100 years young: Shepparton’s Murray Slee reflects on a century of memories

“It’s something that I never thought would happen,” Mr Slee said.

One hundred years ago, in 1923, a few months before magician Harry Houdini freed himself from a straitjacket while hanging upside down, another magical event unfolded in a quiet town in Australia.

Murray, the second child of Bill and Edith Slee, was born in their Stanhope home.

Little did they know that their baby boy would become one of the ‘fathers’ of a town located only 30 minutes away from his birthplace.

Mr Slee was one of five children; he had an older brother, Jack, and three younger siblings, named Audrey, Phyllis and Bill.

In 1937, the family moved to Shepparton, where his father secured a job as an auctioneer.

Mr Slee attended Stanhope Primary School, Shepparton High School and boarding school at Assumption College in Kilmore.

After graduating, he secured his first job, selling fabric for Andrew Brothers, a tailor in Melbourne.

During this time, he learned about high-quality fabrics and joined the Caulfield Football Club.

However, his time there was brief, as in 1941, the same year he joined Caulfield, Mr Slee was eager to enlist in World War II and ended up lying about his age to do so.

“I told them I was a year older,” Mr Slee said.

Mr Slee’s determination paid off, and he enlisted in the military, serving as a sapper with the Royal Australian Engineers in the Middle East and New Guinea.

It was during his time in New Guinea that he suffered a life-altering event.

“A bomb went off — a daisy cutter,” Mr Slee said.

“It blew up and I was a pretty big mess. It badly affected my face and shattered my teeth.”

After recovering, and following the end of the war, on April 18, 1946, five days before his 23rd birthday, Mr Slee received an honourable discharge at the Murchison internment camp.

Once life returned to normal, Mr Slee went back to Shepparton and, along with his brother Jack, who was fondly known as Nipper, founded Slee’s Electrical, a successful automotive electrical business.

But his entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there.

Over the years, he dabbled in several other business ventures, including an auction house, a furniture store and a real estate business, leaving his mark on the local business landscape.

Although Mr Slee had a passion for entrepreneurship, his love for the sport he had to leave behind when he joined the military never dwindled.

He remained a football enthusiast and was made a life member of the Shepparton Football Club.

In fact, he served as the team’s captain during its first season back in the Goulburn Valley League in 1950.

He was also the club’s best and fairest player in 1948 and 1949, and was widely regarded as one of the best footballers to ever play for the club.

Mr Slee had an extra motivation to perform at his best — his future father-in-law, Hector McLean, was the club’s president.

“I had to play pretty good,” Mr Slee said.

And play well he did, as he went on to marry his soulmate, Myra McLean, at the Presbyterian Church in Shepparton in late 1949.

The couple remained inseparable for 71 years until Mrs Slee’s passing in September 2020.

“Our life was wonderful. We met at a dance,” Mr Slee said fondly.

“She was a very beautiful person, my wife.

“She was unbelievable.

“She was a tremendous help to me, and she worked very hard helping me promote Shepparton.”

Together, Mr and Mrs Slee raised four daughters — Robyn, Dianne, Jenny and Helen — and cherished their four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Throughout much of her life, Mrs Slee was a staunch supporter of her husband, even more so when he began his career in public service, where she stood by him every step of the way.

In 1956, Mr Slee was elected to the City of Shepparton’s council and is regarded as the longest-serving councillor.

For the next 34 years, he tirelessly served his community, leading the way as a dynamic mayor for three terms from 1976 to 1979.

“It was a very busy time, and I worked very hard as a councillor. It was a full-time job,” he recalled.

Mr Slee took enormous pride in putting Shepparton on the map and often travelled to Melbourne to promote the town, most notably SPC.

“That gave me a lot of satisfaction,” he said.

Mr Slee played a crucial role in the redevelopment of the civic centre, leaving a lasting impact on the town he loved.

He was also involved with many organisations, but was hesitant to say which was his favourite.

“It’s fairly difficult because I was in so many organisations and I thought that they were all a great success,” he said.

Mr Slee also spearheaded the Rookies’ Return, a memorable reunion of those encamped at the Shepparton Showgrounds during the war.

Although well-respected, Mr Slee was not immune to criticism during his time on the council.

Rather than shy away from it, he embraced it and saw it as an opportunity to improve.

“I think criticism is an asset (and) I think that it makes you work a bit harder,” he said.

Throughout his tenure and to this day, Mr Slee always had the support of his friend and colleague, former town clerk Pat Gibson.

“She was vital in the organisation when I was there. (Pat was) very successful, and she was a great help to me,” Mr Slee said.

Mrs Gibson, who turns 90 this year, played a crucial role in the creation of The Mayoral Anthem, a song dedicated to Mr Slee that is widely recognised as an emblem of his legacy.

Despite the challenges he faced, Mr Slee’s dedication to serving his town never wavered.

In 2001, he was awarded the prestigious Order of Australia Medal for outstanding service to local government and his community in Shepparton.

Mr Slee’s life is an inspiring story of a man who has made a significant contribution to his community, his country and his family.

Even at the remarkable age of 100, he continues to be an inspiration to those around him, and his legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations to come.