A golf club member of 55 years, Mr Presley was a board director from 2005 to 2020. The long list of building projects in which he was involved from the board’s point of view were: Greenside Terrace 2007, Boronia Villas 2008, Gymnasium 2009, Willow Room 2010, Acacia Villas 2011, Outdoor Gaming Area 2012, Cinema 2014 and numerous club refurbishments.
Don’s background was outlined by nominator, outgoing club president Laurie Bridgeman who said Don was an active community person outside of YMGCR and joined a number of groups and organisations.
“One such organisation was the Alexander Park Trust, responsible for Gorman Park where a small lagoon separates the golf club land from the park land,” Mr Bridgeman said.
“Don was instrumental with that committee, allowing the golf club to use part of their water allocation to top up the lagoon and subsequent billabongs in drought times. This was so important not only for the health of the lagoon but also served as an integral part of our fire fighting water source.”
In 2021, Don, who had a long and distinguished local government career which included the top administrative position tilted ‘chief clerk’ (shire secretary) with the former Yarrawonga Shire Council, was presented with a certificate from ClubNSW by then golf club president Gil Cunningham who referred to Don’s “substantial knowledge” and being “a voice of reason”.
Also in 2021, member Bob Castles, who reintroduced junior pennant in 2006, expressed his appreciation to Don for always being a caddie for juniors and said it “a great credit to him” for all the building projects in which he was involved.
Bob was successful in luring Dario Prighel to assist with the junior pennant who said he derived a lot of satisfaction for caddying for the juniors – since 2006.
“In those years, Stuart Spinks, Steve Cooper, Don Presley and Nick Moraitis caddied,” Dario said. Bob handed me the reins after five years. Frazer Droop, Caleb Bovalina and Andrew Love went on to represent Commonwealth Golf Club and Baxter Droop, Royal Melbourne. Great ambassadors, great people.”
A club member for 41 years, Dario served on the Board of Directors from 2006 to 2018 and was elected president in 2017 but had to step aside after one year as president due to a serious health issue.
“Dario is a passionate believer in the youth of today and works tirelessly helping, encouraging or providing opportunities for them to achieve their goals,” Mr Bridgeman, who nominated Dario, said.
“The club regularly holds clinics and encourages all juniors to participate. Dario, wanting to do more for our juniors, started a nine-hole Friday night junior golf competition to complement the skills learnt at those clinics.”
Mr Bridgeman said Dario often used his own money to purchase prizes or paid for one-off lessons for the juniors to learn the etiquette and rules of golf through the Pro Shop.
“Dario was responsible for starting the educational/golfing scholarship program with local schools to encourage and inform some of our more gifted junior golfers about the importance of staying at school and education in their lives,” Mr Bridgeman said.
“Seeing the newly formed Birdie Squad as another way of helping juniors, Dario completed the community instructor program and is currently working with that group.”
Fifty years ago, whilst living and working in the building industry in Melbourne, Mr Cocks joined YMGCR, moved to Yarrawonga in 2009 and served on the Board of Directors from 2012 to 2021.
New board vice president Jason Williams, who nominated Mr Cocks for life membership, said it was during his building committee tenure, that Barry was “pivotally involved in the concept, design and construction” of several projects: the Acacia accommodation unit above the 13 th green, the cinema, redesign and modulation of the bistro area, the outdoor gaming area and increased the area adjacent to the practice putting green to allow provision for golf cart parking.
“Barry retired from his director’s position in December 2021,” Mr Williams said. “Since that time Barry continues his contribution to our club in many and various away.”
Those ways include the Mums and Dads Army course voluntary work, overseeing the concept, design and construction of the two newest accommodation units which opened in February 2024 and with wife Irene, staunchly supporting the club nightly twice a week with their regular group of up to 20 friends.
The modern Life Member
Mr Williams said he was recently asked by a long-time golf member if he thought the qualification of a Life Member has changed.
“While thinking about that I suppose my answer is yes,” Mr Williams said at the AGM then emphasised: “While the goal posts constantly shift, that in no way means the bar has been lowered.
“What defines a Life Member of this club has indeed changed over the years, but the growth and changes to the club have made that necessary…with the evolution of this club into a $20 million business changed forever. The red tape and regulations from Clubs NSW, Liquor/Gaming Licensing and OH&S simply don’t allow certain contributions anymore.
“Instead, the modern Life Member, like the three today, volunteers thousands of hours of their own time to the club selflessly endeavouring to make your club a better place.”
