Top 100 Most Influential people: Macarthur region part II
AFTER searching far and wide, countless hours of research and deliberation, the Macarthur Chronicle can now reveal the next names of the region’s top 100 most influential people.
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AFTER searching far and wide, countless hours of research and deliberation, the Macarthur Chronicle will unveil the region’s top 100 true movers and shakers.
A grand total of 100 of the Macarthur region’s most influential people have been identified, and today we reveal 17 people who make the Macarthur region the greatest place to be.
From politics to sports, from medicine to business, from education to social media, from household names to unsung heroes, the five names to be revealed today have had a profound influence in their respective fields.
We will continue the countdown — in no particular order — over coming days.
What’s most telling about the quality and calibre of the Macarthur Chronicle’s top 100 is the names who failed to make the final cut.
No list of this kind can ever be truly definitive or achieve an absolute consensus.
But what this list succeeds in doing is serving as a starting point for a conversation about the kind of people who can and do play a major role in shaping the present and future of the Macarthur region.
In no particular order, introducing the first names of the Macarthur Chronicle top 100 most influential people.
Have your say: Who do you think should feature in the list? Do you know an unsung hero? Comment on Facebook or email editor@macarthurchronicle.com.au
6. TERRY GORDON: REAL ESTATE AGENT
Terry Gordon is one of the Macarthur area’s longest-serving real estate agents. A respected livestock and real estate agent for 53 years, he is also Inglis’ longest-serving employee.
Mr Gordon, 75, started working for the company in livestock sales at the Camden saleyards in 1965.
He helped save Camden Bowling Club and helped get a special Act in Parliament to change the law so the club could be taken over. It has since become Camden Sports Club.
Mr Gordon was also involved in the development of Kirkham Football Oval. He is a life member of the Camden Rams and a past president of Camden Rotary.
7. DR IAN WILLIS: CAMDEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT
Dr Ian Willis is all things Camden, remembering the unique heritage of the Camden district at the volunteer-run Camden Museum.
The author of Camden & District: Pictorial History, Mr Willis is an expert of Camden’s generations gone by as he continues to influence the transformation of the region.
8. SCOTT WAKELING: MANAGING DIRECTOR, PAUL WAKELING MOTOR GROUP
The Paul Wakeling Motor Group has played a role in selling thousands of cars to motorists in the Macarthur region, with more than eight car dealerships across the district.
Wakeling took the reins of the family business in 2005, a business which began in 1985.
The Wakeling family launched Wheels for Life in 2015, with more than $1,250,000 raised for equipment at Campbelltown and Camden hospitals.
9. TANYA WHITEHOUSE: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE
The Macarthur Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service co-ordinator, Tanya Whitehouse helps women across the region who need advice about domestic violence and assistance before, at and after court.
The service is based at Macarthur Legal Centre in Campbelltown. Whitehouse has previously spoken out that there was never enough crisis accommodation for women who became homeless because of domestic violence.
10. BRETT MCGRATH: MACARTHUR LAW SOCIETY PRESIDENT
In his role as Macarthur Law Society president, McGrath represents more than 240 members of the local legal profession.
The society encourages the professional and personal development of its members, as well as advocates for law reform through dialogue with governments, parliamentary bodies and its parent body, the Law Society of NSW.
The society’s mission is to provide leadership in the development of fraternity and co-operation between members.
The Macarthur Law Society works to better the legal profession in the region, and also advocates for greater access to justice for the Macarthur region residents.
11. TIM PICKLES: TIM’S GARDEN CENTRE DIRECTOR, HORTICULTURALIST
The popular face of horticulture in the Macarthur region, the affable Tim Pickles, of Campbelltown’s Tim’s Garden Centre, has played a major role in raising awareness to thousands of residents of the benefits of gardening.
A passionate advocate for the environment, of planting more trees, and the importance of gardening for mental and physical health, Mr Pickles’ widely read Macarthur Chronicle gardening column and his expertise has been invaluable in the community.
The garden centre’s mascot and social commentator Pig, which sits outside the Campbelltown business, has also helped to raise awareness about issues including marriage equality, beyondblue and R U Okay Day.
12. ALISON DERRETT: CAMPBELLTOWN AND CAMDEN HOSPITALS’ GENERAL MANAGER
Alison Derrett is helping to steer and implement Campbelltown Hospital’s $632 million stage two upgrade which is expected to deliver expanded and world-class services in areas including the emergency department, paediatrics, increased medical, surgical, maternity and neonatal beds and refurbishments to adolescent mental health.
The stage two upgrades will be at least five times bigger than stage one and are due for completion in 2024.
13. JACQUI KIRKBY: COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
A long-term advocate for the preservation of the Scenic Hills at Varroville, Jacqui Kirkby is the owner of historic Varroville House. Kirkby has campaigned for the protection of the surrounding rural landscape and green belt which separates the Camden and Campbelltown local government areas.
14. MEG OATES, CAMPBELLTOWN COUNCILLOR
Campbelltown’s longest serving councillor and Deputy Mayor, Cr Meg Oates (ALP) has notched up 31 years of community representation after being elected to the council in 1987.
A trailblazer for women in leadership roles in the Macarthur region, some of Cr Oates’ highlights of her time on the council includes establishing the Aboriginal advisory committee, the former junior council and the ethnic affairs committee, and setting the regulations and rules for responsible development.
Cr Oates was also awarded life membership of the ALP last year.
15. KEN FOSTER: VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Minto’s Ken Foster is a tireless veterans advocate.
He is also the national Vietnam veterans’ association president and the association’s Macarthur sub-branch veterans advocate.
Foster was a member of the group who convinced the Australian Government to repatriate to Australia in 2016 the bodies of 25 Australians killed in the Vietnam War, who were buried in Malaya and one in Singapore.
Foster OAM also writes a regular column on veterans affairs for the Macarthur Chronicle.
He is a veteran of Malaya and Vietnam served in the Australian Army from 1959 to 1980.
16. JOHN MURRAY: BANKSTOWN SPORTS CLUB PRESIDENT
The Cobbitty resident and Bankstown Sports Club president, John Murray is a former Camden councillor who served two terms between 1989 and 1997.
He helped save Narellan’s Studley Park Golf Club from being sold off for housing and helped secure the land for Cobbitty Cricket Oval.
The Cobbitty Bush Fire Brigade life member has devoted 15 years to fundraising more than $1.5 million, with wife Lily, for research into Rett syndrome for the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
He also organised fundraising events for leukaemia research at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital from 1991 to 2003.
Murray was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in January this year.
17. JOHN RYAN: FORMER POLITICIAN, DISABILITY ADVOCATE
As a politician in the NSW Upper House from 1991-2007, Mr Ryan had a strong interest in social justice, particularly concerning disability, child protection and ensuring decisions were always in the best interests of the consumer.
After retiring, Mr Ryan has worked in the disability and ageing sectors.
In January he was awarded an OAM for “significant service in the Parliament of NSW and to public administration, particularly the development of accommodation policy for people with disabilities”.
18. ELISABETH CUMMINGS: ARTIST
Elisabeth Cummings, of Wedderburn artist is 83 and regarded as one of Australia’s most respected living artists.
She was listed in Australian Art Collector in 2002 as one of the 50 most collectable.
Cummings studied at the National Art School, in Sydney, from 1953-7 and later spent 10 years studying and travelling through Europe.
She taught at the National Art School in Sydney from 1969—2001 and has been an arts educator at various other institutions since that time.
Cummings is a founding member of the Widden Weddin Wedderburn group of artists, based on 10.1ha of land, where she has been based since the 1970s.
19. SHANE ROSE: OLYMPIAN
Based at Werombi, the Olympic equestrian has represented Australia at events around the world.
He won a team silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and a team bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in eventing.
He was once kicked in the head by a horse which left him in a coma for a week.
Rose now owns and operates Bimbadeen Thoroughbred and Performance Horses with wife Niki.
20. MANDY PERRIN, FORMER EDITOR MACARTHUR CHRONICLE
Mrs Perrin edited the Macarthur Chronicle for almost 25 years and oversaw 1500 editions of the region’s leading newspaper.
Over that period, she was an unwavering advocate for the Macarthur region community and, led many successful community campaigns including the widening of both Narellan and Appin roads.
Her editorship was recognised with national awards for best community newspaper and best news story.
21. POLLY GRUNDY: COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
Polly Grundy is the founder of the Mark Grundy Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Group, fulfilling her husband’s dying wish to raise awareness about oesophageal cancer.
Her beloved husband Mark died six years ago and since then the mother-of-two continues to speak out about oesophageal cancer and its symptoms to encourage people to see their doctor and get checked.
She has raised more than $100,000 for research and sponsored a PhD student at Western Sydney University.
22. UNCLE IVAN WELLINGTON: ABORIGINAL ELDER
Aboriginal elder Uncle Ivan Wellington is a treasured member of the Campbelltown community.
Now 72, he is a noted and sought after public speaker who proudly conducts the Welcome to Country and traditional smoking ceremonies at important civic and community events in the region.
He also takes great pride in mentoring Aboriginal youth who may have drifted off the track. Born in Kiama, Mr Wellington is part of the saltwater Yuin people.
23. SANDRA MCDONALD: MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
Sandra McDonald is the president and founder of Beautiful Minds, a volunteer group which advocates, funds and raises awareness for mental health in southwest Sydney.
McDonald has been instrumental in leading the discussion about mental health services in the Macarthur area and ensuring it is no longer a taboo subject.
Mrs McDonald was named one of the 10 Faces of Campbelltown this year and crowned Campbelltown’s Citizen of the Year in 2014.
One of Beautiful Minds’ current fundraising projects is to create an outdoor space to help the recovery of people at Birunji, an acute 20-bed youth mental health unit at Campbelltown Hospital.