Bruce K Besley, President of the College 1978 - 1991

Historical Significance: Bruce Besley is a Melbourne optometrist who was very active in professional affairs. He was Victorian State President of the Optometrists Assocation 1961-62 and National President of the Association 1970-73. He was very much involved in the acceptance of optometry into the Australian goverment national medical insurance scheme then called Medibank. He was on the College Council from 1957 to 1991 and was President of the College from 1978 to 1991 during which time the College undertook major re-building. He was elected an honorary life member of the College in 1976. The artist Brian Dunlop (1938 - 2008) was one of Australia's leading figurative and still life painters. He worked in Sydney but retired to Port Fairy Victoria. He won the Sulman prize for genre painting in 1980 and painted Queen Elizabeth II in 1984. His work in held by all major Australian Galleries.145 kb image in Museum iPhoto