Local community figure, Des Parker, is a journalist and author known for his extensive career spanning over 65 years.

Entirely self-taught, his career started in 1943 selling newspapers at the smelter’s gates for a penny and cumulated with 3 authored historical books in his name.

Des is best known for his column, the Nosey Parker, ran for 20 years in The Recorder newspaper, revealing some of the Pt Pirie’s scandalous secrets throughout the decades.

Des is now retired, although he remains a private historian for the town.