About myself

I was born and bred in the city but like most of my generation would like to think there is a bit of the bush in there as well.

I left school at Intermediate level and undertook a trade course in Fitting & Machining/Toolmaking and Advanced Technical Drawing. I worked in our family business, which my father began in 1948 but at the completion of my apprenticeship, in 1968, I was conscripted to serve two years in the Australian Army.

After my discharge, I returned to the family business, which manufactured woodworking and office equipment. The business grew steadily until we sold to a competitor in 1992. I then became self employed offering handyman services and performing maintenance and bus-driving duties at Lutanda Manor, a retirement village at Pennant Hills, where my wife, Kathy, worked for fourteen years and eventually became manager in 2008.

While growing up I thrilled to the rhymes of Paterson, Ogilvie, Gordon, Dennis and Lawson but in later years I have been drawn to the verse of Rudyard Kipling, however, my 'ability' to write verse never unfolded until I enrolled in a creative writing class in 1996.

Since attending that class my verse has won major awards in various literary competitions, including the Henry Lawson Adult Literary Awards at Gulgong and Grenfell; the Bush Lantern Award at Bundaberg; the Inaugural Rolf Boldrewood Literary Awards, Dubbo; John O’Brien Festival at Narrandera; Blackened Billy at Tamworth; Man From Snowy River Bush Festival at Corryong and the Coo-ee Festival at Gilgandra.

I am fortunate to have in Kathy, a wonderful wife who is a constant source of encouragement and offers valuable constructive critcism of my poetry.

Early last year, Kathy and I moved from the city to fifty acres outside of Oberon, at Black Springs, where I expect the peaceful surroundings and friendly community atmosphere will inspire more poetry.

Kathy and I are blessed with five wonderful children and two grandchildren with another expected in April 2011.

This book, "For All We Are", follows my first publication – “The Ringer’s Last Defence and Other Verse” – which was launched in 1999.