General News
11 September, 2023
Mark celebrates three decades on the job at VicRoads
If you’ve ever gone into Maryborough’s VicRoads office, chances are you’ve seen the familiar face of manager Mark Robertson, who earlier this year marked 30 years working for the agency. Mark joined the VicRoads office in June 1993 and...
If you’ve ever gone into Maryborough’s VicRoads office, chances are you’ve seen the familiar face of manager Mark Robertson, who earlier this year marked 30 years working for the agency.
Mark joined the VicRoads office in June 1993 and hasn’t looked back since, admitting it doesn’t feel at all like three decades have passed.
“I went from working 60 plus hours a week at AG Leech’s in the service department to VicRoads which was 31 hours a week, I had every Wednesday off and basically dropped $10 in wages,” he said.
“It was a one man show back in those days at the Tullaroop Shire Offices when we first set up, the office had been there for about two years before I came on board.
“It doesn’t feel like 30 years at all to be honest, I knew the milestone was coming up but it didn’t really feel like it had been that long.”
Over those 30 years, the local VicRoads office has seen its fair share of changes — from the office moving location, staff joining and leaving and the technological changes seen at the agency.
For Mark, who’s seen it all, he said the one thing that never changed was the positive interactions with customers and the quality team behind him.
“There have been a lot of changes in that time, probably even more so in the last five years with the pandemic and privatisation of VicRoads,” he said.
“I think the best part of what we do has to be the service we provide to the community and that’s never changed, people come from as far as Melbourne, Geelong and further to access our services here because of the wait times there.
“That brings people into the area and while they’re here, they’ll buy a coffee and some lunch — it’s a great little service we provide that benefits the town.”
While his 30 years have predominantly been based in Maryborough, Mark has also done secondments to other VicRoads offices around the state, including in Ararat, Ballarat and Portland.
Mark said across all the locations he’s worked, the number one highlight of his job has been the people he interacts with and the staff supporting him.
“The best thing about the job is the people — both the people you’re serving and the friends you make within VicRoads right across the area,” he said.
“A manager is only as good as the people they have under them and I’ve been very fortunate to have some wonderful staff working with me, right back to the early days.
“In an environment like this with what we do and what you need to know, it is a hell of a lot of pressure but having a good team around you makes life much easier.
“You do have some difficult days with some people who might have a chip on their shoulder, but we have a lot of fun too — when kids who have just gotten their licence come in it’s a very rewarding experience.”
Mark plans to take 12 months’ long-service leave next year to travel and celebrate the milestone and is looking to reduce his hours down the track.
“I’m going on 12 months’ long service leave in February next year to do some travelling with my wife, it’ll be fantastic,” he said.
“After that I don’t see myself coming back and managing five days a week, I might come back and do two or three days a week but we’ll see what happens.
“I’m not quite ready to retire yet.”