Mr Trevor Aust OAM JP FRVAHJ

My Story

How more Australian can one be with the surname Aust and the initials TAA?

 Born, bred, and educated in South Australia I joined the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in January 1961 and saw service in Adelaide, the suburb of Hectorville, the country city of Mount Gambier and returned to Adelaide in March 1969.

 In June 1969 I was informed that I was to receive a promotion, but it was to be at Mildura. So that was the start of my Victorian life. To be involved in the community I became associated with the Mildura Chapter of Junior Chamber International (Jaycees), Mildura East Cricket Club (player and treasurer), and Mildura Football Club (secretary).

 And the greatest and best change was when I met Julianne Wright and after a whirlwind courtship we were married in May 1972.

 A way of obtaining promotion in the bank was to shift, so that is what we did; to Swan Hill where our only child Marnie was born, Shepparton, Horsham, Mildura, West Richmond SA, and back to Mildura again.

 The second time in Mildura was as the Assistant Manager, and becoming a Commissioner for Declarations and Affidavits was expected of the incumbent. That appointment had to be relinquished when I moved to SA. Upon returning to Mildura, it was determined that the Victorian Government had abolished all Commissioner positions. With the support of the local Chamber of Commerce and the sitting MP, The Honourable Kenneth Wright JP, I applied to be appointed a JP, was approved, and was sworn in on my 50th birthday, 4th January 1994.

This was the commencement of my association with the RVAHJ as a member of the State organisation and the Sunraysia Branch.

 I have not joined a service club as such, but treat the RVAHJ Sunraysia Branch as my service club, having served as Branch Chair (1995-1999), Treasurer (2008 to date), inaugural Document Signing Station Coordinator (2009 to date), Editor of a quarterly newsletter JOPIS, (2009 to date).

Memorable Moments

Involvement within the community, always with the full support of my family, was as a member, and a term as Chair, of the Advisory Board of the Primary School my daughter attended and then as a member and Chair of the Board of Management of the Secondary College she attended. Other activities were with Mildura Football Club as Secretary (Life Member 1983), Sunraysia Junior Football League as Administration Officer (Life Member 2003), Neighbourhood Watch as Area Treasurer (Life Membership 2012) and St Vincent de Paul Society as a NILS loan processor, all contributing to me receiving the Order of Australia in June 2016. And then in December 2020 another great honour came my way, being awarded Life Membership of the RVAHJ.