With awards for his contributions to the state’s booming tourism industry dating back to the 1980s, this latest recognition isn’t something he was aiming for.
In fact, none of the awards he could list on a sprawling resume were ones he set out to achieve — they were just a byproduct of hard work.
And talking about it, he’s reluctant to share his stories of success for fear of sounding like he’s gloating.
Proud and humble isn’t a phrase that works in harmony, and so instead he shares the triumphant stories of the committees he has been a part of.
‘‘I’ve done a few things in general but when I was younger I was always a bit more concerned with myself — until I got involved with these things,’’ he said, referring to the list of his roles placed in front of him.
Including board member for Tourism Victoria, travelmate.com.au, Public Transport Victoria, Blue Ribbon Foundation, Brothers 500 Club, Victorian Tourism Bushfire Appeal, East Timor Help Group, Christian Brothers Overseas Aid Fund, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Moonee Valley Racing Club.
‘‘It was out of the blue. I wasn’t expecting anything so when I found out I had been nominated I was taken aback. You don’t do it for yourself, I have three kids and I hope I’m setting a good example for them.’’
Calling Echuca-Moama home for the past 12 years, Mr Opie made the tree change to the twin towns. But the self-professed dinosaur has achieved mammoth feats for Victorian tourism in the committees he has been a part of throughout the past 40 years.
A founding committee member for Melbourne Attractions and the Victorian Tourism Operators Association, he would spend months abroad promoting the region to potential markets and international operators.
‘‘A lot of the things we did for tourism in the ’80s was cutting edge — we had a wow of a time and I would go overseas to Japan, China and the US for about three months at a time shaking hands, kissing babies, the rest of it. It was good fun as a young bloke,’’ he said.
‘‘From a 15 minute conversation with someone in the US we were able to get about 4000 tourists to Victoria. And it was a benefit to everyone.’’
But if you’re not familiar with him, you may be more familiar with the restaurant tram in Melbourne, of which Mr Opie was the managing director for 28 years. Or when he was the managing director of the Rialto Tower observation deck — and later the Eureka Skydeck. But it wasn’t without its hard work.
‘‘With associations like Melbourne Attractions, a dozen or so of us would collectively promote not just Melbourne but Victoria,’’ he said.
‘‘We thought it was better to work collectively. When visitors came to Melbourne they wouldn’t just come on the restaurant tram, they’d get a cuppa in Carlton, a souvenir in Collingwood and stay in Melbourne for the night.’’
And so around the same time the Victorian Tourism Operators Association (VTOA) was born.
‘‘These things just grew and developed over the years. We did a raft of stuff, doing deals for Victoria.’’
And while the current day business may be a far cry from the ’90s, one old adage of it’s not what you know, but who you know still rings true.
It was also some business cunning that got him featured in the local rag.
‘‘If we won an award for the tramcar, I would write in Texta on a piece of paper and fax it,’’ he said. ‘‘People (and editors) took notice because it was naive. When the Tramcar won Victoria’s best tourism restaurant I left the function at about 9.30pm and got a Texta and the fax.
‘‘People were asking me ‘how did you get that in the Herald Sun — or wherever they had seen it.
‘‘It was always about building the business. And it was by no means me, I’ve been supported all my life by the restaurant staff — they are the ones who set the product apart from the rest and I think we did that really well.’’
Despite his focus on business, the accolades meant little to Mr Opie in comparison to family.
‘‘In 1989 I won Best Small Business in Victoria, beating the Jim’s franchise (Jim’s Mowing and so on) — at the time my father had cancer,’’ he said. ‘‘But what it was like to see a smile on my father’s face as he was going through that. It’s because of my parents I try to help and give back.
‘‘And the reason I’m going to be proudest of this OAM is because it’ll bring a smile to my mother’s face. All I can hope is that it encourages my children to have a dip and see what they can do.’’
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