Garry studied Electrical Engineering and took up his first position with AGL in 1959, as AGL was one of the first companies in Australia to own a computer. His initial role with the company was in Operations Research, covering production planning and distribution design.

In the late 60s he became involved with the pipeline side of the company, assisting in the design of the Moomba to Sydney pipeline. The pipeline was deliberately designed over capacity. While a diameter of 20 – 24 inches was the expected requirement, 34 inches was chosen in order to cater for expected future demand. This long term view could not be taken in today’s oppressive regulatory climate.

He stayed with AGL for 33 years, eventually becoming the General Manager of all AGL Gas Companies, a position he held for five years, before assuming the role of General Manager of AGL Petroleum. In this role, Garry was responsible for oil and gas exploration and production in Australia, as well as the operation of the pipelines owned by AGL, which at the time included the Central Australia to Darwin, Roma to Brisbane and Jackson to Moonie to Brisbane pipelines.

After leaving AGL Garry took up a position with Santos as the General Manager for Queensland and Northern Territory. After ‘retirement’, he then took on the role of the inaugural Executive Manager of the Australian Pipeline Industry Association. This role essentially correlates to the current role performed by the Chief Executive.

At this time the Board wanted to change the focus of APIA from the interests of contactors to involve the entire industry more broadly. During his time at APIA, Garry recruited pipeline owners and other industry figures that had not previously been involved in the Association and convinced these parties to contribute to the Association both financially and in other ways.

He assisted in establishing a truly national association and oversaw the move of the APIA headquarters from Melbourne to Canberra. The move was largely made to enable the Assosciation to work more closely with the Federal Government – APIA had come to realise impediments in expansion of the pipeline industry would be best dealt with by being closer to government decision makers. Allen Beasley took up the position of APIA Executive Director after the relocation.

On the subject of APIA Conventions, Garry summed up the event in a particularly succinct fashion which no doubt all pipeliners will be able to relate to – “When it comes to the APIA Convention, it’s like beer – there’s no bad ones, some are just better than others.” He added that the APIA Convention is the best conference in Australia in terms of the balanced combination of technical papers, social activities and networking opportunities.

One memory that stood out from Conventions was the year that no recording of the National Anthem was available. However, all was not lost, with ‘four tenors’ – Garry, Jim McDonald, Allen Beasley and John Field – admirably stepping in to ensure that the Business Sessions did not get underway without a rousing rendition of Advance Australia Fair.

One of the biggest challenges Garry faced during his career was the unpopularity of gas during the 1950s and 60s. Garry says many people in the industry today do not realise what a challenge selling natural gas was during this era, particularly when the oil competition was artificially priced as low as about $2 per barrel!

When asked to name some memorable professional highlights from over the years, Garry said that he is “just delighted to see the way that natural gas has turned from a virtual unknown commodity to now be recognised as the most efficient, most environmentally friendly and most economic fuel despite the very unimaginative regulatory regime under which it has to operate.”

According to Garry, one of the best aspects of the industry is the fact that despite its highly competitive nature, industry players can be very co-operative on matters of common interest; “Through APIA we know that it is not just owners or contractors or suppliers – we are all in it together. The whole ‘food chain’ comes together under APIA to discuss common industry challenges.”

He says that growth and development in the industry over the years means that the people and companies that make up the pipeline industry are no longer fighting their very survival. Every day in the financial media there is news of pipeline and oil and gas developments – although despite this fact the general public remains largely unaware of the industry’s unobtrusive existence. Nonetheless, a vibrant industry, which once operated on a state by state basis , now exists under a national framework which connects the eastern states of Australia.

Garry maintains his presence in the industry through his own company, Narwood, which has consulted to some of the biggest energy companies in Australia. He says that there is so much going on in the pipeline business today, Narwood is one way he can be semi-retired while still keeping in touch with the happenings of the industry. He is also currently on the Board of AJ Lucas.

Outside of the pipeline industry, his hobbies include playing tennis and watching a variety of other sports, including cricket, rugby league (he follows South Sydney) and the AFL (he’s an ‘obligatory’ Sydney Swans supporter). Garry also has a rather unusual hobby – collecting sick bags from the various airline travels of himself and his agents. Garry refers to himself as the self-appointed World President of the ‘Sicsacological’ society!

Throughout the years a constant presence has been Garry’s wife Cath, to whom he has been married for 45 years. Garry and Cath have three children and six grandchildren, and away from the hustle and bustle of life as a pipeliner, it is times spent with family and friends, enjoying a quiet ale or two - especially if there are great stories to be told – that Garry is particularly enjoying in his semi-retirement.