Bob Gartland to receive honorary doctorate from Deakin University

Former Geelong Cats vice-president and hardworking community figure Bob Gartland has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Deakin University. SEE GRADUATE GALLERIES

Bob Gartland has received an honorary doctorate from Deakin University. Picture: Alison Wynd

Former Geelong Cats vice-president, passionate club historian and hardworking community figure Bob Gartland was awarded an honorary doctorate from Deakin University on Wednesday.

Mr Gartland, 70, helped develop the Geelong Sports Museum as well as being appointed founding ambassador of community-based Geelong hospice Anam Cara House. He also received a Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday honours this year.

“When you look through the list of people who’ve been awarded these honorary doctorates from Deakin in the past, I feel quite, quite humbled and very grateful,” he said.

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“I’m actually quite proud of it as well, to be honest, and I think it reflects on the projects that we’ve done in the community.”

He said his parents had instilled in him at a young age the importance of helping out others.

“We came from a very humble home,” he said.

“It always seemed that we had someone extra for dinner, and my parents were very community-minded when it came to looking after people.”

Mr Gartland joined the Geelong Cats board in 2007 and became vice-president from 2014 before being awarded life membership in 2017 and retiring in 2019.

He said the club had played a big role in his life.

“I have spent a large portion of my life at the football club recording and researching the history of the club, and that’s been a big part of my life,” he said.

Mr Gartland furthered his education last year with a postgraduate degree in cultural heritage and museum studies at Deakin.

“I feel blessed to be part of the Deakin community and I am very grateful to my wife Phillipa, who has always shared my journey, believed in and encouraged me,” he said.

Originally published as Bob Gartland to receive honorary doctorate from Deakin University