Anton Swan who served as Sri Lankan Consul in Queensland for 33 years is due to retire from his volunteer service by the end of June. The purpose of this article is to honour him for an unusual sacrifice of his life.
He served the community with commitment and travelled far to attend events of the community. He was humble in meeting the needs of the people who came to get documents certified by him for new Passports, Passport renewals, affidavits, getting birth certificates, Power of attorneys certified.
His services were often needed for the pensioners living in Queensland. He had to set aside a major part of the weekends for the needs of the community.
He was respected by the community as well as by the administration of Queensland. He serves as patron of very many associations of the Sri Lankan people in the state of Queensland and has earned a name for his punctuality.
Boxer and swimmer
He was born in 1948, in the year of independence in Sri Lanka and completed his studies at St. Mary’s College Dehiwela. He became famous as a student for his outstanding capability as a swimmer. He was also a water polo player. In swimming, he reached national standard and represented Ceylon in swimming meets.
At that time there was a famous swimming event to cross the Palk Strait from Sri Lanka to India. Young Anton Swan was one of the swimmers that crossed the Palk Strait. He placed a record timing in another swimming event that was popular at that time.
That was the annual swimming event to swim from Mount Lavinia to Galle Face. Anton Swan was a winner of this six mile swim and his timing remained a record for many years.
He worked as a volunteer for the King Ross life saving club for many years
He was a famous school boxer and reached the Stubbs shield level and fought successfully to the top. He was also a national hope in the field of Rugby.
He migrated to Australia in 1970 as a young man of 22 years to the city of Melbourne. It was after the Estate takeover by the Government, the Burger community in Sri Lanka was looking to move to Australia.
He found his partner Bronwen in his first workplace in Melbourne, got married in April, 1972 and completed a half a century of years together raising four children: one daughter and three sons.
Becoming Consul
Anton moved from Melbourne to Brisbane in 1974 and became the honorary Consul for Sri Lanka in 1990. He loved to keep working with people and be of help to the people. It was his nature.
That led Anton to seek out the Sri Lankan Society of Queensland, where he became President in the late 1980s.
In addition to his role as the Consul for Sri Lanka in Queensland, he is also patron of various Sri Lankan associations, a Justice of the Peace, and was the coordinator of the Sri Lankan Pavilion at the World Expo in 1988.
He sets the record of being the longest time served Counsel of Queensland.
His services were recognised by the Government of Australia by awarding him the prestigious award “Medal in the Order of Australia”.