McLEAN - DR. TREVOR ALEXANDER

Trevor McLean, senior, was the local doctor and on 2nd January 1911, Trevor, junior, was born as the third child of the family.  He was educated at Grey Street (Traralgon) Primary School before undertaking his secondary education at Wesley College, Melbourne, and completing his medical studies at Melbourne University.  After graduating, he practised medicine in the Melbourne area until he joined up for full time service in the Royal Australian Navy, in September 1939, as a Surgeon Lieutenant.  He saw war service in the Mediterranean and Pacific areas, culminating in attending at the surrender of the Japanese forces in Tokyo Bay in 1945.

In 1948, Trevor retired from the R.A.N. to take up the family medical practice in Traralgon following on his father's death.  Thus was continued a family service to Traralgon as Medical Officer of Health, an appointment first held by his father in 1906 and continued by Trevor until his retirement in 1980, a period of 74 years service to the community.

Trevor's association with various facets of community life in Traralgon is apparent when one examines the list of organizations of which he was a Life Member, Past President and active Committee Man.  This personal involvement and the family's long association with the district provided a basis for his extensive knowledge of people and the general history of the area, and gave him a natural interest in the Historical Society.

Much can be and has been said of Trevor's involvement in the community of Traralgon,  and people in the future, reading the history of Traralgon in the 1950's to 1980's will have this amply demonstrated. But it should not be forgotten, in looking back, that, above all else, Trevor was a family man, as well as a Family Doctor.

Trevor and Dorothy were married in September 1939 and became the proud parents of four children - Sue, Jan, Robyn and Tom, of whom they were justly proud.   Trevor was a credit to his profession. his family and the community in which he lived and worked, and will be sadly missed by many.

His service to the Traralgon & District Historical Society began as a Foundation Member in 1962.  He was elected President in 1966 and held that office until 1969 when he retired, but continued as Vice President until the time of his death.  During this time he did a great deal of research, resulting in the following publications:  "A Dauntless Man - The Life of Angus McMillan",   "The Life and Death of Ned Stringer", and "Traralgon, The Naming of the Streets".

He was a frequent speaker at our meetings, keeping our members interested with his reminiscences of his boyhood days in Traralgon.  He also gave an address on the Early Medicos of Traralgon, and another about his father, Dr. T.A. McLean.   Other writings of his included A History of the Traralgon Football Club and an account of the early years of scouting in this district.

Trevor was always ready to give help to anyone, with information he could give and many of our members went to him with questions.  In recent years, when Australian history is being more widely appreciated and local history included in school curricula, many students visited him, seeking information for their assignments.   In recognition of his service to our Society, he was made a Life Member, in 1980.

We will miss him as adviser  and we will miss his company at our meetings, but we are grateful for all the help he gave us, and we offer our sincere sympathy to Mrs. McLean, their daughters Susan and Robyn, and their son, Tom.