Profile - Alf Richardson

It’s no secret that Alf Richardson has been a CFA stalwart – and member of Ovens-Eurobin and Myrtleford brigades - for about 60 years.
And the former Group Officer for the Ovens Valley said his age is no secret either – “I’m over 21”.

Alf said he joined CFA “before it (officially) started”. And he attends championships to meet up with old friends and “people I can stir up a bit”.

A former tobacco farmer, Alf said he managed to combine work, family and his CFA and other community duties easily – “I just stayed up an extra hour at night-time.”

“Now I just sit back.”

Alf said the most memorable fires during his CFA involvement were Ash Wednesday and after – “it didn’t stop, the day before, the day after and we went until April ’83. We had a quiet year, then in ’85 Buffalo burnt for 13 days.“

“In the North East we used to get a lot of small fires in the tobacco industry every year. They’d only go for a few hours or a day or two. But involving tobacco, they were expensive fires.

“The North East is different from anywhere else in the state. I was born in Myrtleford and lived out at Ovens-Eurobin – it’s the best dirt in Australia.”

Despite his lengthy involvement, Alf isn’t ready to give up his CFA contribution just yet.

“I go along to brigade meetings and if the Captain says to do something, I do. I’m still on the demo committee. It’s another interest. I meet a lot of friends. But if there’s a fire, I let other people go.”