General News
30 April, 2025
Early mornings and late nights part of Bill’s life as stock agent
Kenneth Walter (Bill) Toll 11-6-1931 - 5-4-2025 BILL Toll was a long-time stock and station agent who has been remembered for his commitment to farmers in the Boort district and involvement in the community. Born Kenneth Walter Toll at the Cohun...
Kenneth Walter (Bill) Toll
11-6-1931 - 5-4-2025
BILL Toll was a long-time stock and station agent who has been remembered for his commitment to farmers in the Boort district and involvement in the community. Born Kenneth Walter Toll at the Cohuna Hospital to parents Florence and Walter Toll in 1931, he was dubbed Bill by grandfather Eddie Toll two days later.
He grew up in Cohuna and later attended Echuca Technical School and entered boxing competitions to earn extra money. Bill’s first work after leaving school was at the family sawmill in Cohuna and he bought his first car, an old hearse before becoming a dairy farmhand and then a shearer in the eastern states.
He met Audrey, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1959, in Wangaratta. They married in 1962. Initially they lived in Bendigo, then moved to Jarklin where Bill continued being a shearing contractor.
Son Phillip in the eulogy at Bill’s funeral said that in 1963 his father gave away shearing to become a stock and station agent for Dalgety’s. This was offered to dad by Mr Tom Adams. He also bought the farm from him.
In 1972, the Tolls - Bill, Audrey and children Robyn, Roger, Phillip and Kerry - moved to Boort.
“His dream was to become a stock agent and was very pleased to move to Boort as he and mum agreed it would be a great place to raise a family,” Phillip said.
Bill worked for Dalgety’s, Victorian Producers Co-operative and lastly Elders.
“He enjoyed working with all his clients, near and afar,” Phillip said. “Our family remembers well, dad having many early mornings to market, and many late nights on the phone.
"He spent a lot of time on the phone to clients. In fact, we remember one birthday dad celebrated, a close family friend Hazel Buchanan made a birthday cake like a telephone. This was the busy life of Dad as a stock agent."
“Dad loved the hard work, being in the community and the challenge of the job. These were busy years, and all while running a farm on the side."
“There was little time for leisure but dad did enjoy his time on the Boort football club committee, involvement in the trots, auctioneering at the Amity Auction, being a steward at the Boort Show and was an active and proud member of the Boort bowls club.”
"Dad started playing bowls on a Thursday evening then progressed to pennant. He also had a keen interest in horses, owning a few over the years and enjoyed breaking in a number of horses also."
Bill retired from work at age 76 and with Audrey moved to Echuca in 2004.
"He loved Boort and respected the community that supported him and was reluctant to leave,” Phillip said.
They volunteered at the Red Cross op-shop and Bill continued bowling. Audrey pre-deceased Bill in 2019.
Read More: Obituaries