From left: Casey director of community services Jennie Lee, former Berwick mayors Syd Pargetter, John Byron, Cyril Molyneux, and former City of Berwick chief executive Neil Lucas.CASEY Council has honoured former City of Berwick mayor John Byron by unveiling a plaque depicting his community service.
The plaque is situated near the entrance to the John Byron Reserve, Narre Warren.
Casey mayor Kevin Bradford said Mr Byron had a strong connection to farming, its equipment and business.
“He was an air jockey on early commercial flights to King Island and started a career in farm machinery,” he sasid. “He match a successful business with an interest in the Berwick Show and the Harness Horse Association and became a life member of both.
“John and his wife, Beverley, have been involved members of this community since they settled here in the 1960s.
“He had a strong interest in the sister cities movement and was national chairman of the Australian Sister Cities Association (ASCA).
“He also started the ASCA newspaper Sister Cities News. “He was the 1984/85 Berwick mayor and was awarded the Dwight D Eisenhower Medal for his contribution to international communities.
“He was also awarded the Australian Centenary Medal.”
Mr Byron expressed his warm gratitude to the council.
“When I first became a councillor I never expected to be standing here,” he said. “I was green in those days and I thank those who gave me advice and support.
“I was able to work with Casey’s now community services director Jennie Lee and saw her go through the experience of developing the youth movement in the City of Berwick and at a national level through ASCA.
“It is nice to see the current Casey senior citizen of the year, Beryl Maddern, and the youth citizen of the year, Shannon Barnes, here today,” he said.
