OBITUARY
KENNETH ROSS HAMWOOD
16/10/1941 – 9/10/2000
Ross was born in Toowoomba in 1941 and educated at the Brisbane Grammar School
from 1956 to 1959 (along with Keith Jennings and David Gough). On a State
Government Scholarship, he enrolled in a forestry degree at the University of
Queensland in 1960/61, followed by a field year in Queensland in 1962, and 2 years at
the Australian Forestry School in Canberra in 1963/64.
Following graduation, Ross commenced work with the Queensland Department of
Forestry in 1965 in a survey camp in the Ingham region, followed by a short stint in
harvesting and marketing. He then transferred to Brisbane for a short period before
commencing a long period of District administration work as Sub District Forester at
Yarraman & Benarkin from 1967–76, Senior Forester at Maryborough from 1967 to
1979 and Senior Forester at Ingham from1979 to 1983. During this ‘country service’
he was involved in all aspects of native forest and plantation (both native and exotic)
management.
In August 1983, Ross transferred to Head Office as the Fire Protection Officer and
retired as the longest serving (and last) FPO in January 2000. During this period he
produced the Department’s detailed Fire Manual, went on an official trip to the USA
and Canada with the Joint Fire Study Tour and to various states for meetings of the
Standing Committee of Forestry’s Fire Control Officers Working Group. He was
awarded an Australia Day Council Medal Award on 26 January 2000 for his services
to the Rural Fire movement.
Ross married Frances North in November 1969 and they had 2 boys. Ross was a keen
sportsman — football and rowing at school and in Canberra, and parachuting in
Canberra and Queensland. Golf was probably his favoured sport from Uni days and he
continued to play wherever he was stationed. In his later years he developed an
interest in horse racing and, of course, a bet. Gregarious by nature, Ross loved
meeting people and ensuring they enjoyed whatever they were doing, and he loved a
party and a beer.
On retirement, he visited China and along with David Gough, formed a small
company — aptly named GO-WOOD — to import sawn wood from PNG into
Brisbane. Ross is survived by his wife Frances and his two sons, Warwick and
Christopher, his stepmother Mabbs and his stepbrother Ian.
Keith Jennings
The Forester Vol 41 No 6 Dec. 2000 p20
Comments:
KR Hamwood is listed in the 1977 IFA list as a Member from Maryborough, QLD.