Bathurst has thrived to become a regional city with nothing but growth on the horizon and it is full of people who strive each and every day to make a difference in their community.
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Brian Mowbray is one of those people and he, alongside another six people, were honoured with a Bathurst Living Legend title back in May, 2018.
“I was surprised but I felt very honoured to have been nominated,” Mr Mowbray said, reflecting on his Living Legend honour.
“I think Bathurst is a wonderful place to live, but my family has lived in different country towns in the past. But we’ve always loved living in Bathurst.”
Mr Mowbray first came to Bathurst in 1969 to work as an architect for what was then called the Public Works Department.
He was married by 1970, but his job took him away from Bathurst and he and his family moved to up north to Tamworth in 1978.
I think Bathurst is a wonderful place to live.
- Bathurst Living Legend Brian Mowbray
In 1983 he returned to Bathurst but left once again in mid-1987, when the Public Works Department regionalised his job, as he became the regional manager for the Riverina area.
So off he went, and his family followed over a year later, to the town of Cootamundra and they stayed there until the mid-1990s.
It was in 1995 that Mr Mowbray once again made his return to Bathurst and this time he hasn’t left.
“I came back to Bathurst to be the manager of Public Works, for then what was called Riverina-Western,” he said.
“The state government cut back on the public service by a third and they combined the Riverina and Western regions.”
He’s since retired, alongside his wife, but he still has time to serve in two areas he has a massive passion for – the Bathurst Refugee Support Group and the Bathurst Uniting Church.
“I’ve been involved with the Bathurst Refugee Support Group since 2002,” he said.
“Bathurst is not a designated area for re-settlement, so what we do is help assist refugees and asylum seekers with employment if they come to Bathurst.
“We advocate on issues regarding refugees and asylum seekers and we try and inform and bring awareness to the local community about refugees and asylum seekers.”
“There are number of refugees in Bathurst that we’ve supported and still supporting.
“Particularly, we’re helping two young Hazara refugees, who are from Afghanistan. They’re studying nursing at Charles Sturt University. They’ve both just finished their second year and have done very well. They’ve also got aged care certificates, so they’re able to work between study.”
Mr Mowbray has been an active member of the Uniting Church ever since was founded in 1977, being previously a member of the Methodist Church.
“Currently, I'm the chair of the church council of the Bathurst Uniting Church,” he said.
“There's a number of things we're involved with, such as the homelessness project. That ran during the winter months. That's being assessed for what will happen this year.
“The Bathurst Uniting Church is very keen on social justice and helping the marginalised people.”