Bob Stafford is a Barwon Valley Belmont Probus Club member and has been the secretary and treasurer of the Victorian 2/6 Cavalry Commando Regiment and Second Cavalry Regiment Association since 2013. He speaks with Jena Carr about what he loves about living and working around Geelong.
What is your connection to Geelong?
I first came to live in Geelong in 1971 to work at Belmont High School as a maths and science teacher. At Belmont High, I met my wife Meredith, a geography and history teacher.
We moved into our newly built home in Highton just before Christmas in 1974 and have lived there ever since. This is where we raised our three children, who all attended Highton Primary School and then Belmont High School before they all completed tertiary courses in Melbourne.
What do you like about where you live?
My early years were spent on my parent’s soldier settlement property in Western Victoria, and Meredith grew up in Ringwood.
Meredith and I have loved living in Geelong and all that it has had to offer to our three children and us. We have made many good friends throughout our teaching careers and many good friends in our Probus Club during our retirement years.
Living in Geelong also meant that Meredith and I could advance our teaching careers without relocating, which provided a stable learning environment for our children.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
There is very little I would want to change. We love our immediate neighbourhood in Highton and have lovely neighbours.
In recent years, the Greater Geelong region has experienced considerable growth because of the many characteristics Meredith and I have appreciated for over 50 years. It would be very selfish of me to suggest that development in Geelong should be restricted or capped to maintain that big country town charm that has been so endearing.
We hope that many of the green and leafy areas in our neighbourhood and Greater Geelong will be maintained during this period of sustained growth.
Where is your favourite place to spend time?
Being both retired, Meredith and I enjoy various places and activities where we can socially interact with our Probus friends.
This includes dining out in Geelong, visiting local gardens and nurseries, attending local art exhibitions, playing Bocce at Club Italia, playing cards at the South Barwon Community Centre, morning coffees, picnics within an hours drive, attending shows at Drysdale’s Potato Shed and Ten Pin Bowling.
I have also been a passionate supporter of the Geelong Cats for more than 70 years. Since retirement in 1999, I have taken out annual memberships and attended nearly all the games in Victoria.
What is something people may not know about you?
With my sister Susan, the association president, we have maintained the legacy and memories of all those who served in the 2/6 Cavalry Commando Regiment during World War Two, including our father Osie Stafford.
Our Association is now an alliance between the World War Two Regiment and the modern-day Second Cavalry Regiment based in Townsville. In this role, I maintain the Association Website and produce two editions of the ‘Cavalry News’ each year.
What do you like about your work?
I maintain our Barwon Valley Belmont Probus Club’s website and am responsible for all the club records. Meredith is the club photographer and historian.
I strongly believe that the secret to a happy retirement is to be actively involved socially, physically and mentally.
