By KATH GANNAWAY
HE IS best known and loved by most of Healesville as the town’s iconic picture show man.
But there is much more to Yarra Ranges Council’s 2015 Citizen of the Year.
Brian Luscombe was presented with the Council’s top accolade at the Australia Day Awards held at Burrinja in Upwey yesterday.
The citation read by Councillor Jason Callanan painted a colourful picture of Brian as an all-round community worker who has made an enormous contribution to almost every facet of community in Healesville.
“Brian Luscombe lives for his community and family,” Cr Callanan said before naming some of the major groups and organisations he had been involved since starting work as a driver with McKenzie’s Tourist Services in the mid-1960s.
He started on the Monday and by the Friday night he was projectionist at the cinema.
“I walked in and said to the two blokes running the pictures if they ever needed a projectionist to just give me a call.”
“They said come up now, and I’ve been there ever since,” he told the Mail in an interview before ‘The Memo’ went to digital and Brian called it quits.
It was the start of a beautiful relationship – with mutual benefits, he would say.
There was another beautiful relationship that came out of his love of film.
“I met Anne on a blind date at the Healesville movies,” he said last week of his lovely wife.
The citation detailed many of his achievements, including his current role as president of Healesville RSL.
He was a founding member of Apex Healesville and a member of the Rotary Club, a past president of Healesville Football Club and retired manager of McKenzie’s Tourist Services.
“Brian is a passionate volunteer and regularly drives older community members to the RSL and HICCI,” Cr Callanan said.
“He is often seen driving the local primary and secondary school excursion buses to help save the schools’ costs.”
He said for the past five years Brian had been a welfare officer at the RSL, caring for community members and families in need.
“Brian is a keen projectionist and used his skills to run the old Healesville cinema.
“The Brian Luscombe balcony at the Memorial Hall was named after him to honour his dedication to the community and passion for cinema,” Cr Callanan said.
In his role with the football club, he was instrumental in the upgrade of the club buildings and relocation to the showgrounds.
“In everything he does, Brian puts the Healesville community first,” Cr Callanan said.
“Local residents, from grandparents to young children know and love Brian for his tireless work and dedication to Healesville.”
Brian said being named Citizen of the Year was a great honour.
“I mean … I don’t look for anything like that, but for someone to recognise what I’ve done, it’s good,” he said.
His philosophy on being a good citizen is simple.
“I just like helping people,” he said.
“The thing is, if you can do it, why don’t you?
“If someone needs a bit of help with something, and you’re able to do it, well, go and do it.
“It’s as simple as that.”
