Community Profile - December 28, 2017

Ric and Sue met as teenagers at Ric’s then girlfriend’s house. Their first date was to the Melbourne Cup! They have been married for 52 years and had two children. Sadly their son died in 2012.

Their family camped in Lorne for holidays when the children were young. The block they bought in Moggs Creek was burnt in the ‘83 fires but one month later they bought their Lorne house.

The highlight of Ric’s career in the construction industry was his 10 years as part of Sir Roy Ground’s team, working on the Melbourne Arts Centre Complex. Although he left in 1989 he still speaks enthusiastically about being involved in such an exciting project with such inspiring people. When he left Sir Roy Ground’s practice, he joined the Buchanan Group in Melbourne for 12 years then in Sydney for a further five years.

Sue went to business college when she left school, afterwards getting work as a secretary in advertising agencies. She then took time out to have their two children. As an involved mum in the local school’s parents’ club she was exposed to the Federation of State School Parents Clubs, the president of which was Joan Kirner. Sue joined the organisation as administration secretary. Joan left 18 months later to go into politics. When she became Minister for Conservation, Sue joined her as private secretary, staying in the position as Joan moved to Education and then Premier of Victoria. Sue had worked in politics for six years when Labour lost the election in 1992. She came to Lorne to recover from the disappointment and never went back. “It had been a seven day a week job and I had had enough.” However, eventually she was persuaded to become the receptionist/secretary for the Lorne Medical Clinic where she worked for six years.

After flying to Sydney Mondays and returning Fridays for his work for too long, Ric retired and four years ago moved to Lorne permanently. His passion is fishing from his boat and sitting on his deck ocean gazing in warm weather. He’s a member of the Men’s Shed and Aquatic Club.

Sue is part of the Op Shop team, loves reading and having the grandchildren to stay regularly.

Every winter they drive up the East Coast of Australia looking at what they used to fly over. “We had been everywhere but had seen nothing.”