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Noel Gough PP PHF
(Member of the Rotary Club of Strathmore)
Noel was married to Anne and they had three children, Alison, Stephen, Anthony (deceased) and Mark , plus two grandchildren Emma and Alexander.
Noel’s funeral attracted over 300 mourners to St Mary's Church in Ascot Vale, which in itself is a recognition and tribute to a wonderful Rotarian and family man.
Early Life and the Snowy Scheme
Noel was born in Warrnambool on 25th December 1929. His parents had a property near Corryong in north east Victoria. Noel attended Xavier College in Melbourne. After completing his studies in Melbourne and Sydney and gaining early experience in NSW power stations, he joined the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority in July 1950, not long out of Sydney Technical College, aged 20, as one of those early employees of the Authority who contributed to the construction of the Scheme. He spent ten years there, working as an electrical engineer and power station manager, a search and rescue co-ordinator, and even a real estate agent.
Along the way he rubbed shoulders with some of the 100,000 people from the thirty-two nationalities who worked on the Snowy, and saw first hand how the scheme played a central part in the re-shaping of a new multi-cultural Australia.
During his ten years with the Authority's Electrical and Mechanical Division Noel worked at diverse locations such as Kiandra, Three Mile Dam, Tumut Pond, Island Bend, Jindabyne, Guthega, Alpine Way construction, Eucumbene and Cabramurra.
This lead him to publish a book in 1999 - "Mud, Sweat & Snow : Memories of Snowy Workers, 1949-1959" / Noel Gough .
Noel had a great interest in history and research. This became even stronger in his retirement and he spent many hours reading and writing.
In 1960, Noel left the Snowy to commence a 30-year career with the State Electricity Commission of Victoria as a District Manager, serving in several Victorian metropolitan and regional centres including Berwick, Pakenham, Tallangatta, Corryong and Sunbury.
From 1972 until its completion in 1982, he was responsible for construction of the power supply associated with the construction of Dartmouth Dam and Hydro Power Station on the Mitta Mitta River in North East Victoria. This was a very significant part of his life as he was responsible for the design and construction of this project. This was the time where he became involved with the community of Tallangatta. Noel loved fishing and the stories of the one that got away became legendary. He took his children all over the mountains in imbued in them a love of nature. He later was associated with the management and maintenance of the high voltage power lines in north eastern Victoria.
He joined Kosciusko Huts Association in 1990 and was Huts Maintenance Officer, Geehi, responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the historic stone huts along the Swampy Plain River at Geehi.
He was affectionately known as the "Man of the Mountains".
Noel was an active participant in the Maribyrnong Park Bowls Club along with his wife Anne. He was instrumental in organising and supervising the installation of a water recycling system for the grass greens.
Noel had a great love of music, with favourites being jazz and particulary Ella Fitzgerald.
Another great love of Noel's was the Carlton Football Club. He was a passionate supporter and attended as many games as he could.
Noel requested that he be buried in Jindabyne, overlooking the lake.
ROTARY SERVICE
Noel was a member of Tallangatta, Sunbury and Strathmore. Noel has been a
member of Rotary for a total of 38 years.
He had an abiding love of Group Study Exchange and Youth Exchange and served on committees at club and District level supporting these programs.
Rotary Club of Tallangatta
November 1967 to March 1983, then August 1989 to May 1995.
President 1971-72 & 1975-76
Secretary 1968-69 & 1990-91
Public Relations Committee Chair 1991-92.
District 979/9790 Student Exchange Committee for many years (1981-88 & 1991-92).
District Group Study Exchange Committee at various times.
Noel was a great member of our Club and held in high esteem by all the members and the community at large.
Noel Gough was inducted into R.C Tallangatta on the 6th November 1967. Noel was transferred in his employment in April 1983 and returned to R.C Tallangatta in August 1989. Again, transferred in work in January 1992. returned 10th April 1995. He resigned in May 1995 and retired to Melbourne.
Noel was Rotary Club of Tallangatta president in 1971-72, 1975-76 and club secretary 1968-69 and 1990-91.
Noel served on many committees within the club but his special interest was youth and to this end he served on District 979/9790 Student Exchange Committee for many years.
He was also involved with Group Study Exchange. He was first to take a group of 40-50 exchange students up through central Australia.
A key player acquiring an old S.E.C caravan at auction for the club to convert to a fund raising catering van.
(Charlie Trenchard Past President and President Elect
Rotary Club of Tallangatta)
Rotary Club of
Sunbury
May 1983 to October 1986
International Service Committee 1983-84
On to Conference Chairman 1983-84
Rotary Information Committee 1983-84
District Student Exchange Committee 1983-84
International Service Committee 1984-85
District Student Exchange
Committee 1984-85
International Service Committee 1985-86
District Student Exchange Committee 1985-86
(Terry Grant PP, PDG, PHF,
Club Historian, Rotary Club of Sunbury)
Rotary Club of Strathmore
December 1986 to December 1989, then July 1999 to January 2010.
Awarded PHF recognition 2003.
Noel was a valuable member of a number of club committees over his many years in the Club, including Community Service, Vocational Service, International Service, Service to Youth. His expertise and wise counsel was appreciated by all who worked with him.
He was instrumental in organising a tour in 1988 of Malaysia by the Strathmore High School Swing Band. This was a most successful project with goodwill created between Australia and Malaysia.
Noel became passionate in helping refugee youths in Maribyrnong, who originally came from the Horn of Africa, including Somalia and Ethiopia. He organised barbeques to help integrate them into the Australian culture. He also organised teaching them English and took many of them up to Healesville to see some real country Australia and visit the Healesville Sanctuary.
Prepared by:
David Meller PP, PHF
Rotary Club of Strathmore
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