ALEC Roland McInnes has been posthumously nominated as a Local Legend in the Gloucester Sports Awards.
Known to all as “Barney”, he was involved in a number of sports during his life.
He was an active member of Gloucester District Tennis Association for many years, both as a player and a committee member.
He was also part of the group which organised the move of district tennis from its original site near the Bowling Club to its current site.
From the 1950s to the 1970s Barney was one of many volunteers who prepared and maintained the courts for tournaments and local competitions.
Those volunteers also organised the installation of poles and new halogen lights on the nine clay courts, updated the manual hard court roller to a petrol-powered sit-on roller, added an extension to the clubhouse and added six synthetic courts to the complex.
Barney was also heavily involved in fostering junior tennis.
Along with other parents he provided transport for the young players to Hunter Valley teams competitions and to White City for the NSW Age Championships, all with excellent results for the participating players.
Barney also played with Gloucester Rugby League Football Club’s first team formed after World War II – the Gloucester Blues.
This team played cup football against the neighbouring towns of Dungog, Maitland, Nabiac, Taree and Tuncurry, with all games played at No.1 Oval.
Prior to WWII games were played in Blanch’s paddock where Newcombe’s bus depot now stands.
Barney was associated with the Gloucester Rugby League as a player, coach and team manager until the 1970s.
In 1994 he was invited to ‘kick off’ at the first home game of the season played on Bert Gallagher Oval.
Boxing was another sport in which Barney was involved.
He competed in a number of tournaments conducted by the Services whilst a member of the RAAF during WWII – winning the final after eight elimination bouts against representatives from the RAAF, Army and Navy.
He also took part in the first fight night in Gloucester on June 19,1946 and was on hand to unveil a commemorative plaque at the National Australia Bank, the site of Gloucester’s original open-air stadium.
The plaque thanks those involved with Gloucester’s boxing past for their work in the local community, raising funds for many community projects, including the RSL Hall.
As if three sports weren’t enough for Barney, he also spent time as a jockey, riding for his brother-in-law and other local trainers at provincial race meetings.
One memorable win was the Corinthian Cup in June 1957 on a horse named Port View, trained by Curly Hebblewhite.
Barney’s working life began at the age of seven, when his father decided he could help with the cattle and sheep drives from Moppy to the Maitland saleyards and from Giro to Gloucester.
This ‘job’ was the first of sixteen Barney had during his working life.
He worked as a butcher, a baker, a grocer, a car salesman and a car repairman at various times. His final employment before retiring was at Gloucester High School as curator and mentor to many of its students.
His life was centred around being involved with and helping many in the community in any way he could.
This extended to being a long-serving member of the Returned Services League of Australia and of Legacy, devoting much time and effort to helping others and building these organisations.
He was a church elder and session clerk at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church for many years and was a participant in the Olympic Torch relay which came through Gloucester in 1956.
Barney always had a story to tell and was more than happy to share his tales.
After a long and unique life, he passed away in 2015, aged 93.
The Gloucester Sports Committee reminds community members to get their tickets ahead of the annual Gloucester Sports Awards presentation.
Winners will be announced and presented with trophies on presentation night, Saturday, 10 May at Gloucester Bowling Club.
“Don’t forget to get your tickets from Gloucester Betta and Flooring no later than Saturday, 26 April,” said secretary Lorraine Forbes.
“Seating space at the Bowling Club is limited to 200, some of which will be allocated to invited guests.
“Consequently, we are asking all those planning to attend to collect a ticket (no cost) as soon as possible.”
