I was born on 29 May 1960 at Dandenong District Hospital to Ern and Lorna. Dad was a market gardener, and I grew up in Noble Park.
I started at Noble Park Primary at five, then went to Noble Park Technical College—which sounded more impressive than it was.
At fourteen, my brother Rodney was killed in a car accident. A week later, I stood in as best man at my brother Alan’s wedding. Three months after that, my sister’s husband died from cancer. Those losses made me grow up quickly.
I left school at fifteen. Apprenticeships were encouraged, and although I considered becoming an electrician, the thought of electrocution put me off.
A family friend suggested printing. Once I saw the presses, I was hooked, and I began the career I’ve stayed in ever since.
I completed my apprenticeship with Wilkie & Co. in Clayton, where we printed Time Magazine and the first Australian edition of Playboy—purely historical interest, of course.
At eighteen, I got my licence and met my first wife.
We married in 1980, bought a house, and had two children.
In 1988, work took us to South Australia, but family illness brought us back to Victoria about a year later.
That marriage ended in 1996. A year later, I met my current wife, and we married in 2000.
After my divorce, I said I’d never buy another house, remarry, or have more children. Life had other ideas.
After IVF, Jacob was born in 2005, followed by twins in 2008—a surprise in our late forties. The twins arrived prematurely after difficult medical decisions. Spencer spent about eleven months in hospital, and thankfully both twins are doing well now.
These days, our children work part-time locally, so you may have met one of them.
For the past eight or nine years, I’ve been involved with Gemco Community Theatre. Public speaking isn’t new to me, though tonight has still been nerve-racking.
My favourite role was Veruca Salt’s father in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with a Russian accent that took months to shake.
I’ve loved cars since I was twelve and still own a 1966 Mustang I bought about twenty-four years ago. I’m in the Mustang Owners Club and plan to bring it to the next Classic Rotary Car Show.
So that’s a little about me. I’m sure I’ve left out some of the best stories.
About fifteen years ago, Marcus Adams tried to convince me to join Rotary—and now, here I am.
Peter Brock & Mac Barrot
