General News
9 May, 2025
A THOROUGHLY DECENT CITIZEN— Norm Sing
The search for instant wealth on the goldfields brought prospectors from all the world’s continents.
The search for instant wealth on the goldfields brought prospectors from all the world’s continents.
Among this group were the Chinese — who often were treated unfairly and with suspicion.
Their different appearance, challenging living conditions, and unfamiliar food (although now very popular), was unfamiliar on the goldfields.
Their ability to find gold flakes and small nuggets in the trailings discarded by the other miners didn’t endear them either.
Maryborough’s Chinatown was part of a government inquiry. It even involved a delegation of a religious nature. The town’s demise came with a calamitous fire.
Reuben and Mary Sing, both born in Australia, trekked across land from Robe in South Australia and settled in Maryborough.
They raised a family of eight.
It consisted of seven boys and one girl. The youngest child was Norm. It is Norm’s life and family I will deal with in this article.
Norm was born at Daisy Hill and attended Maryborough Primary School no. 404 and the high school.
Like many of his contemporaries he left school at 16. He found employment with Wally Forbes and the Willersdorfs at the Flour Mill and worked in the office for 35 years.
On the closure of the Flour Mill he saw out his working days in the accounts department of the Maryborough Knitting Mill.
Isabel, the love of Norm’s life, emigrated from Scotland aged 13 as a “ten pound pom”.
Unusually two brothers married two sisters.
Harold married Moira and Norm married Isabel.
Isabel was a delightful lady always courteous and supportive. She worked in the office at Phelans and the honey factory.
They raised three children — Colin, Sue and Carol and all their children made contributions to the community.
As a Primary School 2828 student Carol excelled at sport.
In the District Athletic Sports at Princes Park she powered to victory in the sprint race against the district’s finest.
At netball she was a multiple best and fairest winner. She was so dominant that the major award in Bendigo is named after her. Carol has also been inducted into the Maryborough and Bendigo Hall of Fame.
As a travel agent, she arranged overseas travel portfolios for a multitude of locals.
Sue married local identity Wayne Belcher and worked as a nurse at the local hospital.
Since Isabel’s passing, Sue has been a tower of strength for Norm.
Elkie, Mia and Liam are Norm’s grandchildren.
Elkie, an exceptional distance runner, was unfortunately injured when hit by a car and had her career briefly curtailed.
Liam has excelled at weightlifting.
Both Elkie and Mia competed at the recent Ballarat Marathon.
Colin, Norm’s son, had a distinguished career with the education department.
After teaching at Traralgon where he met his wife, Ann, he progressed up the ladder becoming the principal of Bellarine Secondary College. It is a multi-campus institution of over 1200 students.
Colin, now retired, has returned to seniors cricket as a player and president, and holds the distinction of scoring the first century on Hedges Oval.
His two children are Jarrod, a teacher, and Kerrilee, a podiatrist.
Norm grew up on the settling ponds at Daisy Hill.
He describes the soil as magnificent, so rich and fertile that you could grow any vegetable above or below ground.
Reuben sold most of his harvest to local greengrocers Fiorini’s, Rossi’s and Lancaster’s.
Reuben would load up his dray once a month and travel around the district selling his wares.
Often it was produce for produce (no exchange of money), for example a bag of potatoes for a side of lamb.
As the youngest of seven boys Norm learnt to be humble, a trait which has stayed with him.
As a sportsman he was a quiet achiever, he was a part of Maryborough’s finest representative team that won the Provincial title in 1963. This team was full of legendary players.
In his local career he played with a calm presence, rarely flustered and a role model for his team mates.
He was a technically correct player whose leadership brought a calmness to his team mates.
Many fine players attest to his guidance and sportsmanship. He averaged in the high 30s with a top score of 196.
Norm played football with distinction at Rovers and Maryborough. He coached Rovers with success, for the trivial amount of $10 per match.
Norm was also an enthusiastic golfer. During his time he twice won the Peck’s Trophy. At the golf club he played pennant bowls for many years.
Norm turns 91 on September 18. I don’t believe you would find a humbler or more decent human being anywhere.