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Beryl & John Holmes
John and Beryl Holmes, both 81 years old, have been partnered for 56 years.
Ours is a two ‘aged’ person’s story.
We both believe that “Ageing seems to be the only way to live a long life” and “What has age got to do with it; if you don’t mind it doesn’t matter!”
We both began adult life as High School teachers.
An Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Queensland, since retiring at age 65 in 1995, I have entered the most innovative and productive phase in my long research career. My most significant contributions have been in developing dynamic transition models which capture changes on rural lands, with my definitive publication in 2006 attracting over 60 citations internationally. Recently in their overview of future directions in rural research, eight leading European researchers chose my approach as the way of the future in rural research. I am regularly invited to referee scripts for international and national publications.
Since retiring, I have been President or Chair of many organizations, including the National Committee for Geography of the Australian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland and the Wildlife Land Fund. In 1999 I chaired the Vegetation Management Advisory Committee, established by the Queensland government to advise on its pending tree clearing legislation. Since retiring, I have also acted as invited consultant on reform of pastoral lease tenures in four Australian jurisdictions. I was Chair and chief organizer of the 2006 Conference of the International Geographical Union, held in Brisbane.
Beryl became concerned about, and started working with social justice and human rights groups over 45 years ago and has worked actively since then. She is a Committee member of Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, and a life Member of Children by Choice. She is also a member of groups in Australia and worldwide, who work for equal rights and improved status for women, where sadly there is still a lot of work to be done.
Having once been an Alderman/Councilor, she remains involved in community groups who are concerned about planning issues and the environment.
These involvements result in the need for either or both of us to frequently write letters to MP’s and/or Newspapers.
At age 73, we began to play a new mallet team sport, Gateball. The club team that we play with has now played in five Australian Championships, the most recent in Newcastle in September 2011, along with three teams from China and one from Japan. At this event, our team was the most successful of any Australian club team.
As a trained Physical Education teacher, Beryl finds this the most ‘team’ game and tactical game she has ever played or coached. She teaches Gateball and game skills in the Active After-school Communities program as required.
Together, we travel [and camp] within Australia and overseas.
We learnt early that whatever your age, ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.
