Val was born in 1922 in Mildura. He entered the School of Forestry, Creswick, in 1940, and began his career as an Assistant Forester at Mansfield in I943.

He later gained his Bachelor of Science in Forestry at the University of Melbourne. At Mansfield Val met his future wife, Peg, and they were married while he was working at Narbethong. After working in the Narbethong, Beech Forest and Heyfield Districts (he was DFO at Heyfield), Val transferred to the Division of Forest Protection in 1958, first as the Fire Research Officer, then rising to the position of Fire Protection Officer, and then to Chief of the Division.

In 1980 Val transferred to the position of Chief of the Division of Forest Operations. He retired in July 1983.

Source: Oral History Notes by Lesley Alves