And by world he mostly means Dungog.

With the title of Dungog Shire Council’s economic development and tourism co-ordinator under his belt, his mission is to grow business, attract tourists and facilitate events, all of which improve the quality of life for those living in his local area.

It is a role Mr Skaines had not predicted when he first left the place of his childhood.

“I grew up in Eccleston in the Upper Allyn and also went to school there, then in Dungog, and then left to attend university in Newcastle. I didn’t have a plan to return to the area. I think that developed over time but I have farming in my blood and I love being here and being part of the community,” Mr Skaines said.

But the blissful idyll Mr Skaines now enjoys wasn’t always the case.

“I grew up in the late 1970s so coming out in a place like Dungog was quite difficult,” he said.

“Things have significantly changed in country towns since then and the Dungog area is particularly interesting in that there are lots of other influences coming to town with people moving to the area.

“But back in the late 1970s Dungog was very much a traditional farming town with dairying, timber and beef as the major industries so in some respects it wasn’t as easy to grow up then as what it is now.”

Following appointments with the Hunter Valley Research Foundation and TAFE

at Tighes Hill TAFE, Mr Skaines went to Singapore for love and business.

Since then he has worked at the NSW Environment Protection Authority, universities of Newcastle and Western Sydney, and the Dungog Shire Community Centre.

When he returned to Newcastle in 2002 Mr Skaines, 53, became heavily involved with

Rainbow Visions, a then-fledgling support organisation for the Hunter’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

“I saw the organisation start, I saw it become established and then I watched it grow,” he said.

“Any community group that develops community within a marginalised group is important.

“And certainly it’s not always given that young people particularly will have acceptance in coming out.

“The teenage suicide rate amongst people of diverse sexuality is still higher than average so there is a real need for groups like Rainbow Visions and the events and activities it organises.

“Acceptance probably is improving but it’s hard to generalise.”

When Mr Skaines is not fielding questioning from the locals or having impromptu meetings at the supermarket or cafe, the parttime farmer cares for his mum (“a well 89”).

“There are benefits of having my meetings at the supermarket because they don’t go as long because you are standing up and I get to make contact with people in all sorts of ways,” Mr Skaines said.

“This is a very people-orientated job and I love that.

“This area is lovely. It’s still rural and I think a lot of people want to retain that rural character and I do too.”