Elkington, Richard

Richard Elkington OAM, is a highly regarded business and Gippsland community person with a long association with the University and region. He is also well recognised for a range of community activity, particularly in the promotion of the Latrobe Valley, as a former chair of Regional Development Gippsland, and as a former board member of Gippsland Development Limited.

Born in Yallourn and raised in Newborough, Mr Elkington was educated in Gippsland and went on to be an executive General Manager at the Loy Yang Power Station, following on from various operations and engineering roles at the Yallourn Power Station.

Richard studied Mechanical Engineering at Monash University, 1967 – 1970.

He chaired Gippsland Water from 2000-2007 and was a former director of East Gippsland Water.

He was an executive Council member of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and its regional president.

Some of Mr Elkington’s other community involvements have included work with the Latrobe Valley Authority, the Regional Policy Advisory Committee, Coal Resources Victoria, and the Regional Transport Advisory Group.

He had senior memberships of Gippsland Ports, Gippsland Farm Plantations, the Latrobe Valley Task Force and the Gippsland Tertiary Education Council.

Some of his community activities have involved Gippsland community radio, Mid Gippsland Football League, the Baw Baw District Scout Association, and the Latrobe Light Opera Society.

The long-time Traralgon resident has been associated with the Freemasons Victoria, since the early 1980s. The men’s fraternity has over 7500 members across the state, with an emphasis of self-improvement and charity to others.

He initially joined the Heyfield Lodge and in 1986 became the Worshipful Master 1986 – 1987, concurrently serving as Secretary until 1996. In 1989 he served as the Worshipful Master Gippsland Mark Lodge and in 2004 became a foundation member at Lodge Cornucopia at Warragul. Richard served as the Deputy Grand Master 2018 – 2019 and in 2020 became the Grand Master of Freemasons Victoria.

In 2022 Richard was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Richard was cited “for service to the community through a range of roles”.

It must be acknowledged that Richard's achievements are extensive and his commitment to the community and industry are exemplary. In all of his interactions he demonstrates strategic and conceptual thinking and seeks to include as many people as possible in decision making, whether it be with professional or fraternal organisations.