A Noble family tradition

Published on 28 August 2025

When Loddon Shire Council’s newest school-based apprentice began on the job recently, he was following some well-worn family footsteps.

Harry Noble, a Year 11 student at East Loddon P-12 College, is the fourth generation of his family to work in local government, with earthmoving playing a major part in that remarkable achievement.

Harry, who is undertaking a Certificate III in Civil Construction while completing his Year 11 studies, has a long time interest in earthmoving, not surprising as his dad Darren, Council’s Works Coordinator, has always had his own equipment at home.

But the story goes back to Harry’s great-grandfather Walter Noble who began driving a horse-drawn grader at the former Wattle Glen and Heidelberg City Council in the 1930s, graduating to a motorised grader when they were introduced, and then worked at the former Eltham City Council until he retired.

In Walter’s spare time he built dams using a team of horses.

Walter’s son John, Harry’s grandfather, followed in his father’s footsteps, initially in the private sector but then at Eltham and Camberwell City Councils as a backhoe and grader operator.

John was one of seven boys in the family (he had six sisters as well) and five of the boys worked in the same field.

He then moved to the country and a similar position at the former Newstead Shire Council, now part of Mount Alexander Shire.

John’s wife, Harry’s grandmother Kayleen, also worked in local government, in Home and Community Care at neighbouring Central Goldfields Shire.

Harry’s dad Darren started off in earthmoving in the private sector in 1995, before joining Macedon Ranges Shire Council in 2000 as a backhoe and grader operator.

In 2016 he joined Loddon Shire Council in a similar role before being appointed Works Coordinator in 2020.

But while Harry was aware of the family history in local government, that wasn’t the main reason for joining Council.

After initially doing a work experience placement with Council, Harry jumped at the chance for the apprenticeship, which sees him out and about two days a week doing tasks such as general road maintenance and civil construction work such as road building, drainage and culvert installation as well as traffic management and control.

“I’ve been interested in earthmoving since day one and I’m 100 per cent keen to make a career out of it,” Harry said.

While Darren will be keeping an eye on his son, he said there were many others who would help him out.

“There’s plenty here who will teach him and tell him,” Darren said.

“It’s a good starting point for him.”

Darren said Council was an ideal environment for a school-based apprenticeship such as Harry was doing.

“There are private companies around but it’s hard to get in when you’re only doing two days a week,” he said.

“This is a good pathway to be able to finish school and start something at the same time, it helps them get the best of both worlds."

Caption: Harry Noble, pictured here with his father Darren at the Loddon Shire Council depot in Wedderburn, is the fourth generation of his family to work in local government.