Benalla Treasures | Kelly Macnamara, a life serving the community

“I first came to Benalla with the State Bank in January 1987,” Kelly said.

“There were gliding championships on that day, it was a very interesting time.”

In the ensuing years, Kelly moved around Victoria with his banking job.

Once he left that position, the draw of the Rose City was strong.

He returned on November 11, 2003, and he has never left.

“I’m a north-east person,” he said.

“The north-east weather was always good. It’s a soft, dry warmth. I noticed that immediately when I came back.”

When living in Benalla in the late ’80s, Kelly joined the local Apex Club.

“You get to meet a lot of people and you get into doing community work,” he said.

“By the time I came back, I was a Rotarian, and Benalla is my fourth club.

“And half the members were people I’d known in Apex because you had to leave that when you were 40.”

Kelly is currently treasurer of Benalla Rotary and is also instrumental in its youth programs.

“Rotary opens up so many doors,” he said.

“You can do any area of community service you like. All around the world, in your state, or in your town.

“If there’s anything you have an interest in, you can go down that path.

“One of our main things currently is our youth exchange. We currently have a young girl here from Brazil and we recently had one from Finland.”

One touching initiative Kelly has led recently is to offer to clean up gardens for people who may not be able to look after their own.

“I formed a little lawn-mowing group,” he said.

“I put our flyers in to various houses that look like you might need a little tidy up.

“We also work with Waminda Community House.

“If anyone needs their garden tidied up, they can go to Waminda and let them know, then Waminda contacts us.”

Kelly has seen some changes in Benalla over the years, but the biggest would be the highway no longer running through the town.

“Sometimes you couldn’t even cross the road,” he said.