In August 1994, I was transferred to Sydney by my employer Nissan Diesel, to take up the position of National Parts Manager. Upon arrival the General Manager informed me that I was also the National Marketing Manager for both trucks and parts. I did enquire as to the possibility of two remuneration packages, however that request was met with a fairly negative response! My wife was also able to secure a transfer to Sydney with her employer, Komatsu Earthmoving Equipment.
With a view to our eventual retirement, in 2000 we commenced a search for a potential property. My wife had never lived on a farm; however, I had been fortunate to have spent all my life except for 15 years, growing up and living on farms, in small rural communities.
After an extensive search commencing at Armadale in NSW and following the ‘rain shadow’ down the Great Dividing Range, in February 2002 my wife and I purchased ‘Condarra’, a 570-acre property in the Samaria Valley. The property was leased out, with the longer-term view of moving onto the property when we eventually retired.
In May 2006 I was asked by the Managing Director to complete a ‘due diligence’ report for Mack, Volvo and Nissan Diesel, Australasian operations. This was completed as part of the impending take-over of Nissan Diesel in Japan by Volvo and involved a complete assessment of staff and manufacturing capacities, distribution/dealer network, market penetration, sales and profitability, along with market projections for the next five years.
On completion of the report several issues arose. Our efficient distribution and support for Nissan Diesel products had us placed within the top 100 companies in Australia for sales per employee. The ‘due diligence’ report highlighted the fact that our division was by far the most efficient and profitable of the three companies. I was further swayed by the fact that I would have to move a 15,000-line-item warehouse to the other side of Sydney, whilst maintaining a level of service to our dealer network.
Following the confirmation of the proposed company take-over by Volvo extending to Australia, the sudden death of a close friend, and forecast changes within the structure of our respective companies, and the fact that the tenant on the farm wished to move on, my wife and I decided to take early retirement. For me it would be a ‘home coming’, for my wife ‘a change of direction’.
We moved to ‘Condarra’ in August 2006 and became active in several community groups. This was a complete change of direction for my wife; however, I was very familiar with the community support structures that exist in the ‘bush’. As a former farmer, and a successful manager in the corporate world, you tend not to be idle for any length of time. In Swanpool there were seventeen community groups for a population of only six hundred people. I re-joined the CFA in 2007 after a break of fifteen years.
During the initial period of ‘retirement’, I also became involved with the Benalla U3A and two of the local history groups. I have written several history books on the region, the latest being the history of the Benalla & District Fire Brigades Group which looks like being 400 pages.
I often stop and ask myself, “How t did I ever have time to go to work?”
Barry O’Connor,
September 2025
With a view to our eventual retirement, in 2000 we commenced a search for a potential property. My wife had never lived on a farm; however, I had been fortunate to have spent all my life except for 15 years, growing up and living on farms, in small rural communities.
After an extensive search commencing at Armadale in NSW and following the ‘rain shadow’ down the Great Dividing Range, in February 2002 my wife and I purchased ‘Condarra’, a 570-acre property in the Samaria Valley. The property was leased out, with the longer-term view of moving onto the property when we eventually retired.
In May 2006 I was asked by the Managing Director to complete a ‘due diligence’ report for Mack, Volvo and Nissan Diesel, Australasian operations. This was completed as part of the impending take-over of Nissan Diesel in Japan by Volvo and involved a complete assessment of staff and manufacturing capacities, distribution/dealer network, market penetration, sales and profitability, along with market projections for the next five years.
On completion of the report several issues arose. Our efficient distribution and support for Nissan Diesel products had us placed within the top 100 companies in Australia for sales per employee. The ‘due diligence’ report highlighted the fact that our division was by far the most efficient and profitable of the three companies. I was further swayed by the fact that I would have to move a 15,000-line-item warehouse to the other side of Sydney, whilst maintaining a level of service to our dealer network.
Following the confirmation of the proposed company take-over by Volvo extending to Australia, the sudden death of a close friend, and forecast changes within the structure of our respective companies, and the fact that the tenant on the farm wished to move on, my wife and I decided to take early retirement. For me it would be a ‘home coming’, for my wife ‘a change of direction’.
We moved to ‘Condarra’ in August 2006 and became active in several community groups. This was a complete change of direction for my wife; however, I was very familiar with the community support structures that exist in the ‘bush’. As a former farmer, and a successful manager in the corporate world, you tend not to be idle for any length of time. In Swanpool there were seventeen community groups for a population of only six hundred people. I re-joined the CFA in 2007 after a break of fifteen years.
During the initial period of ‘retirement’, I also became involved with the Benalla U3A and two of the local history groups. I have written several history books on the region, the latest being the history of the Benalla & District Fire Brigades Group which looks like being 400 pages.
I often stop and ask myself, “How t did I ever have time to go to work?”
Barry O’Connor,
September 2025
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