In the beginning - 1973
Our story began with humble beginnings in Bendigo, just as the city was experiencing an exciting period of change in the early 1970s.
A town rich in history, it was a time for out with the old and in with the new and a period that saw Bendigo’s township peak in population. Urbanisation of the surrounding areas would see the region continue to grow to this day, becoming a major regional hub.
Our founder, Paul Tomkinson moved his young family here in 1973 after four years as a land surveyor with the Forestry commission in Papua New Guinea.
With a growing population across the region and a focus on developing infrastructure, Paul set up his business in a single room office above the Sussan boutique in Hargreaves Street in the centre of Bendigo’s business district.
The Tomkinson team in those early days included Paul’s wife Kathy ensuring invoices were paid and their children took turns on weekends as chainmen out in the bush.
Paul quickly found support for his growing business and engaged surveyor colleagues from Melbourne eager to journey to Bendigo during the week. The Melbourne team were welcome into the Tomkinson family home as their guests each week until the business grew enough to encourage relocation to Bendigo.
Business boomed, Paul and Kathy embraced their newly adopted home town, enjoying its hectic social life and Tomkinson Pty Ltd soon added engineering to their services which led to the business growing out of its one-room office. A new, larger office was found on the eastern side of downtown Bendigo in Baxter Street.
Paul’s passion for the region and vision for the future saw him join the Bendigo City Council in 1977. This was at a time of real change in Bendigo which, as the decade closed, saw many changes for this regional city and a bright future for P T Tomkinson and Associates.