Dudley Campbell
CAMPBELL, Dudley Holm, BE MIEAust (1930-2024)
Dudley was born at “Holm Lea” in Roseberry Avenue, South Perth, on February 15, 1930. He was the son of farmer and bank officer James Brown Campbell and his wife Evelyn Hilda Campbell (nee Brown). The family farm was “Pitlochrie” between Mukinbudin and Kununoppin in the Western Australian wheatbelt.
Dudley’s early education was at Koorda State School where, in December 1942, he won a James Coombe Scholarship for three years secondary education. He then attended Northam High School, matriculating in 1946 with a seven subject three distinction pass.
In 1947, he commenced an engineering degree at the University of Western Australia, graduating in 1952. He joined the Public Works Department and worked with the Hydraulics Branch on projects such as Wicherina Dam and the raising of Wellington Dam by 15 metres.
Around 1960, Dudley married Kalgoorlie nurse Joyce Patricia Henderson in Boulder. They had five children, Deb, Julie, Sue, Merrin and Tracey.
In 1959, Dudley worked for the Hydro Electric Commission in Tasmania on major field construction projects such as Arthur’s Lake Dam, Wood’s Lake Dam and Arthur’s Lake Pumping Station.
Brian Macmahon recruited Dudley in 1965 to work on projects in South Australia and Northern Territory for Macmahon Construction Proprietary Limited (Macmahons). By 1968 Dudley was the first Western Australian State Managing Director for Macmahons, facilitating the opening of the Perth office in 1969.
Macmahons in 1983 had 1,000 employees and $77 million in annual revenue across Australia. It was of a scale that in 1983 it could undertake the civil works for the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.
Dudley retired from Macmahons in 1985. He continued to be active in the construction/mining sector taking up the position of Non Executive Director of Brandrill Limited in September 1993 and holding it until November 2002.
Dudley became a Graduate Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1953 and an Associate Member in 1959.
Dudley died on May 30, 2024, aged 94. His wife had died in 1992 and he was survived by their five children.
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge, March 7, 2025
References:
West Australian, 19.2.1930, p. 1.
West Australian,31.12.1942, p. 5.
Northam News, 24.12.1947, p. 2.
West Australian, 24.3.1953, p. 5.
Lewis, John, Brian Macmahon B.E., M.I.E. : a quiet achiever, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1995
