A strong sense of community
Long-serving West Wimmera councillor Bruce Meyer first entered Kaniva’s council chamber as a schoolboy on an excursion.
Each student was given a role to represent one of the nine councillors and he was selected as ‘shire president’, ‘chairing’ a council meeting.
He declared then and there he would be back one day, serving his community for real.
Cr Meyer was elected to Shire of Kaniva for the first time in 1993 and was the inaugural mayor of the new West Wimmera Shire Council following amalgamation in 1995.
On Monday, in his seventh term as mayor, Cr Meyer won recognition for his service to local government and the West Wimmera community.
Cr Meyer features on this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List, appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, OAM.
A fourth-generation Kaniva farmer, Cr Meyer grew up with a strong sense of community spirit running through his veins.
“I’ve always believed in loyalty to your own community and being a councillor is a great way to show that loyalty,” he said.
“We have a very close-knit community here. People are very loyal to their community and they support each other.”
Cr Meyer said he had opportunities to pursue a different path, including several offers for university scholarships once he finished high school.
“My school marks were high enough I could have walked into any university I chose and done any course I wanted to, but I wasn’t interested,” he said.
Cr Meyer said he never considered giving up a life on the land, with his strong interest in agriculture merely part of his gene pool.
Like his predecessors, Cr Meyer became heavily involved in Kaniva Agricultural and Pastoral Society from a young age. He has been a member and volunteer since the 1960s, was president for six years, vice-president for 10 and a steward.
“Both my grandfathers, Jack Meyer and Tom Parker, were very prominent showmen. They were well known in Clydesdale ranks,” he said.
“My father has judged Clydesdales at four different royal shows.
“Various members of the family have been involved in the show society in general – it’s in our genes, you might say.”
Show judging
Cr Meyer used to show poultry and has judged poultry competitions across Victoria and South Australia.
He has also judged photography and crop competitions.
“I do believe the best way to get something out of shows is to exhibit,” he said.
“You definitely get more out of it that way than if you’re just going along for a look.”
While Cr Meyer loved showing poultry, his participation declined after his council workload increased.
“When you’re showing animals you need to have time to look after them properly, all the time,” he said.
“That becomes hard when you have to go away for conferences, so I gave it up.”
Cr Meyer said he had been lucky to make a wide range of contacts and friends throughout his time in local government.
“You tend to form relationships with like-minded people,” he said.
“When you go to a big MAV conference you always see the rural councillors band together. Across the Wimmera, all the councillors know each other. We are like a big family.”
Cr Meyer considers the sealing of a ‘local’ road at Kaniva affected by the decommissioning of the barley industry among his biggest wins as a councillor.
“It caused great controversy at the time,” he said.
“The chief executive at the time was determined it was not going to be done. Some of the staff and majority of the councillors felt the same way.”
Cr Meyer said he was determined to find a solution and worked with Vicroads to discover the State Government had a duty to provide money for the road.
He led a delegation to the then roads minister – and won.
“I got that road sealed without any cost to council,” he said.
“It’s just an example of one of the things you can pull off when everyone else seems to be against you.
“A lot of the time in local government you have to dig your heels in, but you’ve also got to be patient.”
Sport and faith
Cr Meyer has also dedicated a significant amount of time to sporting pursuits, as both a leader and a participant, along with roles in the Presbyterian church.
“The church has been a big part of my life. I’ve been an elder for 47 years, second clerk for 46 years and on the board of management for 49 years,” he said.
“I reckon I’ve run 500 church services and 20 funerals at Kaniva, Nhill and other places.
“My great-grandfather was a longstanding elder and my grandmother and mother were also connected – our family has been connected to the church right from establishment.”
Cr Meyer was granted a ‘Plaque of the Church’ in 2015.
He is also a life member of Kaniva Agricultural and Pastoral Society, Tatiara Cricket Association and Kaniva Bowls Club.
“I think I’ve held every position on the bowls club board bar treasurer,” Cr Meyer said.
“I played for the Wimmera a few times and won club championships.
“Bowls is a game that gets in people’s blood. Most people enjoy it and it’s social. It keeps people happy, and I think, alive for longer.”
Cr Meyer played 300 games with Kaniva Football Club and played cricket for 30 years, captaining four different Kaniva sides.
“Sport is in our blood a bit too,” he said.
Cr Meyer is also chairman of Kaniva Museum and Historical Collection Committee and was former director of Desert Fringe Regional Waste Management Group.
He has juggled his council work and plethora of community leadership roles while running the family farm.
“One year I was mayor, secretary of the bowling club, president of the show society and sessions clerk,” he said.
“I had four major jobs, plus the farm work, which I was doing on my own.”
These days, he runs the farm with his two sons.
“I also have a daughter, who lives in Nhill, and three grandchildren,” he said.
“Family support is absolutely vital. A lot of the things I have done, my wife, Wendy, has been right beside me and played a major role.
“All of this work I have done, it’s not just me doing it.
“But we are all happy to be involved – it is an important part of being part of a community.
“I greatly believe in loyalty to your community.”