City of Hobart Council Cleansing Crew member, Leigh Commane, will turn 74 this month but shows no signs of slowing down despite clocking up more than five decades of service.
Mr Commane (pictured) still starts every work day the same way – out on the streets, picking up litter, straightening what’s out of place and keeping the city looking its best.
“I like just keeping the city clean — it gives me pleasure,” he says.
“Even on my own time, I pick things up. I just like to see everything nice and clean.”
Mr Commane joined the council in the early 1970s, starting at the asphalt plant before a long stint on the road maintenance crew.
After a break, he returned to the Council, moving into cleansing work – a role he clearly relishes.
“You do all the same stuff every day, but you see different stuff every day too,” he says.
His is the kind of work many people don’t notice — until it’s not done.
“Sometimes it’s pretty bad,” he says of early morning streets.
“Cardboard boxes everywhere, rubbish everywhere. I don’t think a lot of people appreciate what you actually do.”
That quiet, consistent effort is what the Council is shining a light on through this year’s City of Warm Hearts winter campaign. Now in its third year, the campaign is shifting focus to the essential, everyday services that keep Hobart running – the crews who clean streets, fix potholes, maintain parks, collect bins, support events and protect public health.
Running through to the end of August, the campaign highlights the people behind these services across social media, digital displays and council communications.
The goal is simple: to help the community better understand what their rates fund – and recognise the work that often happens out of sight. From sportsgrounds staff preparing local ovals to environmental health officers safeguarding food safety, the campaign puts a human face to council services.
For workers like Mr Commane, it’s not about recognition – it’s about pride in the city.
After 51 years, he says retirement is on the horizon, but not just yet.
“I’m fit enough to work,” he says. “I’ll just keep on going.”
