3 minute read

Back Page Interview

Colin and Elisa Bertuch on their farm in the foothills of Mount Buffalo, which they have since sold.

Colin Bertuch (OTG 1972)

Tell us about Mt Buffalo Olives.

Tell us about your time at TGS. What kind of student were you?

I consider myself to have been an ordinary student without fanfare, staying in the background and out of trouble. I passed most subjects, sometimes with some extra tutoring to get through. I finished Year 11 with the minimum subjects required – English, General Studies, Indonesian, Choir, and maybe Craft. I also thoroughly enjoyed hiking, canoeing, hockey, combined school choir performances, scouts and pottery.

What did your journey look like post-graduation?

I started a career in banking and stayed for 11 ½ years after which I bought a chainsaw and lawn mower to start self-employment in 1983. This self-employment evolved into a tree contracting company in 1988, culminating in my company providing arboricultural services to government departments as well as the private sector. I went on to attain an Advanced Certificate in Arboriculture from NMIT and entered local government as the supervising arborist for the City of Wodonga and then the Alpine Shire. We started Mt Buffalo Olives with vacant farmland and a vision. Elisa and I bought a bulldozer and terraced 10 acres of north sloping land and planted 900 olive trees of 10 different varieties. We pruned trees, managed pests, harvested, stored, bottled, labelled and marketed extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). I took over the management of four other abandoned groves to ensure supply.

There is a great deal of satisfaction in overseeing a program from inception to maturity. We had a great loyal following of return customers who often started by buying 100ml samples but progressed to taking home fresh 20 litre drums at harvest. We successfully produced an internationally accredited EVOO against the odds on a shoestring budget.

How did you become involved with the CFA?

As we settled into the Porepunkah community, I wanted to join in on community-based activities. The CFA seemed the most obvious and was not too demanding on time. That changed over the years as I took on the roles of firefighter, lieutenant (12 years) and eventually captain (four years). I fought fires in Sydney in 2000, then the Campaign fires of 2003, 2006 and the Black Saturday fires of 2009. I was also involved in fighting the Harrietville fires of 2011 and 2013 and the devastating 2020 Black Summer fires.

Tell us about your involvement in the Bushfire Royal Commission.

A phone call from the Phoenix Task Force in 2009 started a threeyear journey of involvement in the litigious world of legal advice. Victoria Police wanted to know why a tree had fallen near the origin of the 'Library Road’ fire near Beechworth in February 2009. I gave evidence, based on my observations of the scene, to the Bushfire Royal Commission hearing in Myrtleford. The following day, I was secured by a legal firm to be their expert witness in a case against the power companies.

As you reflect on your journey, are there any particular lessons you learnt from TGS?

I have had some very low points in my life but the great basic education that Trinity afforded me has allowed me to also reach great heights. I understand geography, appreciate classical music and can recognise renowned art. I learnt to challenge traditions and problem solve. My school science basics sit well with me now and I could approach agriculture/horticulture knowing about pH and salinity. As I considered the swinging Nm value of a falling ½ tonne branch attached to a 16mm rope, I often wished I had paid more attention to Physics. Will it break?

TRINITY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, KEW

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