Derek’s maternal great grandparents moved to Beaumaris in 1919 and as a consequence he has lived in the area most of his life. Although he and his wife, Deb, have spent 22 years living interstate or overseas, including New South Wales, Canada, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. They relocated from Albury to Black Rock in 1986 where they have owned a house ever since.

Derek graduated in Architecture, which he practiced for a dozen years or so before going to the so called “dark side”, undertaking a great number of project management roles, eventually becoming a management consultant.

He has overseen a number of major capital works projects, including those at Ryerson Polytechnical University in Toronto, the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh for the Saudi Government, the Riverside Quay Development on the Yarra River in Melbourne for Costain Australia and Kajima Corporation of Japan, and the 600 bed North District Hospital in the New Territories of Hong Kong.

Subsequently, Derek oversaw the preparation of the Health Strategy for the Western Sydney Area Health Service, including Westmead Hospital, and back in Melbourne was a director of City West Water and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.

He was a half-miler and sprinter in his 20s; both he and his wife are still keen tennis players and were spectators at Wimbledon in 1973 and 2018. In more recent years he has been sailing, cycling, playing weekly golf, and very recently, croquet.

Derek has had a lifelong involvement in Lord Somers Camp and Power House, becoming its President. These days he devotes much of his week to painting, particularly with the Elgin Artists, who are based in Hawthorn, where they annually exhibit their work.

He has also spent many years as the Chairman of the Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club Foundation and at Trinity College, at the University of Melbourne, on the Building and Grounds Committee.

Derek and Deb have two children and three grandchildren, who live in far northern New South Wales and Brisbane, where they try and spend a month each year.