Often, the quiet work of so many goes unnoticed, but the Kooweerup and District Motorcycle Club never forgets those who help the organisation tick. Recently, they honoured someone who doesn’t ride on two wheels, Desmond Leigh. The Pakenham man has manned the bar at their meetings for about 15 years and he was surprised to be the recipient of an honorary membership for his quiet service. Gazette journalist Corey Everitt reports.
The Kooweerup and District Motorcycle Club has been holding its fortnightly meetings at the rooms of Pakenham Bowls Club for many years, and for the last 15 of them, Desmond Leigh has been their barman.
He has done so diligently and with joy, and his presence has become much loved over the years.
It was to his surprise that the club turned to him during their usual proceedings at a recent meeting to award him an honorary membership.
Mr Leigh, 78, may be one of the only members of the club who doesn’t have an interest in riding a motorcycle.
“I thought it was a bit overdue,” he said jokingly.
“I’ve been doing this without pay for so many years and I don’t even own a motorbike, which is ironic.”
“But no, look, they’re a great bunch of people. I’m happy to do what I can for them.”
Mr Leigh, a life member of the Pakenham Bowls Club, mans the bar on many other occasions as well.
The honour recognises his overall hospitality, from providing drinks to having a chat.
He joined the club in 1988, and his first duty wasn’t related to his bowling but to his skills behind the bar.
“That’s how I was introduced to the bar. I walked in one night and said, how do I join up? And the place was slammed,” he said.
“They said to me, can you pour a beer? And I said, yeah, I can pour a beer, I’ve been pouring beers for years.
“So they said, get behind the bar.”
Born in Queensland, he has found himself applying his skills in hospitality ever since he was a young man.
“I first learnt to pour beer when I really wasn’t old enough to,” he admits.
“We always had kegs at parties up there. I often took over running the bar as well as having a great time myself. But that’s a long time ago.”
Before settling down in Pakenham in the late 80s, he worked as a customs broker and air freight agent.
In the 70s, he did an 18 month round trip of the country with his then young family.
Seeing every corner of the country, he found his skills behind the bar to be constantly in demand.
“In those days, if you could pour a beer, you could get work anywhere.”
After settling in Pakenham, he worked other roles in the public service before moving to part time in semi retirement.
He worked in a butcher’s, painted houses and even spent a couple of years as a driver for David W Bull Family Funerals.
He has been permanently retired for four years now.
As he was as a young man, he finds himself still highly sought after behind the bar.
At the motorcycle club’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2023, he was a guest of honour alongside the mayor of Cardinia Shire and the local member of State Parliament.
“I was over the moon when they made me an honorary member.
“I’ve been around for a long time, so a lot has happened in my life.
“I find if you keep your eyes open and your ears open and you read a bit, you pick up a fair bit of information and a few skills.”
