Congratulations Barry Fagg OAM who was recognised in the Australia Day Honours with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to charitable organisations, and to the community of Geelong.

Barry came to Queen’s in 1970, after six years at Geelong College. He chose Queen’s because of the family and Methodist connections. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in three years while a resident at Queen’s.

Barry followed his older brother Peter Fagg (Wyvern 1969) and maternal grandfather, Rev Francis Boundy (Wyvern 1914). His younger sister Marion Vile (nee Fagg) (Wyvern 1977) resided at Queen’s after Barry.

Barry’s time at Queen’s was before women became residents, and his “wife-ing” experience has stayed with him. Other memories include water bagging, and a Freshmen v Gentlemen rowing race on the Yarra in Barry’s first year, which the Gentlemen won, organised by.Richard Kendall KC (Wyvern 1963). He enjoyed inter-collegiate sports, particularly football and tennis, College plays and balls, spoon banging and College tutorials.

After graduation Barry spent time in finance and accounting before five years with Rio Tinto including two and a half years with Hamersley Iron in Dampier WA.

When he returned to Geelong in 1980, he joined the family hardware and timber business Faggs’s Mitre 10. Fagg’s is the eighth oldest family business in Australia having been established in 1854. He has been involved with the business ever since.

During the time that the Mitre 10 group ran as a co-operative, Barry was Chairman of both the state and national board of directors and was inducted into the Mitre 10 Hall of Fame in 2012. He is currently Chairman of Fagg’s Group Pty Ltd which has grown to now operate eight Mitre 10 stores in the Geelong region, Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh. 

Barry’s long term involvements with the community have been with Give Where You Live, Geelong Community Foundation and Geelong Art Gallery. He has been awarded life membership with all three organizations.

He has also contributed to the Geelong Football Club and Geelong Cats Foundation as a board member and Chairman respectively, as well as involvement with the Geelong College school council and Anam Cara House, Geelong.

Barry is humbled and honoured to receive the award and thinks when you work as a volunteer, you gain more than you give. He has always enjoyed the challenge of philanthropic fundraising and has run capital campaigns for many organizations.

Barry believes it is good to get out of your comfort zone and do things that challenge your senses and capabilities – confidence is success remembered.