Theo (Toody) Cook, 1935-2022, pictured with some of his collection in 2002.
He was the water engineer who became fascinated with the earliest example of clean energy — the humble, but iconic, windmill.
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Theo Cook, an eclectic soul who treasured family and fishing, was the man behind the forest of windmills which populated the corner of the Midland Hwy and Hosie Rd at Shepparton East.
He died on December 3 at Shepparton’s Mercy Aged Care at the age of 92.
Theo, better known as Toody (so named because a sister had trouble pronouncing Theo), was a quiet man by disposition, occasionally laconic and eschewed notoriety so he would probably be uncomfortable if he knew we were writing about him.
His interest in windmills led him to collect and repair many of the old wind-driven water drawing devices which drew national, and occasionally, international interest.
Some windmills were found collapsed beside rivers and streams, some retrieved from Jerilderie and Conargo in NSW. Others were donated by farming families and rebuilt by Toody.
Although the windmills, forever associated with rural Australia, are the original wind power generators, they are gradually being overtaken by solar pumps.
So the collection of 15 windmills behind the wire fence at Shepparton East have become a historic talking point in their own right.
They date from the latter part of the 19th century, and were manufactured across Victoria — from Colac to Melbourne, Caniambo and Shepparton.
A six-foot single-geared model dating from 1910 was made by William Day and Sons at the Caniambo Blacksmith Shop.
Toody’s family moved from Baddaginnie to Shepparton East to run the post office and general store in the 1930s, when deliveries were made by horse and cart.
It was at Shepparton East Primary School where he met his future wife, Elsie.
Toody took up a plumbing apprenticeship with Dates and Chessells where his dour sense of humour soon became evident.
As an apprentice and late for work his explanation to his boss Bowe Chessell, was that while riding his bike to work a fierce tail wind meant he couldn’t stop, taking him past the yard and ending up in Mooroopna. What was worse, he then had to ride back against a head wind.
Toody was the ‘Cook’ from the Shepparton East plumbing business, Roe and Cook, a business established in 1956 with former school friend, Bill Roe.
Their early work centred around coolstores operated by Don Fairless and Bill Brown-Shepherd and eventually progressed across a range of rural services.
Toody’s mild manner held him in good stead with customer relations.
When confronted by an orchardist who was not happy with the job Roe and Cook had done and cursing and shouting loud enough for the district to hear, Toody simply put his hands on his shoulders and said, “cheer up mate, you’ll soon be dead”.
Apart from tinkering with windmills, Toody loved fishing and he engaged with some creative ways of catching them, resulting in some great campfire yarns.
Wherever possible he would take his kids — Ray, Maree or John — camping at places like the Billabong River, Yanko Creek or the Broken River.
Theo Cook's windmills come from across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and the United States.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
A funeral service was held at the Shepparton East Football Club rooms followed by interment at the Pine Lodge Lawn Cemetery on December 8.
Water and Windmills
(A poem by Toody’s sister, Lottie Roe, nee Cook.)
In Australia’s outback where the roads are no more than a track
The most precious thing is water.
When our windmill broke down, we headed for town
For help we knew we ought to.
There was one, Toody Cook for which we did look
His knowledge on windmills was renown.
He made a windmill show, about a dozen or so
Not far from Shepparton town,
He travelled from town to town, odd windmill parts he found
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