Record CFA service

By Sarah Schwager
BUNYIP Hillview Hostel resident Duncan Holman has achieved a CFA milestone by becoming the first Victorian to receive a 65year service medal.
The Holman family, including Mr Holman, his wife Betty and their two sons, have been involved with Victoria’s Country Fire Authority for many years and this is the latest CFA achievement for the family.
Mr Holman, 81, was captain at the Longwarry fire brigade for 35 years and has been involved with the CFA since 1938.
Betty Holman, 76, was communications officer and president of the Ladies Auxiliary for more than 30 years.
Mr Holman said their son Peter had been a fireman all his life, ‘virtually since he could walk’, and was now a bigwig in the SES in Melbourne.
“All three of us have got the national medals from the CFA,” he said.
“We’re pretty long livers.”
He said he had been invited to the opening of the Drouin Fire Station on Saturday, 29 October where he was one of the original firemen.
There he was presented with the 65year service medal.
Mr Holman said he had not given much thought to the fact that he was the first person in Victoria to receive the medal.
“It doesn’t make any difference to me,” he said.
“It’s an honour, I suppose.”
Mr Holman was originally from Drouin. He lived in Longwarry for 58 years before moving to the Bunyip Hillview Hostel with his wife of 58 years.
“My wife is very arthritic so we decided to come here,” he said.
“They take good care of us here.”
Mr Holman is also involved with the RSL and is a life member with the Longwarry RSL.
He received a meritorious medal, the highest award possible at the RSL.