School farewells supervisor after 23 years

Arthur Watson says he will mostly miss the “chitter-chatter” of his 23-year role as a crossing supervisor.

Retiring after working beside Colac Primary School for 21 years, Arthur first began his journey as a lollipop man in 2001 at Chapel Street, before moving to Lyons Street two years later and remaining there for the rest of his career.

The impact Arthur has had on the school community is obvious, with his farewell appearance at Colac Primary’s assembly on Friday garnering many thanks from staff and students, gifts of appreciation, and time for him at assembly to give a speech.

And it’s clear to see the bond is a two-way street, with Arthur saying he will miss chatting to everyone who used his crossing.

“The best part is the children, parents, school staff, even magpies…I get a magpie or two come along and they just sit there,” he said.

Not only did Arthur witness many changes at Colac Primary School through the years, but his careful attention to detail also saw him record many interesting facts over the time spent at his loyal Lyons Street crossing.

The rich history details a wide variety of people using the school crossing, including former Australian Cricket Captain Aaron Finch with his sister Jess, Olympic marathon runner Lee Troop, an 86-year-old cockatoo, a horse, two snakes, and Geelong AFL player Tom Hawkins on a single occasion.

Arthur thanked the Colac Primary School community for their support and respect over his time spent there.

“My motto was you treat people the same as you, and you can’t go wrong,” he said.

Although Arthur will be signing off on his time as a crossing supervisor, he expressed his top priority of still wanting to be involved in the community.

“There’ll be no retirement,” he said.

“I want to get out in Colac and do a bit of volunteering, and help people out who are worse off than I am.”

Arthur’s presence and conversation helped shape Lyons Street into a safe and welcoming school crossing – and with his Geelong AFL premier stickers still secured around the lollipop sign, it’s clear he’ll remain a beloved part of the school community.