with the Birchip Brass Band from 1939 to 1945. The band would travel around the area in a truck, raising funds for the St Arnaud Hospital – the nearest major hospital.

Birchip Scouts

George joined the Birchip Scout troop in 1930 and became assistant Scout Master during the 1940s. He remained on the committee for several years and was chairman of the Birchip Boy Scouts and Cubs.

Birchip Golf Club

He was curator of the Golf Club for many years and assisted with course improvements in an honorary capacity.

Birchip Bowls Club

He played bowls with the Birchip Bowls Club from 1960 onwards and was a member of several pennant premiership teams.

Birchip Senior Citizens Club

In later years, George was a member of the Birchip Senior Citizens Club and served as president in 1990–1991 and secretary in 1992.

Birchip Historical Society

George was a foundation member of the Birchip Historical Society and was president from 1993 to 1995.

He was chairman of the sub-committee that organised the machinery display for the 1995 Centenary of the Birchip Shire at Taylor Park – another of George’s haunts and passions. And yes, there was green grass and water there too.

Many a traveller is afforded various comforts due to the work and efforts of George. I remember that George would always ‘put up’ the need for a toilet for visitors to Birchip at Taylor Park during Council estimates times. He would concede defeat when other needs were greater. I think he got his way, though.

Recognition and Honours

In 1988, George was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the Australia Day Honours List for services to the community and local government.

In 1995, the Birchip Shire Council aptly named the oval at the Recreation Reserve in George’s honour.

These two events testify to the magnitude of George’s voluntary contribution to the Birchip community, including:

• Birchip School

• Birchip Scouts

• Birchip Brass Band

• Masonic Lodge

• A & P Society

• Birchip Urban Fire Brigade

• Birchip Lions Club

• Birchip Cricket Club

• Birchip Football Club

• North Central Football League

• Presbyterian and Uniting Churches

• Various other voluntary groups in Birchip

A Lasting Legacy

Today, we pay tribute to a man of vision, a man who loved our community and a man who devoted much time and energy for the benefit of Birchip and the wider community.

He was a determined man and fought hard to get what he believed to be our fair share of services for our town.

Birchip is certainly the richer for George having passed our way and poorer because he is no longer with us to share our lives and, of course, turn the water on.

We offer our condolences to George’s family, his children Yvonne and Max, and their families.

George Felix Cartwright, may you rest in peace.