GUEST SPEAKER - TONY AUSTIN

President John Hunt interviewed Rotarian Tony Austin. We learned that when Tony retired from the Education Department (his last position being at the now defunct ATC) his workload did not become any less. He has worked in an engineering workshop for 7 months and as a concreter's labourer for 5 months on the last stage of the hospital redevelopment. Tony said during this time his fitness and strength improved and that he enjoyed the work.

In Tony's "spare time" he likes to work on old cars and engines. Tony said he has an old car, from which he is about to take out the petrol engine and replace it with a diesel engine. Tony will be running this car on his own home made diesel (bio-diesel) which is based on converting waste vegetable oil. Jaguars are his obsession and Tony has two on the road and an E-Type he is doing up. He is collecting parts so that he can convert the E-Type from left hand drive to right hand drive.

Tony buys second hand machinery which he repairs and re-sells on E-bay. He had one big win when he bought some machinery in Hamilton. Among the extra bits and pieces that were "thrown in" was a tool post grinder which he subsequently sold for $1,200.

Tony is also a gold prospector and has used a pan, metal detector and used to dredge. Tony mostly uses the metal detector now around Stawell. He brought along around 2 ounces of gold he has found over time and passed this around in a jar for everyone to see. It is currently worth around $2,500 - and we were allowed to handle it!!