Des Gaffney bows out

Colleagues in the National Climate Centre and other areas of Head Office attended a farewell to Des at which he was presented with a Minolta camera. DDR Doug Gauntlett, a/STCC Mary Voice and a/SRCA Trevor Casey all paid tribute to Des for his contribution to many areas of the Bureau during his long career.

Des joined the Bureau as a Met Assistant in Perth in 1948 at the age of 21, and after obtaining a BSc undertook the first postwar Meteorologist Training Course in 1949. He then returned to Perth where he worked as a shift forecaster.

Des continued his studies and gained an Arts degree in 1954 in Economic Geography. He was then promoted to a Senior Research Officer position in the Treasury Department, but Canberra apparently failed to impress as he returned to the Perth Regional Office as a Met 3 in 1956.

Still studying, Des completed a Master of Arts in Economic Geography in 1959, and the following year was promoted to Senior Meteorologist in the HO Central Analysis Section. This was the start of a 30-year stay in Head Office, where he also worked in Hydro Met. Section and Services Branch as well as the NCC.

In the 1960s Des took leave without pay to serve as Assistant General Secretary with the Professional Officers' Association for a 21-month period.

Des has been closely involved in Christian church activities for many years. He obtained a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1981 and with his retirement he will be able to devote more time to pastoral work, counselling, preaching and teaching. He will also concentrate on completing studies for a PhD in Environmental Science at Monash University. His family—four children and six grandchildren—will no doubt take care of what other spare time he has.

Postscript

Des Gaffney's farewell was notable for a rendition of 'The Man from Climate River' by Head Office's Poet Laureate (aka Mary Voice). It's not often that a retirement is marked by a poem, so here it is:

The Man From Climate River

They had gathered at the office
For the word had passed around
That that Gaffney guy was going to retire
He was known both wide and far
As a public service star
So to wish him well they'd congregated here

There were none who had served longer
And there were few in climate stronger
But they all knew Des and wished him happiness
There were stalwarts there in force
And the top brass too of course
And all the gang from NCC and CAS

Wishes came from distant lands
From John Zillman and his travelling bands
And from Nairobi to the shores of USA
We send three cheers now from this office
And in one resounding chorus
Sing best wishes Des, and hip hip hip hooray!

Bureau of Meteorology