Obituary for Cliff Hutton

Clifton Alex Hutton, (Cliff or Cliffy) the only child of Dal and Vera Hutton, was born in 1944 and grew up in Bushy Park. Even at an early age it seemed Cliff’s life revolved around the river. In the early days it was his playground, later he worked beside it and of course eventually it became so much a part of his life in rowing.

It was during his time at New Norfolk High School - where he became Head Prefect and was very involved in sport - that Cliff caught the rowing bug and changed from a day boy to boarder to be able to row at the New Norfolk Rowing Club and for his school. His school crew went on later to row lightweight fours for Tasmania at the King's Cup Regatta at Ballarat in 1965. So began a lifelong association with the New Norfolk Rowing Club, where he became a life member. Over a decade he coached dozens of schoolgirls - many from non-rowing schools - and he was intensely proud that the relatively small New Norfolk Rowing Club nurtured some of Australia’s finest women rowers – many of them Olympians - of the past 15 years. While at New Norfolk he coached an U16 girls’ crew to success in the All School Championships; no mean feat given the competition from traditional rowing schools and the fact that this was the first occasion a State School had won the event.

After moving from Lachlan (where Cliff had established a hobby farm) to Dynnyrne, Cliff became involved with the Derwent Mercantile Collegiate Rowing Club, which became Cliff's second home for15 years. Although his own successful rowing career was cut short owing to work and family commitments, Cliff was able to continue his generous contribution to rowing through coaching and in countless other ways. Some of the happiest years of Cliff's working life were spent at his daughters’ and grand daughters’ school, Collegiate, where Cliff threw himself into rowing coaching, bus driving and grounds work. Among the many memories and highlights at DMCRC the standout was probably his Collegiate girls' win in the Schoolgirls Eights at the National Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington in 2009. In the same year, he was awarded Tasmanian coach of the year.

Cliff's winning crews are a matter of record on trophies and shields around rowing venues, but for him, that was not what rowing was all about. He was happy to coach all newcomers regardless of potential or ability. He loved knowing that the girls had taken something of value from rowing and had gone on to live good lives. He loved watching his son Phil row and now has grandchildren taking up the sport.  He loved the early mornings on the river, the long days at regattas, driving girls to camp on the bus, camping at Lake Barrington, the friendships and the camaraderie and lunches with the ‘Wednesday Boys’ at DMCRC. He loved his last trip to Lake Barrington where he proudly watched his two grandchildren Elsie and Clem row in their U13 school races. He even loved boat loading and the long drive to Barrington and back!!! He simply loved being a part of the Tasmanian rowing community.

Di Hutton, married to Cliff for 53 years, wrote: those of us who knew Cliff well, know he was a man of few words. He would far rather be doing than talking. He didn't look back, nor did he look too far ahead. He was a content person and knew how to make each day count.

Vale Cliff Hutton, we will miss you but your great warmth, gentleness, humour, dignity, humility and generosity of spirit will remain with all who knew you.

(Andrew Gibson – based on the words and contributions of Cliff’s family: Di, Kath, Trish, Peta, Kath