David Malcolm Douglas McLEAN

Education

• St Dympna's, Aspley 1973

• Padua College Kedron 1976

• Eagle Farm Tafe College 1980

Early Life

• Played Rugby League Football with Norths St Josephs at Nundah

• Hung out with the Oelker's Lambs, Claydon and Martin Families

• 1st Job cleaning out Horse stables at Aspley getting up at 3.30am and riding 5km each way and never got paid. School mates Mark Jones, Darren Borg, Joe Bozzi, Andrew Bailo, Tubby Martin.

• We used to walk to primary school. (Never had a bike until about grade 8) Wlked with the Lauch's who lived behind us. IOne of them got hit by a car racing home across the road was OK

• Then went to High School at Padua College Too young for Football age division and too heavy for the weight division so couldn't play footy except once in Grade 10 when it was an age division down to Woodlawn and some wacker wanted to pick a fight after the game. We walked into town and the biggest kid Dave Love we sent to the Bottlo to buy a carton (we were under age) he had a beard at 16 got it then opened it and cops came down sprung us we ran and they stopped and took the carton and left Ha Ha

• Never liked school they wanted me to stay on and become the 3rd school Captain of the McLean Family

• Left in Grade 10 to get a job and started going up the coast and joined Marcoola SLSC 1976

Significant events

• Captain of the primary school cricket team and had no idea about cricket. Got a most improved apprentice award during my Apprenticeship at Eagle Farm Tafe.

• Got Married at 22 to a wonderful woman. Peta Marguerite McLean (Nee Hughes) met at Coolum Pub whilst she was up on holidays had a long distance romance for 2 years before asking her to marry me and we moved to Qld clayfield

• Had 2 fantastic kids in 1986 and 1988

• Won Volunteer of the year for Qld SLSQ

• Won Qld Lifesaver of the year in 2007 & 2010

• Won Australian Lifesaver of the Year in 2010 (My proudest Lifesaving moment)

• Lost my Brother John on Feb 1 2012 (My saddest Moment)

Professional career

• First job at school was cleaning out stables. 1st Job after I left school was in a Factory at Eagle Farm making steel door frames hated it being in a factory with sparks and crap from all the welders and locked away. Went out on site later to help fit them and that was much better than being in the factory.Was earning $48/wk with $20 board and by the time I caught trains buses etc to work didn't leave a lot.Mates were on the Dole earning $46 doing nothing

• Got a job with Watson Plumbing as a cost clerk and went on to get an apprenticeship with them in Plumbing

• Wanted to be a Policeman but was Colourblind so couldn't get in. Gained a Plumbing Apprenticeship with Watson Plumbing in 1977 and really liked the trade even if not that good at it. Picked it up finally in my last year and went on to become a leading hand before Watsons went bust and Tacoma took over. Worked their from 1984 2 weeks before we got married until Sept 2012 when we sold the business and retired at age 51.

• Running Jobs in my 4th Year for Watson Plumbing including Trafalgar Units at Maroochydore

• Working on Parliament House Brisbane Copper 'Welted" (Hand Formed) roof for over 12 months all copper all hand formed (Beaten)

• Became a Leading hand with Watsons on the Musuem in South Brisbane when Watsons went broke. New guy John Fewster (Tacoma) took over and was very good to me. Started running jobs for him and became a foreman and ran several projects became his Manager in 1988 and bought a 15% share in his business in 1997 with Ralph Adams and Des McNamara. Ralph Des and I split up North and South around 2002 and we bought the rest of Fewsters shares and ran the business successfully until we sold it in 2012 Sept 14

Residences

• Sydney (Clovelly), Zillmere, Aspley, Woollowin, Nundah, Northgate, West Chermside (Mongrel Tce) Clayfield, McDowall, Marcoola, Then Valerie ave Mt Coolum, Marcoola Boronia Cresc (16 years) before moving to the piste de resistance at Surfair and never moving again