THE man who has led the Masons Gully Revegetation Project and the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum at Peace Park will celebrate his 90th birthday on Monday.

In the lead up to the milestone, Arnold Rieck, has taken the time to talk with the Moreton Border News about his life and his memories of Rosewood.

Arnold was born in Ashgrove on August 29, 1932, the oldest of four children.

He has many happy childhood memories with his parents Olive Annie and Percy William.

He attended Ashgrove Primary School, before he transferred to Milton State School, where he gained a scholarship that enabled him to go onto senior school at Brisbane State High School.

Arnold recalls the years of World War II, where fear would set in when reports would come in of unidentified aircraft flying over Brisbane.

“There was a major fear of the Japanese during my younger years, and due to the impact that war had, as students we were limited to the supply of school books, so we had to create our own,” he said.

“I was eager to learn so I enjoyed drawing maps and decorating my own exercise books, using old English print, I had a real passion for education especially in Mathematics and Tables.

“We were also expected to learn the names of the towns on all the Queensland Rail Routes, something that has stuck with me all throughout my life.”

He has happy memories from his childhood.

“I recall visiting the local shop where I purchased a little toy aeroplane, something that provided us children with hours of fun.”

He especially recalls his mother’s homemade ice-cream and the severely rationed meals that were given to him and his siblings during war times.

“These were tough times and I recall my father’s plumbing business that was in the back shed of our home being taken over by the Auxiliary Fire Brigade as they prepared for emergency situations,” he said.

“Air raid trenches were dug in Gregory Park beside Milton school and students would practise accessing them. Luckily enough they never had to use them for the real thing as they flooded in the rainy season.”

After completing his schooling years Arnold set off to pursue his dream of becoming a school teacher at Teachers Training College. He passed his exams with ease and went on to teach in numerous schools, including remote schools before being posted to the Rosewood area.

“My first one-teacher school was Pioneer’s Rest near Maryborough, then Jundah in the Far Western Region, followed by Natural Bridge in the Numinbah Valley,” he said.

“In 1959 I was appointed to Mount Walker where my paternal grandmother, Lizzie Jenner, had attended the school in the late 1880s. It had a special family connection.

“I was then transferred to Rosewood Secondary Department in 1964 and taught there until the High School opened in 1980.

“These were memorable years that I really enjoyed before I retired in December 1989.”

Arnold organised and was involved in school sport at Rosewood, and can remember Isabelle Kearsley refereeing a football game, he also started gardening project clubs at all of his one teacher schools.

“I thoroughly enjoyed teaching students about the natural environment and when I started at the Secondary Department there was a change in the curriculum,” he said.

“As a result of this, emphasis was put on local geography and local history, so I had to learn about these subjects myself so that I was able to teach them.

“The subject I most enjoyed teaching was horticulture to the Years 11 and 12 in the later years of my teaching career and this gave me great fulfilment.”

Arnold has always been a community man and he has been involved in the Rosewood Uniting Church, the Society for Australian Plants, the Rosewood Scouts, the Rosewood District Protection Organisation, West Moreton Landcare and he was the Ipswich Branch Schoolwork Steward at the Rosewood Show.

He considers the Masons Gully Revegetation Project and the Rosewood Scrub Arboretum at Peace Park as two of his greatest achievements.

And he acknowledges that through all his personal achievements, involvement and contribution to the community, he has always been supported by the love of his life, his wife, Joyce.

Arnold met Joyce (nee Armstrong) at a Congregational Youth Camp in Rosewood in 1958. Joyce worked as a private secretary in Brisbane. A friendship grew as they enjoyed going to dances together in Rosewood.

“The most special day of my life was our wedding day at the Rosewood Uniting Church on August 13, 1960. We have now been married for 62 years,” he said.

“We have five children, David, Russell, Stewart, Carol and Wendy and have lived in six different houses in Rosewood including the icon Glendalough.

“Our family tree then grew with the addition of 15 grandchildren.

“All of the children are education orientated and I am very proud of them all.”

It is a close family and they all enjoy Christmas and special occasions together.