Forster Tri Club president Dave Fitzhardinge and his wife Heather have just ticked over 14 years in the Great Lakes region, having moved here in September 2003. But where were they before, and how did they get here?
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“Heather had been coming here her whole life for holidays as her grandparents lived up here,” Dave explained.
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“She then started bringing me up here for holidays.
“In the car on the way home from one of our trips we decided to make the move.”
Growing up in Mosman, Sydney, Dave didn’t stray far from the area when he was married, moving just along to the Northern Beaches.
“In some respects they are quite similar,” Dave said of the two locations.
“But these days when we go back to visit, we notice how frantic everything seems to be down there and we sure don't miss that!
“The only reason I would consider moving away now would be for work or perhaps for a different school for the kids.
“Our oldest son Jack has autism, and while the schools here, especially the support units, are amazing, there are some dedicated autism schools around Newcastle and in Sydney.”
Outside of planning a fantastic range of triathlons for all walks of life, Dave has established a vast collection of hobbies.
“I love training and exercising so I take advantage of what the area has to offer for that,” he said.
“Our three boys take part in the Forster Triathlon Club races down at Forster Keys and at the Bullring, and I take two of them up to Taree on Wednesday nights for bike racing with Manning Valley Cycle Club.
“I ride my bike a lot too, and while the roads aren't all fantastic around here, I've found that the vast majority of drivers are courteous towards cyclists in terms of sharing the road which makes riding all the more enjoyable.”
Constantly on the move with one activity or another, Dave always makes sure he soaks up every last scrap of the beauty and serenity that the Great Lakes has to offer.
“My favourite things about the area include the variety of places to enjoy the water around here, it is great,” he said.
“From the Sailing Club, where the water is shallow and warm for hundreds of meters, to the channel that's great for swimming and paddle boarding, and of course the beaches which are different every time you visit.
“We also love cooking, and we're discovering more and more places that are able to provide amazing local produce.
“The latest one we've come across is Long Table Farm at Coomba Park which does a whole range of grass fed beef, pork as well as eggs and other beautiful produce.”
