Rodney Maurice Field was born at Nepean Hospital in Penrith in 1953.
His parents Trevor and Beryl Field had been married at the Mount Druitt Presbyterian Manse in 1949. Rodney was their first child and was followed by a second son in 1956. He was educated at St Marys Primary School and St Marys High School before undertaking studies in law at Sydney University while working with Ron Mulock and Doug Timmins in their law firm in Penrith. He later owned his own law firm in Mount Druitt.
An interest in politics saw Rodney elected president of the St Marys branch of the Liberal Party in 1980. He secured selection as head of the Liberal Party team for the Penrith City Council elections in September 1980 and ran for East Ward. Rodney gained selection as an Alderman on Penrith City Council in September 1980 (the term Councillor was later adopted during his tenure).
The media celebrated the appointment of Rodney Field as Mayor of the City of Penrith in 1987. One local newspaper reflected, “Penrith’s new mayor, Alderman Rodney Field, has a reputation for being something of a joker. At 34, he is the youngest mayor since amalgamation in 1949. He drives a flashy Peter Brock Commodore, operates a successful law practice at Mt Druitt and has made some outrageous statements in the past. However, it was not the joker who entered the council chambers at seven o’clock on the dot last Tuesday night to chair his first meeting. The tall solicitor wants to bring some dignity and respect back to the position of mayor, and this was evident when aldermen, press and public were bade to stand as he made his entrance. Mr Field believes if he can gain the respect of his fellow aldermen, then this will flow back through them to the community. Meetings will be run much more tightly, but fairly with a strict observance of time limits.”
One of the highlights and an enduring legacy of Rodney’s term on Council was the establishment of ‘The Joan’. In September 1988 when he was Mayor, “… (he) announced that the new $4 million entertainment facility under construction in Penrith would be named the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. Dame Joan, a direct descendent of an early Penrith pioneering family, was reportedly delighted. “Ald Field said the name was a coup for Penrith and the centre, built for quality, not quantity would be a mecca for performers.””
In his Mayor’s Message for 1987, Rodney reflected on “… a year of dramatic growth and change in our city which has challenged Council to keep pace with the needs of our growing community. Our objective has always been for Penrith City to be unique and to cater for the many and diverse needs of its citizens. … During the year the establishment of a university at Werrington/Kingswood stands out as a major achievement. Work is to commence on the construction of this university in June 1988.”
Another highlight for Rodney as Mayor was being able to honour Dr Maurice Renshaw AM (1920-1999) on his retirement in about 1988. Rodney reflected in one of his later posts, “And it was while waiting at the Doctor’s newly rebuilt – and very flash looking – Renshaw Medical Centre just off Queen Street St Marys – that I decided to snap a shot of ‘Old Doc Renshaw’ himself on the wall – now passed on of course – who while no doubt having been admitted to Heaven with a good report – may well have had to explain to the Almighty – that he was the one responsible for ‘delivering Rodney Field into the world’ – and all the problems that’s caused. That’s right – he delivered me – 56 years ago. And it was a good 20 years ago too with that little baby having grown to become Mayor of the City that I was able to honour him with a Civic Reception and Dinner on his retirement, and I recall the enjoyment and pride of that great evening – he and his wife experienced”.
When Kevin Dwyer was elevated to Penrith’s Mayor in September 1988 after Rodney had completed his twelve-month term, Rodney sought leave of absence (some reports say this was for six months). However, he did not return and this led to rumours, intrigue and speculation. He was subsequently replaced in his seat in East Ward by Diane Beamer (who later became Deputy Mayor then Mayor in the early-1990s, before becoming a state politician between 1995 and 2011 including ministerial roles in the Carr and Iemma Governments).
In the months leading up to his departure, Rodney sold pretty much everything he owned, including his St Clair home, his Mount Druitt legal practice, his Peter Brock Commodore special motor vehicle, and a vintage motor bike. He kept his 15.3-meter ocean-going yacht called ‘Duke’ which he had built himself, and the vessel had undergone a heavy outfitting for a long voyage in the year before.
He had previously spoken to other aldermen about his dream of one day sailing around the world, though they did not think he was serious. His aspiration was fuelled when he attended a Bicentennial local government conference in Cairns that illustrated the appeal of sailing around the islands.
One newspaper picked up the story, commenting, “The mystery of the missing alderman has puzzled the far west of Sydney. The flamboyant former mayor of Penrith, Liberal alderman Rodney Field, disappeared the day after he lost the mayoralty almost nine weeks ago and has not been seen since. His mother and a few of his colleagues said he had told them he was going sailing but nobody knows where he is.”
Towards the end of 1988, Rodney sent a resignation letter together with a 40-minute cassette-taped audio message to the Council.
The tape begins, “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen one another and a long time since my voice has echoed through the council chamber.” He confirmed that he “… really did set sail the day after the mayoral election and took my yacht which was rigged and ready and set out and I have not turned back and even now I am heading further and further away”. He was “… sailing somewhere between heaven and hell on the high seas …”. He made particular mention of a trip he had previously made to the Keia Misu Temple in Japan, “The Japanese have a saying that when you make a decision that will radically change the direction of your life, you have jumped off Keia Misu. Well, that’s what I’ve done, jumped off Keia Misu.” He also addressed the mystery and intrigue surrounding his departure from Council reinforcing that he had “… done nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to which I hold any guilt …”, and “I know that you will probably never understand why I, who had so much, turned my back on it”. In terms of how he wanted to be remembered, Rodney commented, “I would like to think that people remember Rodney for the dedication he had, or for the energy and strength that I brought with me … there simply came a time in my life where I decided to totally change the direction that I was going”.
After three years of sailing, Rodney returned home for a while before his father Trevor Field passed away in August 1991 after a long illness. Trevor was buried with full police honours in a funeral attended by about 400 people, including the Police Commissioner Tony Lauer.
Rodney Field’s father Trevor Victor Field (1926-1991) was an exemplary local citizen in his own right. He lived in St Marys all his life having been born at Nepean Hospital. He joined the NSW Police Force in 1947 and rose through the ranks to the position of Chief Inspector in 1983. He retired in December 1986 when he turned 60 years of age.
At the time, another Nepean Valley exemplar, Tony Lauer, was the Commissioner of Police. Trevor reflected fondly on his friendship with the Commissioner, “Tony Lauer the present Commissioner of Police was assigned to me as a Probationary Constable to train when I was at Penrith”. Trevor mentioned a personal handwritten note the Commissioner had sent him in July 1991.
In response to media enquiries at the time of his father’s passing, Rodney stressed that he was in prime physical condition, had never felt better, didn’t have financial difficulties, hadn’t skipped town with his trust account, there were no criminal pressures, and no relationship hassles. He had simply changed the direction of his life.
10 fascinating facts about Rodney Field:
He has a proud heritage as a fifth generation St Marys man.
He was school captain of St Marys Primary School.
His star sign is Aquarius.
He is above average height at 1.93 metres (about 6 feet 4 inches) and solidly built (some reports suggested his height was 1.98 metres).
He was married for a brief time prior to 1987, with no children, and is divorced.
His main ambition at one stage in 1982 was to become Mayor of Penrith (which he achieved five years later).
He was Penrith’s youngest mayor (since amalgamation in 1949) when elected to the role in 1987 at the age of 34 years (David Bradbury later assumed the mantle as Penrith’s youngest mayor when he was elected to the role in 2000 at the age of 24 years).
One of his close allies on Council, Dr Malcolm Borland, described Rodney as having a lot of flair and style, and that he was very much larger than life.
He is a film buff, and especially admires the actor John Wayne who he cited as a major influence on his life.
When he was younger, he harboured a secret fantasy to spend the night alone in the King’s Chamber of Egypt’s Great Pyramid. Rodney Field’s ancestry is shown in exhibit 58-1.
Rodney Field would now be 71-years-old. His whereabouts are a mystery.
This article features in Bruce Turner’s book ‘Tears Near The Banks Of The Nepean’, released in 2024, and has been republished with the author’s permission.
