Meet Dubbo's Kevin Sinclair, an ex-farmer and Men's Shed President

Originally from Bathurst and raised on a 2000 acre farm, Mr Sinclair was a market gardener for the most part. He grew cauliflowers, sweetcorn, carrots, and few cabbages from time to time. He also reared sheep and and cattle. He would cart loads of his own produce and some of supermarket brand Coles, all the way to Sydney's markets in the '70s.

Him and the family moved to Dubbo in 1980, after selling their farmland. They soon found a 1000 acre farm in Minore that they would call home. He recalls this period as the drought years.

"It was very hard times then. We struggled on for a while, interest rates were pushing 21 per cent. It made it very difficult to buy a farm or... anything," he said.

The Sinclairs only stayed on their new property for four years before it became impractical for them to keep farming. They sold the farm and moved into town.

"I still leased country and ran cattle. I found that a lot better than owning a farm; I made a lot more money that way with a lot less responsibility," he said.

Vegetable harvesting all over Australia

The long-time farmer owned multiple harvesting headers, which he had driven for more than 10,000 hours until they were sold. He would also be hired as a contractor on other farms. However, he would never go more than a couple of hundred kilometres from Dubbo.

In the winter of 1986, he purchased a bulldozer. He had driven the machine through bushfire smoke, drought and dust. He found himself pushing and pulling trees, any work that farmers wanted done. He would also do water control work at dams.

"Had to do something to keep busy," he said.

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Mr Sinclair was also a secretary for the Australian Grain Harvesters Association (AGHA) for 12 years. The job took him all over Queensland, Victoria and South Australia for harvests and farmer meetings until he retired in 2010.

"I think I had too many birthdays by that time," he said.

President of the Dubbo Community Men's Shed, eight years and counting

Though Mr Sinclair was retired, a farmer who had toiled for the better part of his life was not going to stop so soon. He joined the Dubbo Community Men's Shed around the same time he left the AGHA. He would be at the shed three days a week, working on projects or just for a yarn and a cuppa.

"There's always something going on. There's always someone that you can help," he said.

The Men's Shed is well known for making 'buddy seats' for every school in Dubbo. They've also constructed and donated exercise steps to hospitals and a table and chair set-up for the golf club.

"You go anywhere in Dubbo and you'll find stuff that's gone through the Men's Shed," he said.

Due to a bad dose of asthma, Mr Sinclair struggles to breathe sometimes.

"Once I get my breathe back, bit of energy, I'm gonna get out and clean up the frame... get the rust off them, and give them a coat of good paint," he said.

His "boys" at the workshop will add slats and then it will be taken to a café next to the new hospital, where it will be bolted down with concrete. There will even be small badge branding the seat, 'manufactured with the Men's Shed'.

They also published A Shed Load of Stories, a unique collection of stories recounted by men from all walks of life that have passed through the shed. Some of the participants are still in town and visit the shed, but quite a few have passed away.

"It was a good book, and well done too... It's a sad read some of those stories," he said.

Political involvement and present life

Mr Sinclair said he has found a lot of satisfaction in helping Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton and Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders with their political aspirations.

Mr Coulton would often have grants to distribute within his electorate and Mr Sinclair would be on the panel that would make recommendations to fund certain places. Most recently, there was $150,000 in funding provided to plant trees to commemorate the Queen's 70th anniversary on the throne.

"[Parts] of the South Dubbo Primary School had been [affected by fires], they now have some funding to replace the trees that got burned down," he said.

He would also assist with aspects of Mr Saunders' and other MPs' elections for which Mr Sinclair has been awarded certificates of merit. They date back to when Troy Grant represented Dubbo.

Does the persevering president have anything else to add to his portfolio of activities?

"Nah look, life's been good... and it's far from over, I hope," Mr Sinclair said.

He now lives with his wife, Fay, in a cottage out west. Their home is filled with memories from a life thoroughly lived.

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