In 2008, Marie Oborne was shocked to be invited to the AFL Brownlow Medal dinner at Crown Casino where she was announced the “Community Volunteer of the Year” in the 150th year of Australian football.

As a result, the Cobden Football Netball Club won $10,000. A year earlier, the Hampden Football Netball League had acknowledged Marie’s enormous contribution to the sport, through the VCFL, at the 7th Worksafe Annual Awards.

Marie first became involved in fundraising when the Bombers’ Supporters Club was formed in 1950 to raise money for the club’s under 18 team. In 1986, the players asked her to do Thursday night teas, a task from which she retired after 23 years. Between 1994 and 2010, Marie reported on football and netball for the Cobden Times and she still sells CFNC lotto and raffle tickets in the Arcade on most mornings of the week, regardless of the weather, in 2016.

Born on November 6th 1933, Marie was the fourth child in Tom and Dorothea Bourke’s family of ten – Ted, Jean Fussell, Frank, Len, Edna Murfitt, Ray, Ron (dec), Bernie and Tony. Her father, Tom, was a local baker, and he was also the local bookie.

Marie met Jim Oborne in 1958 at Bill Richards’ hotel (“The Zoo”) and their marriage in 1961 yielded four children – Kevin (dec), Lynette Oldham, Barb Semmens and Anthony – and six grandchildren. Was it love at first sight with Jim? “I just needed a ride home,” she says. Who proposed? “Not sure, maybe it was me!”

Marie was a handy golfer, winning two C grade championships and a Barrett Shield. She was also a scribe for the golf club ladies for many years. And, with Jim ‘Hutchy’ Rohan, she was a great fundraiser for the Cobden Bush Nursing Hospital.

Jim, son of Annie (Tot) and Hugh (Bones) Oborne from Condie’s estate at Purrumbete, was a carpenter with B J Hatwell of Mentone, Melbourne. The firm erected Cobden’s commission homes, and many other buildings throughout western Victoria. Hatwells were building at the local butter factory in 1961 when Jim was offered a job as a tanker driver. Thirty-six years later, in 1997, he retired after navigating the district’s best and worst roads – anywhere between Nirranda and Cororooke.

Jim was also a part-time barman at Thompson’s Hotel for 26 years, and was the face of the pub’s social club for many years. He was great support to Marie when she was doing the footy club’s Thursday night teas, carting groceries and soups, and turning on ovens as required.

Jim is the youngest of seven Oborne children – Edna (Reilly, dec), Mary (Vagg, dec), Margaret (dec), Jack and Alec (dec).