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He was commonly known as Digger Burvill, a nickname that stuck from an early age and remained throughout his entire life. Born in Ballarat in 1938, he was the fifth child of Frederick and Katherine Burvill, and lived on the Yaloak Vale estate opposite Fiskville, just south of Ballan, until he was around 17-years of age. Everyone has a story and Leon had many, including how he was given the nickname Digger. During WWII, army reserve soldiers were based at Fiskville guarding the overseas telecommunication station, they frequently visited the Burvill family home where one of these men nicknamed a little boy sitting on a fencepost by placing a slouch hat on his head and, calling him “Digger”. His education began at the Fiskville school from age six and continued until he completed Grade 8, aged 13. He often joked about graduating from ‘Fiskville High’. After leaving school, he started work on the Yaloak Vale estate farm, a property that consisted of 12,000 acres and was owned by the Miller Brothers. He worked 60 hours a week and was paid £2 7,6 of which he paid £1, 10 board. His work on the farm consisted of milking three cows’ morning and night, in those days, by hand. There were also 2000 ewes to be looked after, boundary riding on horses and many other farm duties which he carried out for about three years. The family moved into Ballan when Leon was about 17. He then started working in the Fiskville OTC workshop making communication transmitters for the start of the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.
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The Moorabool News – 22 March, 2022 Page 13
VALE – Leon BURVILL
He took over the role as maintenance officer when Joe Devlin retired and remained at that position for 5-6 years. He travelled daily for 15-years after that to the OTC Melbourne office. When that closed he was offered two positions interstate. He declined the offer as the family had grown with four children at foot, and the towns in NSW and SA offered limited schooling. He exchanged vows with the love of his life Pat Mullane on the 11 April 1959, meeting at the Ballan pictures. Conveniently the car Pat was driving, an old Wolsley, had broken down. Pat knew Leon was very handy at fixing things and managed to get the car started. The rest they say, is history. Along with his sister Dos (Hodge), they purchased the tourist café in main street Ballan, which they ran for three years. Their fifth child Vince arrived during this time, a brother for Helen, Brian, Joan and Fiona.
Whilst working in the café, Leon also worked doing maintenance at the Ballan Shire Council. He started his own business doing home maintenance and painting and in 1982 formed his own business, employing his youngest son Vince, as an apprentice carpenter. Leon became a registered builder in 1988 however, ceased work in the year 2000, due to ill health. He committed to 25-years of service as caretaker of the Ballan Cemetery Trust, a volunteer who maintained both the old and new cemeteries in Ballan. When it came to football, he was a passionate and possibly a one-eyed Geelong supporter. A highlight for him was attending a President's dinner at Kardinia Park, meeting many past and present players. Another story was his many talents, performing in local concerts held at the Mechanics Hall. He had a solo role whistling and developed musical abilities in later life, learning to play the guitar and singing in Christmas concerts. He even mastered the Jews harp. A jack of all trades, yodeling, rabbit hunting, tomato grower, old cars, clearing
sale buyer, Uncle Arthur impressionist and doer of so many good things to so many, adorned his resume. His loves not only included his wife and children but country music and 25-years of beach holidays at Ocean Grove. As they outgrew the caravan, Leon and Pat enjoyed their own travels around the country. Outback bus trips were also taken in their retirement. The Ballan community will never have another Leon, and neither will all his family. Leon ‘Digger’ Burvill passed away peacefully on 19 January 2022, aged 84, surrounded by his loving family.
Get talking with a cuppa By Lachlan Ellis The last two years have had many people feeling more isolated than ever, but a local not-for-profit is inviting anyone and everyone to come have a chat. Darley Neighbourhood House provides a range of programs and services, such as the Community Pantry and a range of workshops. The latest program on offer is a local chapter of the ‘Chatty Café Scheme’, an international initiative to help people connect and open up on any topics they want to discuss. The local chapter is a partnership between the Neighbourhood House and a Bacchus Marsh Café, where the Chatty Café sessions are run at 9am every second Tuesday. Renee Knight from the Darley Neighbourhood House said the chats were an informal, simple way for people to stay in touch and meet new people. “It’s pretty simple actually – every second Tuesday we set up a table at Little Lucky, and you don’t have to let us know you’re coming, book, anything like that. People can simply turn up, sit down, and have a chat,” she told the Moorabool News. “It’s really focused on providing an opportunity for people to connect, potentially make new friends, and something to pop into your diary and do.” Amber Kennedy is the smiling face people see when they come to the dedicated ‘have a chat’ table, and encouraged anyone, introverts and extroverts, to come and chat over a coffee if they felt the need. “I guess this initiative is a way for people to know that they can start a conversation with a total stranger, and feel more comfortable with that conversation,” she said. “We don’t talk about anything controversial…people get to share as much or as little about themselves as they like. It’s okay for anybody to come and have a chat…it’s really a place for everybody.” Ms Kennedy said it helps people who wouldn’t naturally want to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. The first Chatty Café session at Little Lucky Café on Grant Street was held on 1 March, and the next will be on 29 March. For more information on the Chatty Café Scheme, and other programs and services offered by Darley Neighbourhood House, visit www.darleylearning.com/whats-on.
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