PETTITT, Robert Wood MBE (1913-2007)
Farmer, local government councillor for twenty-seven years, and six times Shire President of Barrabool Shire ‘Bob’ Pettitt was awarded an MBE for his work in rural and municipal affairs in December 1980.
He was one of six children born to John Pettitt and Marianne Hope Houston and after initially learning to be a wool classer he bought and cleared a farm at Torquay on which he eventually established an Aberdeen Angus stud and Corriedale Sheep stud. His natural interest in Corriedale breeding led him to become export director for the Australian Corriedale Association and become president of both the Victorian and Australian Corriedale Sheep Associations. He was also Life governor of the Royal Agricultural Society, its president for 14 years as well as being a staunch member of the Geelong Agricultural and Pastoral Society.
His community service was diverse and at various times he maintained memberships or trusteeships of the Coast Tennis Association; Torquay Fire Brigade; Belmont Rotary Club; Torquay Sewage Authority; Torquay Senior Citizens Club; South Barwon Care for the Aged; Geelong Hospital Board, Torquay Community Centre; Geelong Regional Planning Committee; Torquay Bowls Club. Pettitt Park in Jan Juc is named after the Pettitt Family. He attended Geelong College from 1922 to 1929.
His three brothers; John Alexander ‘Ian’ Pettitt (1910-1977), James Wilson Pettitt BEM (1914-2007), and Neil Houston Pettitt (1916-1991) also attended the College.
Sources: Geelong Advertiser 17 November 2007 p67.