Nigel Dick, Founding Patron of Odyssey House Victoria passed away peacefully yesterday morning.

In 1978, on discovering that one of his sons was addicted to heroin, Nigel visited Odyssey House in New South Wales with a view to opening a similar organisation in Victoria.

With the tenacity of someone who worked at the highest levels of the Australian television industry, Nigel formed an Odyssey for Victoria Committee and attracted the support of some of the state’s and nation’s eminent business, community, sporting and entertainment leaders.

In 1979, the committee approached the Victorian Premier, Rupert (Dick) Hamer who provided financial support from which the disused seminary at Lower Plenty was purchased and so Odyssey House Victoria’s Therapeutic Community was formed.

Nigel stepped down from the Odyssey House board in 2014 having given 35 years of service to the organisation that he loved so much. Odyssey House would not be what it is today without the foresight and tenacity of Nigel. Our thoughts are with his wife, Bev, and his children Deb, Garry and Richard at this time. RIP Nigel.