Community
9 May, 2025
Remembering Peter 'Snake' Stephens
COMMUNITY and sporting groups across Camperdown are mourning the loss of stalwart Peter Stephens – affectionately known as ‘Snake’ – whose friendly and warm personality will be missed by all.
Mr Stephens, who died last Saturday, was a member of the Camperdown Country Fire Authority (CFA) brigade, the Camperdown Football Netball Club, the Leura Oval Committee of Management (LOCOM), the Hampden Tennis Association and the St Pat’s Tennis Club.
Camperdown Football Netball Club junior vice president Peter Conheady said Mr Stephens’ involvement with the club spanned seven decades, with his parents also being life members of the football club.
“Snake, being the youngest of four boys, had his three older brothers all played for Camperdown – he didn’t have much choice from a young age, I imagine, other than to be dragged along to the footy every week and that’s where his love of the Magpies started to blossom,” he said.
“He then went on and made his senior debut for Camperdown at the age of 16 – he went on to have a senior career that included 147 games.
“In amongst those 147 games were three grand final appearances which resulted in senior premierships in 1968 and 1970, and he was a member of our runners-up side in 1974.
“Partway through the 1975 season, his career came to a pretty abrupt halt with a very nasty break to his leg – that was the end of his playing days.
“On top of that, he also had a small stint down at Fitzroy in the VFL, where he played a few reserve-grade matches – included in one of those was one of the very first ever game of football played at VFL Park in Waverley.”
Following the end of his playing career, Mr Stephens coached Camperdown Football Club’s junior side during previous under-14 carnivals held at the showgrounds on Saturday mornings.
He also coached the under-18 team in 1998, while volunteering his time as a water boy in 1999 during a volunteer shortage.
“Peter’s contribution to our club over such a long period of time was recognised back in 2010 when he was awarded life membership of our organisation, and even more recently prior to round one this year he was awarded our number one ticket holder status for Season 2025,” Mr Conheady said.
“To be only four rounds into the season and to lose our number one ticket holder is devastating.”
Mr Conheady said Mr Stephens was among the inaugural members of LOCOM in 2001, chairing the committee since 2003 and overseeing a variety of improvement works over his 25-year term.
“They maintain the oval, they maintain the netball courts, mark the lines, cut the grass – just all the general cleaning and upkeep on a week-to-week basis, but on top of that they’re integral in any of the major improvements we try and achieve at the grounds,” he said.
“Snake, being a builder by trade, he was the primary building contractor on a volunteer basis who built our changerooms which were opened in 2007.
“In 2010, we opened our function centre which was constructed by Murray Lucas Builders. Snake again was integral there – helping at working bees and on weekends under the guidance of Murray Lucas, the primary contractor, and donated a lot of time to help us construct that facility.
“Then there were all the other improvements around the ground such as the construction of the second netball court, the digital scoreboards, the digging of the bores so we can water the grounds, the nets up behind the goals, the new goalposts – any of those improvements that have occurred over the past 25 years have all happened under the watchful eye of Snake as the chairman of the ground.
“His input at the oval and around our club has just been immense over such a long period of time.”
Mr Stephens was also a long-term member of the Camperdown CFA brigade, signing up on May 29, 1967 and serving for 57 years.
He was named a life member of the brigade in 2012 and was also awarded with a life membership for the organisation.
Camperdown CFA brigade secretary, treasurer and communications officer Bernie Sinnott said Mr Stephens served as the brigade captain for 25 years – from 1987-2004 and again from 2008-2016 – and was on the management team for 41 years.
“He got a gold star from the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria and he got a national service medal from the Country Fire Authority in recognition of his service,” he said.
“In 2016, he received a commendation from the Country Fire Authority for his service as a fireman.
“He will be sorely missed at the fire station because, on a number of occasions, if anything needed to done Peter was always the first one on hand to do it – like lawns and hedges and looking after the station.
“He provided invaluable service to the citizens of the town of Camperdown – always ready, able and on call – and led the brigade with great distinction.”
Mr Conheady said Mr Stephens would be missed around Camperdown.
“Snake was one of those characters where you’d have to drive a long way to find someone that had a bad word to say about him,” he said.
“He was someone who always said hello to everyone, whether you were the senior ruckman or a little under-12 netballer.
“He’d always say hello with that cheeky smile that he had, and I think for that people just warmed to him because he was a friendly, smiley, open character everyone got on with.
“Most importantly, his greatest love was his family, and we know they’re going to miss him the most.”
Mr Stephens is survived by his wife Sandra and children and children-in-law Shane and Sarah, Troy and Emily, and Glenn.
He was also a beloved grandfather to nine.
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