Council & Business
24 July, 2026
Chris Meddows-Taylor’s life of public service honoured
A large crowd gathered to reflect on the lasting legacy of former councillor Chris Meddows-Taylor last week.
Community advocate and former Central Goldfields Shire councillor Chris Meddows-Taylor has been remembered as a life-long public servant and generous friend.
Mr Meddows-Taylor died aged 73 on June 26 after years of declining health.
He was fondly remembered by those close to him, and over 200 people from the wider community, at a public memorial in the Maryborough Town Hall last week.
Councillor and celebrant Liesbeth Long said he was a “tireless” advocate for the Central Goldfields community.
“Chris was known for his vision, his determination, and his belief that regional communities deserve every opportunity to thrive,” she said.
“Chris worked every day to help make that future a reality.”
Mr Meddows-Taylor was first elected to council in 2005 and last held the position in 2024.
In that time he served 12 years as councillor and an “unprecedented” six terms as mayor.
In 2011, he received the Mayor Emeritus award from the Municipal Association of Victoria recognising him for his lasting legacy in local government.
Former Central Goldfields Shire councillor and longest serving member Geoff Lovett said it was a “privilege” to sit opposite him.
“Chris was without peer,” he said.
Mr Lovett said Mr Meddows-Taylor had an “instinctive” understanding of government.
“Over the years he used this skill to great advantage advocating for Central Goldfields Shire to premiers, government ministers, and department heads,” he said.
Among them was Western Victoria member, from 2006 until 2022, Jaala Pulford.
“They really could have handed new members of parliament for these communities a note at induction,” she said.
“Something like very soon you’ll meet Chris Meddows-Taylor, indeed any day now, and with a combination of personality, compassion, intellect and persuasion you’ll be signed up for some very important and joyful work.
“There is no point resisting because he will not be going anywhere until you are onboard and you have your first homework assignment.”
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett reflected on their first meeting and how a short meal became hours of conversation.
“That evening was the beginning of a friendship, and a mentorship, that I came to value so deeply. Chris took me under his wing,” she said.
“He was in many ways a living encyclopaedia of the Central Goldfields Shire. He knew every story, every council motion, every promise made, every battle fought, and every issue that mattered to locals.”
Ms Haylett said he was a “relentless advocate” for the community.
“You could barely run into him on the street or attend an event without finding yourself talking about the Goldfields World Heritage Bid. In fact, only a week before he passed he was still sending me emails about sewerage for Talbot. He never stopped. That was Chris Meddows-Taylor,” she said.
“He understood issues inside and out but more importantly he understood how to turn ideas into reality.”
Mr Meddows-Taylor’s contributions are seen by the community every day, whether they realise it or not.
Getting off at the Maryborough Train Station? The return of that service and the conservation of the station was his work.
Local groups receiving community grants from council? Another one of Mr Meddows-Taylor’s projects.
So is the award-winning Go Goldfields which was in response to complex social issues in the shire.
Cr Long said Mr Meddows-Taylor’s work aimed to improve the lives of local people and strengthen their communities.
“He believed deeply, not just in the future of this region, but also the abundant tourism opportunities,” she said.
Mr Meddows-Taylor believed the ongoing Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid, expected to attract millions in tourism, was among those opportunities.
Yet, prior to his input, Ms Pulford said it was a “big idea” which seemed to move at the speed of a “mineral deposit” for decades.
She said it took Mr Meddows-Taylor chairing the Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive to turn the idea into a campaign.
“It mattered to Chris because he knew what it was really about, who it was really for, not for the big places like Bendigo and Ballarat but the small towns whose gold rush secrets deserved a chance to be seen too. He wanted the rest of the world to see in these places what he saw,” she said.
Ms Pulford said when the first big funding landed Mr Meddows-Taylor gave her “the greatest of bear hugs” in glee.
“That’s the Chris I will remember. Less so the meetings, the emails, the letters, and phone calls but that hug. That pure unguarded joy at having toiled away at something really quite difficult but making real and tangible progress,” she said.
“The state of Victoria, its local government community, and above all the communities of the Central Goldfields owe Chris Meddows-Taylor an enormous debt.”
Mr Meddows-Taylor’s cousin Ellen Hanson, who was more like a sibling, remembered him for his “wicked” sense of humour.
“When he and I got together we could be counted on in the most inappropriate circumstances to break into gales of uncontrollable, unstoppable, laughter over things seemingly we only found funny,” she said.
Ms Hanson said he had a “huge influence” on her life both personally and professionally.
“For those you love, and those who have given your life meaning, my advice to you is don’t wait to tell them how much they mean to you. Thank them for the little things that they’ve done and have made a difference in your life,” she said.
Ms Haylett said Mr Meddows-Taylor had more to give, not just politically but personally, and his absence would be missed.
“We are a lesser community for having lost him but we are a far better community for having had him with us,” she said.
Beyond the council chamber Mr Meddows-Taylor was an active member of Talbot life.
He contributed to numerous local organisations, including Talbot Action Inc, and helped establish the Talbot Farmers Market.
Cr Long said he was a person of warmth, kindness and humility.
“A friendly conversation, a listening ear, or words of encouragement. He understood communities are built not just through policies and plans but through relationships, compassion, and respect,” she said.
Esther Waters, an active member of the Talbot community, said he was a “man of integrity” that cared deeply for the town and those around him.
“I will miss his vision for the future, his patience and personal touch in all he did, his style and his humanity, a man of generous heart and hand. He never shirked a challenge and there were plenty in Talbot. His considerable personal and professional skills, fortitude and determination, were there unfadingly through to the end,” she said.
Lindsay Hazelman, a dedicated community volunteer, said Mr Meddows-Taylor was a “great champion” of the London House precinct.
“In fact I wasn’t sure if he lived there at times,” he said.
“Whether it was making sure the doctor had everything he needed to sustain a general practice in Talbot, which we are most fortunate to have, or somehow enabling much needed improvements to the cafe, or simply insisting the lamps in the community garden just had to be of a certain vintage.”
“He was a regular visitor of the cafe, always working on his iPad, and was particularly partial to a double shot of coffee as he dispatched another lengthy, slightly unpunctuated but targeted, email.”
Yet Mr Meddows-Taylor’s contributions to the community couldn’t have been done without his partner of 27 years Frank Apostoli.
Cr Long said behind every successful politician is someone whose support often goes unseen — Mr Apostoli was that man.
“While Chris may have stood in the public spotlight, Frank’s contribution behind the scenes was no less significant,” she said.
“He provided the foundation that made Chris’ public service possible. A loving home, a listening ear, and a reassuring presence throughout every challenge.”
Mr Apostoli said their relationship was like a stage show.
There was the star, the person on stage commanding the audience, while someone was backstage, keeping things moving and making sure the scenery didn’t collapse.
“As metaphors go, I think the stage show describes Chris and me rather well,” he said.
“Chris was a natural people person. He was an extrovert, but a rare kind of extrovert, one who also knew how to listen. There could be no doubt it was his job to start the music, it was his job to hit the lights.
“I, on the other hand, am a natural home body. I’m an introvert who prefers close personal relationships and a quieter role. I was much happier working back stage but together, somehow, we made the show work.”
He said Mr Meddows-Taylor gave himself “wholeheartedly” to every role he took on.
“For much of that time I felt as though he was on loan to the community or, to continue the theatrical metaphor, while I remained with the company Chris hit the road taking his show from town to town,” he said.
But, above all, Mr Apostoli said he was a man of “unwavering integrity”.
“He loved his home, he loved his dogs, he loved Talbot, and he loved me. Chris will be missed more than I could possibly express but rather than remember him only with sadness I choose to remember his smile, his laughter, and his generous spirit,” he said.
“I choose to remember his compassion, his warmth, and the extraordinary way he made people feel they mattered. The curtain may have fallen on Chris’ remarkable life but the love he gave, the friendships he formed, and the contribution he made will continue long after today.
“Chris would have been the first to say that the show must go on, and go on it must. Goodbye Chris, thank you for sharing the stage with me.”