Oliver graduated from the VSF in 1962, and his first FCV posting was to Beechworth District where he stayed for 2½ years.

He also joined the Citizens’ Military Forces (CMF), now the Army Reserve, in 91 Forestry Squadron, and many years later became the Officer Commanding, with the rank of Major. The engineering and organizational skills he learnt in the Army over the 25 years served were extremely useful to him in his civilian work.

In 1965 he applied for two years leave of absence, without pay, to do the two year course at the University of Melbourne to obtain a BSc in Forestry. The FCV denied his request and shortly after he saw an advertisement for an Assistant Fire Protection Officer in APM Forests. He applied and got the job.

After a short time with the APM Forests he became a District Forester, responsible for establishing about 480 ha of Pinus radiata a year, as well as the harvesting of the pulpwood from the District for the Company’s pulp and paper mill at Maryvale. He then became the Equipment Superintendent, responsible for all plant and equipment.

In 1974 he started work on mechanising the Company’s harvesting operations, and from 1982 he was the Fire Protection Officer, a position he held until retirement in 2000. During his working life and after his retirement he worked as a consultant in Malaysia, Indonesia, Samoa and New Zealand.

Oliver has been a Member of the Institute of Foresters of Australia for more than 50 years.