Real scope, depth in sport support
FEW could claim to have had a bigger impact on the Otago sporting scene than Bill McAuley.
Even fewer could claim to have also achieved so much away from it.
McAuley, who died in Dunedin on September 6, aged 81, represented Otago in rugby, tennis and squash.
He also had a significant impact as an administrator, manager and selector.
That devotion led to him being made a life member of both Tennis Otago and the Southern rugby club.
He was also one of four founding members of the Edgar Sports Centre, alongside Sir Eion Edgar, Robin Bates and Kathy Stewart.
Away from the sporting arena, he was an accomplished and respected architect, designing many key buildings around Dunedin.
Born in Kaitangata on January 7, 1939, the youngest of Robert and Ella’s seven children, William John McAuley was immersed in sport from an early age. The family was wellknown for sport in the town and Robert had represented New Zealand at football.
He was educated at Kaitangata School, before moving on to South Otago High School. There he earned 14 sporting blues between 1952 and 1956, four in each of rugby, tennis and athletics, as well as two in cricket.
He played for the school’s First XV in his first year and by his final year at school, he was playing for the South Otago senior side.
After leaving school, he worked at the Ministry of Works for a short time in Dunedin.
He linked with Southern to play his rugby in 1957, and after a year in second grade, he was promoted to play on the wing for the premier team.
That same year he debuted for Otago, the beginning of a career in which he played 34 games.
He notably scored a try in the province’s 268 win over the touring 1959 Lions, while marking the great Tony O’Reilly.
Alongside that, he was an All Black triallist in 1959 and 1963.
It was at the tail end of his rugby career when he married Laurice, his wife of 57 years, at Caversham Methodist Church on January 26, 1963.
He hung up his boots in 1965 as his career as an architect began to take off . Since 1961, he had worked with Ted McCoy, at the business that became McCoy and Wixon.
McAuley was an Otago senior tennis representative from 1957 to 1969 and was the province’s singles champion for five consecutive years beginning in 1965.
He was a member of the Andersons Bay club and had a similarly prominent mixed doubles partner in Margaret Borland.
It was a sport he continued playing as a veteran, winning Masters Games medals from 1992 through to 2002.
After giving away serious tennis in his late 20s, McAuley took up squash.
He proved just as adept there, representing Otago from 1968 until 1980 and playing for the Southern Districts team from 1970 until 1979.
After finishing playing, he became highly involved in roles off the court and field.
McAuley was a senior selector and manager for Otago tennis for 18 years, and the Otago Tennis Association’s chairman for 12.
He also filled both roles for Southern Tennis, while being on the New Zealand Tennis Policy Council.
In 1983, he was influential in organising the exhibition match between former world No 1 Bjorn Borg and New Zealand star Chris Lewis, held in front of 4800 people at Dunedin Stadium.
He was also invited, alongside Laurice, to Wimbledon as a guest of the AllEngland Club for the entire two weeks to recognise his contribution to Otago and New Zealand tennis.
In 2000, he was named a life member of Otago tennis.
He was similarly significant in the establishment of the Edgar Centre, and was its director for nine years, and its chairman for two years.
In 1992, McAuley won the services to sport award at the Otago Sports Awards.
Outside sport, he had a reputation as a hardworking and talented architect. He set up drawing systems and protocols at McCoy and Wixon still used today.
A natural leader and motivator, he brought out the best in the staff he looked after.
His output was prolific. His ability to problemsolve was described as amazing.
In 1997, he was proud to be made an associate of the firm.
Until his retirement in 2003, he had been involved in designing many influential buildings including those at Otago Boys’ High School, Unicol, the Hocken Library, St Peter’s College (Gore) and Verdon College (Invercargill).
He designed the corporate suite extension at Carisbrook, and had a strong association with Foodstuffs, involved in creating many of the supermarkets around the South Island.
McAuley is survived by Laurice, children Sharyn and Warren (son Graham predeceased him) and four grandchildren.
— Jeff Cheshire