Greg Baxter

From the past:

“immediately got caught up in the Franklin River blockade as a boat operator, was arrested and spent the next 8 days in Risdon gaol as a result."

2004

• Born in Hornsby, attended Waitara Primary.

• Moved to West Pymble and attended Gordon West and then ABHS.

• Applied to enter Air Force as Flight Traffic Controller, was accepted, but then decided it wasn’t my scene.

• Entered Commonwealth Public Service as a clerk in PMG dept and lasted 3 years.

• Became father of baby girl, Sharyn, when 19. The relationship didn’t survive.

• Set off on aborted trip around Australia.

• Returned to Sydney and worked for further 3 years.

• Travelled overseas (Japan, USSR, Scandinavia, Europe) with Adriaan Loosjes for over 12 months.

• Met Kathleen (Canadian) in Switzerland and formed a unit (as you do).

• Returned with Kathleen to Sydney, and travelled to Cairns, and then Darwin, working in odd (and I mean ODD) places on the way.

• Left Darwin 2 weeks before Tracy rolled in (Xmas 1974) en route to Canberra where we spent a year, and then to Tasmania where we bought 100 acres near Liffey Falls (at 850 metres altitude).

• Built a lovely little cabin and met and socialised with all the local crazies (and had one hell of a time).

• Moved back up to Gympie, Qld, got married, and migrated to Canada with Kathleen 3 months pregnant.

• Our son, Jarrah, was born in Hamilton, Ontario,1978.

• Worked in Ancaster, Ontario for 12 months, and left at the time of the 3 Mile Island affair (does anyone remember that?).

• Moved to Vancouver and spent 12 months working there.

• Returned to Tasmania and immediately got caught up in the Gordon River dam episode.

• Was arrested and spent the next 8 days in Risdon gaol as a result.

• Kathleen and I separated shortly afterwards, and she and Jarrah returned to a little fishing port in the north of Vancouver Island.

• Various relationships later, I met my present partner of 16 years, Jude, a sandgroper, 15 years my junior.

• We spent time in Hobart, Newcastle and Perth (where we were both students for 2 years), then returned to Hobart via the Kimberleys, Darwin, the Gulf and all stops down the east coast on a 4WD holiday.

• 5 years ago we had a son, Ronan. He is now attending Snug (isn’t that a great name?) primary school, and I find myself thinking how much better the school environment has become.

• I became reunited with my daughter, Sharyn, now 35, several years ago, and have formed a lovely relationship with her.

• Jude and I and Ronan now live on 1 acre of land in Kettering overlooking the beautiful D’Entrecasteaux Channel south of Hobart.

Interesting meetings:

• Randall Jones when camping at Wilsons Promentory, circa 1990

• Michael Ipkendanz (spelling?) when sailing on the Swan River in Perth, circa 2000.

Further studies:

• Naval architecture in Newcastle, where (despite maths teacher Ellis Reynolds’ prognostications) I topped the class in maths and mechanics.

• Cartography in Perth.

Work history:

I won’t bore you with all the details. Suffice it to say that in my illustrious career, I’ve had no fewer than 40 jobs, including

• clerk,

• truck driver,

• public servant,

• timekeeper,

• grounds keeper (including snow plough operator),

• whatever you would call it when you use a sled to pick up hotel guests from the rail terminus,

• boat operator,

• boat maintenance,

• bus driver,

• telegram deliverer,

• pool table recoverer,

• coin machine technician,

• caretaker,

• security officer,

• landscape gardener,

• tractor driver,

• furniture removalist,

• builder, and lately,

• cartographer.

2016

I have been working in Dept of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (formerly Lands Dept) for 20 plus years now, which amazes me, but I am still enjoying my work in spatial data, and