View source for Whimpress (Peter) Andrew William Peter

{{People
|Type of person=Individual
|Date of birth=17/09/1936
|Date approximate=No
|Place of birth=Adelaide
|Date approximate2=No
|Date approximate3=No
|Date approximate4=No
}}
Andrew William Peter Whimpress, born  Adelaide SA 17/9/1936
Father, Thomas Abraham Whimpress, born 1906, lived Wasleys SA, Wasleys Primary School, Gawler High School, Adelaide University, Certificate in Law (1934)
Mother, Mary Irene Doolette, born Broken Hill NSW  1900, moved to Mitcham 1914, Adelaide High School, Adelaide Teachers College, first appointment Kapunda Primary School.

Parents lived at Fullarton until 1942, I attended Grade 1 Highgate Primary School. Family moved to Whyalla and I attended Whyalla Primary School to Grade 7 then on scholarship at Kings College (now Pembroke) in 1949 as a boarder until end 1952. Passing only 3 leaving subjects I returned to Whyalla and was enrolled by Mother at Whyalla Technical High School as she considered an education involved being able to matriculate to University. This period was difficult as I played A grade cricket and football with West Whyalla at age 16 and concentration on academic studies was a sideline. Invitations by Sturt and Norwood Football Clubs led to a trial at Norwood Oval. It has been a highlight of my memory being part of a team composed of premiership and State players with coach Jack Oatey, ruckman John Marriot, wingman Doug Olds, full forward Peter Dalwood and many others of great reputation at the time. As a stunned recruit I was at the centre bounce as State Umpire Ken Apliin (with starched collar turned up) bounced the ball, I watched as Marriot leaped and put the ball in my direction, and ricocheted off my chest with hands still at my side to rover the late Jack Oatey, who handpassed to Olds who kicked to Dalwood who goaled. As the ball returned to centre Oatey came to me and patted me on the back saying, “Good pass off lad, keep the good work going”. Well, I heard no more from the Norwood Club. 

On return to Whyalla, I assume Mother was advised by her teacher friends at WTHS that I was a disruption and unlikely to succeed in passing exams. To avoid her the embarrassment of me being expelled it would be wise to withdraw me. That she promptly did, advising that I could no longer expect my parents to work to support my carefree lifestyle. With that I was taken to the NAB with family arranged references of my character and told to apply for a job. Not thinking that the job would not be in Whyalla where I could continue my present enjoyment with an income to spare, this seemed an attractive move. Upon acceptance to the position of probationer I was appointed to clerical duties at Adelaide Head Office.  Not to be outdone, I contacted Sturt FC and they arranged boarding accommodation with a wonderful family whose son played in its Senior Colts side.  During that period I trained with the League side under coach Len Fitzgerald (who I believe to be the best player I have known.

In December 1953 the NAB appointed me as Ledger-keeper at its Quorn Branch. It was a railway town and with shift work was prevalent workers earned high wages. My net wage was $10.80 and board (three to a room) at $9.00 per week did not leave much for lavish living. Sunday pub cricket offered 10/- for the highest score and was a huge incentive.

During 1954 I had a very old car and drove to Whyalla to play football with West on Sundays.
It did not take long before the car broke down, and I rode my bike the 72 miles leaving Quorn when the Bank closed at noon on Saturday arriving at home at 5.00pm. On Monday morning the bike would go on top of the bus service to Pt. Augusts and I would ride the 25 miles to be at the Bank by 9.00am.
	
During the 1953 cricket season a Whyalla player was shot during a Country Carnival match on Railways Oval in the West Parklands. The Whyalla folk decided not to compete the following year in respect for their teammate.  A “ragtime” combination of Far North cricketers was gathered and of which I was named captain. Of course we did not win any of our matches but the SACA  did appreciate our participation. As a Queen Scout I was asked to be the Local Scoutmaster and I commenced a correspondence course in accountancy at the suggestion of the Bank’s manager.                 I found correspondence lessons difficult as there was a couple of weeks turn-around between assignments and by then the previous one had been forgotten about. A worthwhile adventure was when I had a fortnights holiday but no money to go anywhere. The station-master found a job as a silver-boy washing dishes on the Ghan. The journey on the old line and a few days in Alice Springs remains firm in my memory. Not only was there no cost but a week later the station-master brought my pay ($176) into the Bank. A new suit was a necessity that this provided.

In February 1955 I was transferred to the NAB’s Burra Branch where there was a hand-operated adding machine. This was a wonderful help when doing the weekly balance of accounts. These were years of high wool prices and Burra was the prime wool growing district of SA. My increased wage of $13 per week and $8 board was still hard for any lavish living. Sport continued to my recreation and the start of the football season provided a great opportunity to meet many of the local folk. My role in the football club became one of standing the “best on ground” each week and several of those players later played for SAFL league sides. The season ended in a glorious premiership for Burra with a 20 year hiatus between that and the next.

National Service accommodated the next three months At Woodside Camp. This was a great experience which I believe many of today’s youth could benefit as each soldier was treated on the same footing which built a great comradeship.

Resuming at the NAB I was appointed Ledger keeper at its Prospect Branch and later as teller at the Norwood Branch. This was very convenient and enabled me to play cricket and football with Kings Old Collegians. In the 1957 season I captained the cricket team to the first premiership The Old Scholars Association had won in any sport. The winter was spent with that Club’s football team.

I successfully undertook the Land Broker’s Course that year. This stimulated a great interest in the titles registration system and property in general. A transfer to the NAB securities department enabled me to meet many of the practitioners and was an enjoyable employment, but the probability of later transfer to branch work was not a prospect I cherished.

	In 1958 I left NAB and took a position as manager of a real estate development company and learning the trading activities was further experience. In 1960 I established the conveyancing business Whimpresss & Co. My brother joined me in that business and became an accomplished conveyancer.

	In 1961 a school friend and I spent six months in England playing cricket In the Birmingham League. There were all types of cricket at weekends and weekdays, but we managed to fit in a few tours to play friendly games in several parts of English counties. 	On return my brother had been busy and set us up in an ancillary business hiring showrooms to interstate representatives using our office staff to provide their secretarial needs. I brought a bride back from England and in 1963 we had twin daughters, Sue and Jane. Both girls later assisted me at the South End and the then Emily’s & Reception Centre. 

	When Rundle Street became a mall the secondary business was sold and the conveyancing business moved back to the west side locating in the BankSA building in Bank Street.  My brother obtained an arrangement with a building company and conducted his practice separately, and very successfully, serving on the Land Brokers Board of the Real Estate Institute of SA during the introduction of legislation to separate Agents from Brokers to achieve individual advice on transactions.
	Through the 1960s house sales were prevalent and business was brisk as migrants enhanced our population and retained my NAB country contacts all of which provided a good livelihood but to assist with the Pembroke tuition fees for my daughters extra income was needed.

	Notwithstanding I was enrolled in a part time Economics degree at the University of Adelaide, and a Valuers course at SAIT I accepted an invitation as a PTI lecturing in two courses, for Agents and Salesmen. These were conducted by the Adult Education Department and on Tuesday and Thursdays between 6-8pm and 8-10pm so that ended football practice. These courses moved to TAFE and I continued for another 20 years. In addition I was a PTI in TAFE correspondence courses in agents and conveyancing. There were also REISA tutoring classes for conveyancing students, and on being registered one of students was engaged by Whimpress & Co. as its conveyancer. During this time I was made an Associate of the Valuers Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the REISA.

	I formed Whimpress & Co. Sales Service and engaged a former client who had been the proprietor of several large Adelaide fish shops but wanted to spend his retirement selling businesses. I believe this became one of the highly reputed business agencies in Adelaide. His experience in sales and mine in constructing the business documentation was a most successful enterprise and this continued for several years until his eventual retirement. 

	One of the most enthusiastic real estate students was a man from Gawler, namely Phil Page, who after graduating introduced me to the Greenock Luncheon Club and subsequently Phil and his son Frank became good friends and clients. Frank took over Phil’s business on his retirement and later became a flying instructor. Through this connection and that of Bill Adams, now revitalising Kapunda, but then NAB manager at Nuriootpa, led to my interest in the Gawler area. First was a small subdivision at Willaston. The second was a group of units at South Gawler, and finally the purchase of the South End Hotel and adjoining land. The possibility of entertainment interests locating at the south end of Murray Street seemed viable, as has since eventuated.

	In the 197071 cricket season I captained University B grade team which won the premiership that year.  A very invigorating year.  In 1981 I became a SACA District umpire and proudly stood in a number of games with Test and State umpires and continued on for 13 seasons.

	With the aid of a visiting Canadian architectural student plans were drawn for a restaurant, bar and function centre. The concept was to provide a venue different from the several hotels in Gawler. Construction was handled wholly by Gawler Builders & Carpenters and has stood well for nearly 25 years and now operated as Café Nova. There were many frustrations and unplanned costs in completing this project. Mick Brien, now President of the BLG Football Association and resident of Gawler purchased the South End Hotel which relieved the 18% interest rate on borrowings in place in 1989-1990 Later Jim Vallelonga, now Gawler Councillor, purchased the Reception Centre.

	At this time I was deputy chairman of Elizabeth District Cricket Club Inc. and chairman of selectors. The Club amalgamated with the Salisbury Cricket Club Inc. and it was my suggestion that the name Northern Districts Cricket Club Inc. be adopted for the combined clubs and I continued on that committee for some years.

	The former Northern Adelaide Development Board Inc. (supported by the four Northern councils) introduced a Business Enterprise Centre with a view to assisting local small businesses with problems confronting them. The late Max Davids was the NADB manager and with a co-business adviser we set about developing that project. Some two years on the SA Government funding was withdrawn and that community service lapsed.

	During this time I served several terms on the Development Assessment Panels of Gawler, Light and Playford Councils and this provided a wide experience of the development issues in those regions.

	At that time I noticed an advertisement by the University of New England for a distance learning program for graduates in its Faculty of Law. This kept me busy for 4 years, graduating in 2000. To be admitted to practice law it was necessary to complete a diploma in Legal Practice which I completed at ANU in 2002 and was admitted to the Supreme Court of the ACT, and from there I transferred to the SA Supreme Court roll. I was employed by Boltons Lawyers in Gawler for almost 6 years during which time I completed a Masters in Environmental Law also at ANU by distance learning. Finally, I commenced a doctorate in Urban & Regional Planning at USA with a thesis on the settlement of SA with emphasis on economic aspects, completing that in 2009.

	During the last few years I have practised as a property and planning lawyer and it has been interesting and pleasurable to have been able to assist clients in many varied aspects of this work.
While the time for retirement is near I recall the happy times spent in country towns and the lasting friendships which have favoured me. Indeed, luncheon at the Greenock Luncheon Club is an enjoyable time to discuss country experiences, of course always enhanced to the credence of the recounter of an experience.	 

Attached:  Academic achievements and work experience.

1958	Conveyancers’ Certificate	[School of Mines]<br />

1958	Real Estate Managers’, Auctioneers, Business Agents’ Licences<br />

1959	Commission Australian Defence Force (NS Medal, Defence Service Medal)<br />

1961	Associate Australasian Institute of Bankers [AIB]<br />

1970 – 1990 PTI with Adult Education/TAFE – Lecturer  and examiner  in Real Estate Agents, 	Salespersons and Conveyancers.<br />

1975	Bachelor of Economics (Adelaide)<br />

1978	Master of Urban & Regional Planning (Adelaide)
	Thesis Topic: Strata Corporations in South Australia; Social and Planning Implications.<br />

1979	Visiting Student: Master Environmental Studies (Adelaide Uni)
1979	Associate Australian Institute of Valuers [AIV now  Aust. Prop. Council]

1981	Fellow Real estate Institute of Australia (REI)
1981	Registration as Tax Agent [ATO]
1983	Bachelor of Arts (Adelaide)

1984	Admitted as CPA [Soc. CPA]	
2000	Bachelor of Laws, Graduate (Uni. New England)

2000	Enrolled as practitioner in Supreme Court of the ACT [SCACT]

2001	Admitted as practitioner in Supreme Court of SA [SASC]
2001	Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Aust Nat. Uni)

2002	Master of Laws (Spec in Environmental Law) (ANU)

2009	Doctor of Philosophy (Uni SA): Thesis:“The Wakefield Model of Systematic Colonisation in South Australia: an examination with particular reference to its economic aspects”

2010	Full Member Planning Institute of Australia Inc.

2010	Certified Practicing Planner [CPP](Chifley Inst, Canb) [PIA]



1953	National Australia Bank Ltd.  –Ledger-keeper/ Security Clerk1959	Real Estate Manager  - Adelaide Subdividers Pty. Ltd.

1962- 1996	Whimpress & Co.-Registered Conveyancers ,

1970 - Strata Management Services 1979- Licensed Valuers , 

1984 - Certified Practicing Accountants -1989- via Town & Country Proprietors Pty. Ltd., Design &      construct Gawler function centre, restaurant and  cocktail bar. Operated under name Emily’s restaurant and Gawler  Reception Centre

1996	Northern Adelaide Development Board  --   Business Advisor BEC

2001	Boltons Lawyers     --   Barrister and Solicitor, mainly property, planning appeals

2006	Whimpress & Co.   --   Property & Planning lawyer (continuing 2015)



DAP Experience.

Gawler Council  
Light Regional Council
Playford City Council 

Please [https://www.flickr.com/photos/gawler_history/sets/72157655785445208 click here] for photos of Peter Whimpress.
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