Robert Milne

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 50, 27 May 1986, Page 23

Robert Milne

When Robert Milne, came to Ohakune three years ago, the mountain was the big attraction. At the time he didn't expect to get further into photography, his consuming interest after skiing, and to learn techniques of printing and pubishing. John Sandford, publisher of the Bulletin, spotted him glancing through a photographic magazine in the local pub nearly two years aog, and asked him if he was interested in a job. Before that he had worked for the Ohakune Hotel, Tongariro National Park, Reynolds Motors and as a bus driver for AHI Turoa Skifields. He worked part-time at the Bulletin doing photographic processing for several months. He also learned

to use the process camera making bromides from photographs so that they can be printed in the paper. He now handles all processing. More recently he has come to handle the production of the Bulletin. This includes the precise work of pasting up the paper, arranging advertising and organising deliveries. Robert grew up in Lower Hutt and left New Zealand for an extensive overseas trip in 1 980, for his 'OE with honours'. He worked in London pubs over two winters and travelled for three summers through Western Europe, Britain and the Middle East, including Israel, Egypt and Turkey. Robert.'s memories of his time in Europe are affectionate, particularly of a Greek builder he worked for

in Corfu, whose tool kit consisted of a chainsaw, three hammers, a shovel and a glass of ouzo which he used as a spirit level! A considerable amount of that time was spent on skis in some of the choice locations of Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy, and even on a plastic slope near London, which "was about half the length of the Turoa T-bar and really hurt when you fell !" Robert has difficulty in fitting other interests around skiing, but enjoys water sports, and is also learning to board-sail. He enjoys photography for its own sake and some of the Bulletin's action ski shots last year were his. Although he warits to travel again he enjoys living in Ohakune because of its closeness to the outdoors.