Busy Barry has lots of time on his hands
BARRY Kalms runs a rare businesses, not just in Townsville but in Queensland.
He is a qualified watchmaker, likely the last in North Queensland and one of few left in the state.
“We’re very few and far between now because no one is putting apprentices on,” said Mr Kalms who has been repairing and working on watches and time pieces for 39 years.
“I do everything and anything,” he said.
“From batteries, glasses, overhauls, band repairs, you name it, anything to do with fixing something I do the whole shebang.”
Mr Kalms, of Heatley, said he had worked on some interesting time pieces during his almost four decades in the industry. These included fancy Rolexes and watches from World War II that have been handed down as family heirlooms.
Although many young people do not wear watches, using their phones instead, Mr Kalms said he was still busy with customers. “I’m flat stick,” he said. “From an age group of about 30 onwards, they’re still wearing watches.”
Mr Kalms is originally from West Wyalong, New South Wales, but has lived in Townsville for more than 30 years.
“I got sick of Brisbane, it was getting too big so I decided to come up,” he said.
“I regret going down ( to Brisbane) every time I visit the family, I hate the joint.
“I wouldn’t go any further south than South Townsville to live.”
Mr Kalms' right leg was amputated after a shooting accident when he was just 17 months old.
His three- year- old brother accidentally shot him when they were living on a farm.
“But I’m still here to tell the tale,” he said with a laugh.
Mr Kalms competed at the 1980 Paralympics in the Netherlands in weightlifting and athletics.
In the weightlifting he won a bronze medal.
Mr Kalms said the compet- ition had been a fantastic experience for him.
“It was really good. I got to do a few trips overseas to competitions,” he said.
“I got to meet Pope John Paul II two weeks before the assassination attempt.”