Before a kindergarten bore her name, Patricia Gibson (née Smith) was reshaping what was possible for women in local government.
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In 1975, the Shepparton local became the first woman in Victoria to be appointed as town clerk, which is the equivalent of today’s council chief executive.
Mrs Gibson said she never set out to be a trailblazer.
“I just went to work and worked hard,” she said.
Born in Shepparton in 1933 at Ambermere Hospital, she grew up on a winery run by her father, alongside her older brother Digley.
“We weren’t close when we were younger because I was a nuisance,” she said with a smile.
After attending Shepparton State School and Shepparton High School, Mrs Gibson started at Greater Shepparton City Council in 1949 as a junior stenographer and telephonist under town clerk Raymond West.
At the time, few women could have imagined one day leading council.
But Mrs Gibson steadily worked her way up, studying at RMIT by correspondence for six years while continuing her job.
By 1975 her dedication had paid off.
“I started off as a stenographer and ended up as the town clerk, which was the city manager,” Mrs Gibson said.
“There wasn’t many women around.
“It was unusual, but I think they accepted it because I'd been around for a while. It helped that I was a local woman.”
At the time, The News reported that “history was made”.
Mrs Gibson said growing up, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do.
“I always wanted to travel, but I can't remember wanting any specific career,” she said.
In her 20s, she made her travel ambitions a reality when she boarded a ship for Europe.
She went with a friend from Shepparton and spent about nine months abroad.
Mrs Gibson said travelling was still uncommon for young women at the time.
“For women, travel was newer in those days, and most parents didn’t want their daughters going overseas,” she said.
“But my parents said, ‘if you want to go, you better go’.”
Aside from work and travelling, Mrs Gibson said faith also played an important role in her life.
She was a member of the Scots Uniting Church choir and later married Reverend Donald Gibson.
Mrs Gibson retired from local government in 1981, after 32 years at the council.
However, her commitment to public service continued.
In the 1990s, she served as chief commissioner of the Shire of Delatite during Victoria’s local government reorganisation.
She also worked as a justice of the peace, an English teacher and a Sunday school teacher.
Among the causes closest to her heart was the Goulburn Valley Hospice Care Service.
She was on the committee of management for almost 20 years and served as secretary from 2002 to 2007.
GV Hospice awarded Mrs Gibson life membership in 2023.
“I can remember sitting at my office desk and somebody coming in saying, ‘we want you to join our committee’,” she said.
“Hospice Care Service is the most brilliant organisation.”
Her contribution to the community and local government was formally recognised in 2004 when she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
More locally, Mrs Gibson’s contributions were acknowledged through the naming of Patricia Smith Kindergarten in 1977.
When asked about her life in service, she simply said: “It’s good to volunteer.”
Mrs Gibson said she hoped she had paved the way for women in council.
“Be confident in your ability,” she said.
When asked if she was confident as a young woman, Mrs Gibson laughed.
“Darling, I must have been,” she said.