Good morning everyone,

Thanks so much for the encouraging emails last Monday, it was just a crazy idea to highlight a really great man! So I thought, let’s give it a crack again.

Back in the 1950’s there was a young lad racing round Wilcannia, who was then sent to school with the Nuns here at St. John’s School. He was born in 1948 here at the Wilcannia hospital, probably delivered by Frank Bonner under the watchful eye of Amy Donavan. He was one of 7 children born to Ellen and Walter Collins, long time local residents.

Young Terry had given away the idea of school at the age of 13 and went to work for Kevin and Betty Hopkins at “Kalyanka” as a station hand for the next 7 and a half years. Heading for the big smoke, he worked in the mines in Broken Hill for 18 months and played football with Broken Hill United.

Terry joined the NSW Police force in 1971 and completed studies in Justice Administration and Social Sciences with Charles Sturt University. He completed an Executive Development Programme with Uni. Of NSW. And a Police Executive Leadership Programme with the Australian Institute of Police Management.

Terry commenced General Duty Policing at Newtown, inner Sydney, then moved on to Leeton, before moving into Forensics for 7 ½ years as a fingerprint Expert.

Next move was to Human Resource Management for a few years before being appointed as Commander of North Sydney. This then led onto Commander of Northern Rivers, Assistant Commissioner North West Region, and Assistant Commissioner, Hunter Region.

Terry’s many promotions culminated in Deputy Commissioner of Field Operations NSW, and finishing his career in 2008 in the position of Deputy Commissioner NSW.

We were honoured to have Terry Collins as a Guest of Honour here in Wilcannia for our “Field and Fun Day” in 2016 celebrating our 150 years since our town was gazetted.

Terry and his wife Pamela now live in Newcastle and enjoying retirement and the pleasure of their 8 grandchildren. Although he tells me with this current situation he’s getting a lot of jobs done around the house!

Yet another success story from our little town, which we are so proud of being able to portray.

Bit of rain here, Cobb Highway closed, but then nobody is travelling I guess. Hope you are all coping, and getting on with life I’m sure, I still have 3 months work in our back yard, Emmy has the holes dug, just got to get the posts!

Take care now and catch you all next week, cheers Bill Elliott.  WCTA.

 

“Driver: What am I supposed to do with this ticket Officer?

  Policeman: Save it till you have 4, and then you’ll get a bicycle!”