Albany 2026: Terry Eaton, the man behind building strong communities and inspiring younger generations

Years of mentoring, volunteering and leadership have made Terry Eaton a familiar face and guiding presence across Albany. From his decades-long work at the Police and Community Youth Centre to his volunteering at the local football and cricket clubs, the honorary freeman of the city has spent his life quietly shaping and positively impacting the community around him. He has called Albany home since 1995 when he and his family moved from Harvey. “I was working in Harvey as a police officer, and the superintendent here rang me,” Mr Eaton said. “The idea was that I’d be down here for a six-month trial to see if we could make it work — we loved it.” Best known for his long association with PCYC, Mr Eaton spent more than 20 years helping guide at-risk young people towards positive paths. As a former police officer, he understood the challenges facing youth, but it was his ability to connect, listen and lead by example that earned him widespread respect. Reflecting on his early days at PCYC, Mr Eaton said working with volunteers was one of the best parts. “PCYC was in a bit of a position at that time and it was lucky they had some really good volunteers,” he said. “Once I got here and got on the ground with them, we got a number of activities started straight away and it just took off.” Mr Eaton said building trust with the young members of the community was central to his work. “Basically, we work with young folk to get them to not be afraid of the uniform and be all open to talk to the kids to make sure they are OK,” he said. “We let them know that they might have gotten into trouble but its not the end of the world.” Mr Eaton said one of the highlights of his career at the PCYC was putting together a program for kids who didn’t attend school. “The success rate of that (the program) was outstanding,” he said. “They all got through, they all got jobs and got the life. “Every now and then I get a tap on my shoulder by one of them and I remember they were a little ratbag, but it’s always good to see them and I feel lucky to be apart of that. “I’m just so proud at what we’ve been able to produce.” Mr Eaton’s influence extends beyond youth work into the sporting world, having volunteered many hours across the football and cricket in the region. He has taken on many roles, including stints as president of the Albany and Districts Cricket Association, president of the Railways Cricket Club, and Great Southern Football League umpire co-ordinator. Currently serving as chairman of the GSFL, Mr Eaton said being involved in sport allowed for him to connect with many members of the Albany community. “It’s great to get across the clubs, and it’s been really good working with a lot of these people involved,” he said. “To work with volunteers along the way is very heartening,” he said. In recognition of Mr Eaton’s decades of service to the community, the City of Albany appointed him as an honorary freeman of the city in 2019. Mr Eaton said the honour came as a surprise to him, especially since he didn’t grow up in Albany. “I was taken aback when mayor (Dennis) Wellington rang me and asked me about. It really blew my socks off,” he said. “It’s just an honour to be recognised (as freeman of the city) for what I’ve done over the years and the amount of work that was done.” Looking ahead to the Albany 2026 bicentenary year, Mr Eaton said he was excited to be part of the events and to see what the city had to offer. “Two hundred years is a great celebration and I have been looking forward to it for the last two or three years — I must admit because of these really iconic events,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to see what Albany can showcase.”