Gary’s grandparents’ families (Allen and Anderson) came to Lorne in the 1870’s – the Allens as orchardists and the Andersons as brick makers.
Born in 1946 and raised by loving parents Norm and Kath, Gary and his sisters Judith and Barbara had a wonderful childhood in Lorne.
Educated at the Lorne School and then Belmont High School (as the Lorne School in the 1950’s finished at year 8), Gary completed Economics and Education degrees at Melbourne University. He taught economics at Melbourne High School and became principal of the Lorne School in 1990 and then in 1997 principal of Ararat Secondary College.
When principal at the Lorne School the school community amalgamated with the Airey’s Inlet Primary School, expanded the bus routes to welcome students from a broader area, expanded the footprint of the school by incorporating the Lorne RSL building and pioneered imaginative curriculum initiatives, including; vocational courses in hospitality, the expansion of music teaching, the introduction of French and Indonesian, the beginning of student written musical productions and multiaged classes across upper primary and lower secondary levels.
After retiring from teaching Gary took a leadership role in state and national rural education advocacy, worked at Ballarat University and ventured into private enterprise in the cabaret scene in Melbourne.
Since his return to Lorne he has become involved in the Lorne Historical Society, the Lorne Bowls Club, the Lorne Community Hospital Board, the Festival for the Performing Arts and the committee of the Lorne Lions Village. Under Gary’s leadership the Historical Society is up-grading its room and digitising the photographic collection and the Bowls Club has more members playing pennant, with two teams winning premierships last year. There are plans for lighting the green to improve access to bowling for community members in the winter months.
