After the war, Alan established his career in banking and for many years was the manager of a large city bank. When he retired, he and his wife looked for the point on earth closest to heaven. They found it, iron­ically enough, as a place called Dead Finish on a remote corner of the lake system at Mallacoota.

At Dead Finish there are only two homes. The first was occupied, until his death, by George Dukes who operated the Melbourne shipyard of Orr and Duke until he too moved to a quieter more pacific life. Now George’s house is empty and close by Alan and Barbara’s wide-verandah- ed home looks across the lake which mirrors the warm forested hills.