Obituary

Vale Gary Mc Donald 14 August 1948 - 25 April 2003

We have to advise that that the Tourist  Railway Industry has lost one of its greatest supporters with the death of Mr Garry George McDonald.

Gary was the first Chairman of this Association being elected to this position in 1989. The Association was formed at the inaugural meeting held in the Ministry of Transport on the 16th June after a meeting of executive officers of the then tourist railways in Doncaster earlier in the year.

Gary was the Chairman of the Geelong Steam Preservation Society which was the first of the next generation of Tourist railways to be formed in Victoria.  Gary was at that time a bank manager and brought his considerable financial skills to the Association as well as his organisational abilities. Gary started with the GSPS in 1976 and became president of that Society from 1984 to 1994 when with other friends from the railway, he left to form the West Coast Railway which runs the Melbourne to Warrnambool railway. At the time of Gary's death he was Treasurer of the GSPS. In addition to his work with both the GSPS and West Coast Railway,  he also had railway interests in New Zealand. 

Gary became Chairman  of the ATR for a second term in 1994.  

Gary had a formidable reputation as a negotiator with government and was most astute in setting up the GSPS and West Coast Railway's finances. Gary was a person who would not say die  and was enthusiastic in all that he did. He had a great love of steam and ensured that steam would continue on the mainline with the operation of regular steam hauled trips on a Saturday to Warrnambool.

Gary will be sadly missed by all his family and friends in the tourist railway industry.