Peter Dennis was born in Tasmania in 1946 and attended primary school in Perth south of Launceston and then went on to Cressy District High School.
After Peter finished school he worked on a couple of farms and then started at the Blessington sawmill in 1963 when they still had the traction engine running the mill.
Peter was employed as a mill hand (stacking racking and packing) and then worked as tailer outer. He then became the bench man, which meant that he was the person responsible for the quantity of timber cut, the quality of the end product and for setting the saws and finished as a breaker downer. When the mill moved to Longford in February 1973 he worked in the dry mill.
Tasmanian District Secretary, Scott McLean understands that Peter was a pretty good double hand flitcher – meaning that he could push back two pieces of timber at once which is nothing short of an art form. There are not too many people left who can do this. Scott tried it once and says he nearly broke his bloody neck.
Peter was still working at the mill in Blessington when he married Helen in 1970. Peter’s son Leigh works for Gunns at the woodchip mill on the Tamar.
Peter and Helen had a son in 1973 followed by a daughter in 1975. Peter is a car enthusiast and does up old Holdens in his spare time. He currently has a 1954 FJ Holden, a 1964 EH Holden, and a 1965 HD Holden ambulance.
Helen said he has still got all his fingers only ever cut his hand once in all those years on the saws.
Peter joined the Union in 1961 and has now been a member for 48 years.
Scott said that Peter has been an excellent delegate whose dedication is beyond question. He is already being sorely missed by the Union’s members and officials in Tasmania.
We thank him for his extraordinary efforts on behalf of CFMEU FFPD members.
