Joan, Meet George
‘Speaking for myself, the idea is hugely enticing of a planet inhabited by a dozen Joans … not to mention a dozen extra Georges.’ – Nicholas Shakespeare, The Monthly, May 2011
Joan and George Masterman
George and Joan Masterman have been variously described as a power couple, an unstoppable team, and a great love story.
The couple met during the late 1950s, when they both attended Sydney University. Joan was completing her Bachelor of Arts at the Women’s College, while George – after returning from studying at Oxford University in the UK – was ensconced at Sydney University Law School and completing his articles with legal firm Allen, Allen, and Hemsley.
At first, Joan’s parents were not especially taken with the pairing, devising ‘Forget George trips’ to Europe for their youngest daughter. Joan would later recall, ‘They’d send me off, and I'd come back, and George would still be there.’
Joan and George were married in 1961, settled in Sydney and had two children, Michael and Julia. George’s legal career flourished. An acutely intelligent and principled man, he soon began to earn a reputation as someone who would fearlessly stand up for what he believed was right. He co-authored Australian Trade Practices Law, which became a standard legal reference following its publication in 1967. He was a director of the Australian Institute of Political Science for two decades and became a Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 1972. Then, in 1981, he was appointed as NSW’s first Ombudsman.
But George was also Joan’s devoted supporter and champion. His resignation as Ombudsman in 1987 coincided with the first year of operation for Joan’s first ecotourism venture, Cradle Mountain Huts, and he threw his abundant energy behind his wife’s endeavours. When Joan took on the custodianship of Friendly Beaches Lodge and Freycinet Experience Walk in 1997, George was her staunch ally, playing a key role in managing the legal requirements of the business. Friend Carol Bett remembers, ‘George was a very strong person, but he supported Joan all the way through. After he died, Joan told me that she missed his legal expertise and backup. Because she had always had George there to help her fight the good fight.’
As a couple, and as a partnership, Joan and George were undeniably impressive. Exuberant and energetic, with a shared booming laugh, each complemented the other’s strengths and abilities and were unwavering supporters of one another’s achievements. Both progressive, contemporary thinkers, they shared strong conservation values, genuine integrity, and a love of Tasmania and the natural world. And they were completely in their element exploring the landscapes of the Freycinet Peninsula.
Long table dinners at Friendly Beaches Lodge – where guests, guides, Lodge hosts and friends would gather in the evenings to talk and share Tasmanian food and wine – are almost the stuff of legend. George was a true raconteur who enjoyed a robust conversation around the dinner table during his visits to the Lodge. Former Freycinet Experience guide, Reuben Wells, remembers:
‘George was a powerful personality, and an incredibly funny man. I can still recall his laugh. To see George and Joan together at Friendly Beaches Lodge was to bring Australian high society to the bush.
‘Joan was great at running a dinner party – and George was very good entertainment at that dinner party.’
George passed away in 2016, aged 87, but he remains a vivid presence – not only within the Masterman family, but in the story of Freycinet Experience Walk, and through his enormous contribution to the legal profession in Australia.
