Elderly neighbour gets Pride of Australia nomination for keeping streets tidy

BILL Callaghan has turned mowing the lawn into an artform and his whole street is grateful.

Bill Callaghan

BILL Callaghan has turned mowing the lawn into an artform and his whole street is grateful.

When the residents in Vautier St, Elwood, learned the council would replace asphalt with nature strips, there was hardly a mower between 50 of them.

But that didn't stop Mr Callaghan.

The 87-year-old turned the entire street's chore into a pastime, buying a lawn mower and tending to everyone's nature strips.

More than three years on, the merry mower can still be seen in all weather sweeping along nature strips for hours on end.

"I thought I'll do it because it takes a lot of time and people don't have time these days."

Vautier St resident Angela Howard nominated Mr Callaghan for the Community Spirit Award in this year's Pride of Australia campaign.

"We all think he's wonderful. You don't often see that kind of relationship between neighbours any more," Ms Howard said.

A group of neighbours had tried to stuff Mr Callaghan's letterbox full of chocolates as a small reimbursement, but he was too sweet to accept the gesture.

Mr Callaghan said he spent "a couple of hours" across a few weekdays performing the clean-up and even piled excess leaves into the gutter for the weekly council truck to easily scoop and remove them with the clippings.

"I'm elderly and I need something to keep me reasonably fit. It saves me lounging around and doing nothing and I see it as a service to the people in the street," he said.

Pride of Australia recognises Victoria's unsung heroes, those people who go above and beyond to help others.

Nominees will be recognised across 10 categories. Nominations can be made until 5pm, Tuesday July 16.

prideofaustralia.com.au