By Corey Everitt
It’s now ‘Mr and Ms Officer OAM’ with the late Rob Porter joining his wife in honour after receiving a posthumous Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
This King’s Birthday recognised Mr Porter for his service to the community of Officer, just over six months after his death in December 2023.
Mr Porter spent his life dedicated to Officer, both on the job as a plumber and in volunteering where he was chairman of the Officer Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and the Officer Community Association for half a century.
He was a past president of the Officer Primary School council, while he served numerous years on the Officer Hall committee, scout committee and church committee.
Officer’s football and cricket club were integral parts of his life, telling people some of his earliest memories as a child of watching his father umpire at the reserve.
He played and coached at Officer and for decades and was pivotal to the development of the clubs.
His participation in the Officer Football Club was only interrupted once when he was recruited to play for the Hawthorn Football Club, even then playing in the VFL was conditioned on Hawthorn giving Officer brand-new jumpers.
This OAM adds to numerous accolades. Even though he was never one to revel in acclaim, the Porters say this would have been a special one for him.
“It would have been wonderful if he was still here, but I hope he is looking down,” wife Carol Porter OAM said.
A high accomplishment, their two sons Geoff and Gavin think he would have shortly gotten on with his work.
“He would be pleased that he was recognised, but it wouldn’t change him,” Gavin said.
Geoff added, “he wouldn’t say now I’ve got that I’m going to sit back and relax, he would be like I got to back down there.”
He was known for being there to help, whether in his job or as a friend. It didn’t matter what you ask, ‘he could do it’.
“He is our dad, but he was an exceptional person, he helped everyone he could,” Gavin said.
“He did a lot of stuff for us and helped us get going in life.”
Making it more special, is that Mr Porter now joins his wife who received her OAM in 2016 for service to Officer.
“Dad wouldn’t have had to walk his pace behind now,” Geoff said with a laugh.
“It is nice mum and dad both have it because they complimented each other in their work.”
Many would remember him as the man on the mower at the Officer Recreation Reserve, the place he knew his whole life and looked after with an unwavering diligence.
Last year he got to see the new Officer Social Rooms at the reserve, the space making his beloved reserve one of Cardina’s most eminent facilities.
To honour his dedication after his death, Cardinia Shire Council is in the process of renaming the reserve to the Rob Porter Recreation Reserve.
“Everytime we came home from anything we would be going up Starling Road, I’d say every single time we would turn into the rec reserve,” Carol said.
“Round both ovals, check the dam, everything.”
Gavin saw first-hand how his father’s passion never wavered even in ill health last year.
“I picked him up after he was in the hospital, he was in there for six weeks and wanting to get home,” he said.
“We went the shortest route, we are coming up Starling Road and went straight past the reserve and he goes ‘where you going! Stop!’
“I had to back up, go in and do a lap.”
Despite his tireless work, he always had the time for a chat. Even if you never went to the reserve or were fortunate to not be in dire need of a plumber, no one seemed a stranger to him.
“People have said to the boys and myself, they miss him down at the sports ground because he might have been mowing and someone would walk along with their dog, he would always turn the mower off and have a chat to them,” Carol said.
“He said to me he never had to push himself to go to work, he loved what he did whether it was his plumbing work or his voluntary work.”
Geoff added, “dad never did anything for the accolades, just did it because he enjoyed it.
“We’re very happy and proud, we’re proud of everything that dad has done in his life.”
