NSW Regional Director Retires [Pat Sullivan]

Pat started his working life in Victoria as a teacher at a one-teacher school in Gippsland, where he met his future wife, Mary. He joined the Bureau in 1960 and was part of the meteorologist course which graduated in March 1964. The course included former assistant director (services) Bruce Neal and current regional directors Hugh Hutchinson, Len Broadbridge and Graham Furler.

After completing his training, Pat was posted to Hobart, where he experienced the challenge of forecasting with sparse observational data.

There his colleagues included former assistant director (services) Peter Noar, former deputy director (research and systems) Doug Gauntlett, and Jack Langford, formerly of the central analysis office—now the National Meteorological and Oceanographic Centre.

Pat returned to Melbourne in the early 1970s, worked in the central analysis office and completed a graduate diploma in management at RMIT.

Promotion soon followed to the coordination and planning section at head office, where he was responsible for the production of the first issue of the Compendium of Bureau Information in 1981.

Pat came to NSW as Regional Director in 1982 and over 18 years deftly steered the region through some challenging incidents, including three severe hailstorms in Sydney and the 1998 Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race.

The Regional Office moved twice during Pat's tenure and is now in excellent, purpose-fitted accommodation.

The high regard in which Director Dr John Zillman held Pat was demonstrated when Pat was asked to lead a team to Saudi Arabia from 1987 to 1990 to advise the Saudi Meteorological Agency on the development of its service.

Pat's successor, Kevin O'Loughlin, was part of the team in Saudi Arabia and he recounted some of their experiences at Pat's farewell presentation recently.

One of Pat's lasting legacies is the excellent weather radar coverage in Sydney, including the Kurnell doppler radar.

There were many setbacks in trying to secure a site for the doppler. Negotiations were difficult and complex, and patience and persistence were called for. Pat was equal to the task.

In the months before his retirement there was a long round of farewells. Pat visited all the meteorological offices in the region and a farewell dinner was held at Sydney Harbour with the Director and other Bureau staff and partners.

Dr Zillman spoke of the value of Pat's leadership and of how much he had contributed in his different roles. He particularly drew attention to Pat's roles as Regional Director, as head of the Saudi project, and of his effort in producing the first Pocket Compendium of Information.

Dr Zillman presented Pat with an inscribed copy of the original 1982–83 compendium from his personal library.

About 70 serving and former Bureau staff also attended a farewell lunch at which two proof Australian coin sets from 1960 and 2000 were presented to signify the beginning and the end of Pat's career with the Bureau.

- John Colquhoun,
Deputy Regional Director (NSW)

Bureau of Meteorology