Shepparton’s John and Agata ‘Ags’ Anderson are turning the page to a new chapter, leaving behind the familiar contours of their life in pursuit of oceanic dreams in Ocean Grove.
John’s journey began in Kyabram, born to Donald and Ivy Anderson.
He grew up with two sisters, Janet and Mary, and a brother, Stewart, and attended Haslem Primary School and then adjacent secondary college.
John’s academic efforts resulted in a commendable Year 12 result, but his ultimate goal remained out of grasp at that time.
“I finished Year 12 with a good score but not good enough to get into medicine, which was my aim,” John said.
Choosing to repeat Year 12 was a decision made with the desire to chase a dream of going into medicine—a decision his parents supported despite their practical advice.
“They tried to suggest that pharmacy was a good career—they were right—but they allowed me to go back and repeat the year, which I did,” he said.
That year brought with it not only an improvement in his academic scores but also a maturity and a deeper comprehension of the sciences that would serve him well in the future.
However, despite his efforts, he didn’t meet the criteria for medicine, leading him down an alternative path that he would grow to appreciate.
“I got into pharmacy and headed off to the Victorian College of Pharmacy in Parkville,” he said.
“After probably six months, I was happy with the friendship group, happy with the course and I never ever regretted doing pharmacy.”
The tapestry of John’s life is rich with stories of principled men, including his World War II veteran father and his father-in-law, an Italian immigrant who established a significant presence in the dairy farming industry.
It is clear that both his father and father-in-law left a strong imprint on John’s character and life philosophy.
However, it was in a local pharmacy in Kyabram that John met the person who would ultimately make the biggest impact on his life - his future wife, Agata Ciavarella.
Despite attending different schools, fate intervened to weave their stories together.
It was in the pharmacy where their relationship began to bud—a relationship that would flourish into a partnership both in life and business.
“In my pre-registration year, the year that I worked full time, we just had got a better connection; we both had grown up a bit,” John said.
After a trip to New Zealand, John’s return was marked by a swift proposal and marriage.
The couple’s professional life was a journey of mutual growth and ambition.
Starting from a modest pharmacy in Kyabram, their aspirations led them to Melbourne, Mildura and eventually to Shepparton, where they purchased the shares of a pharmacy bought by their friends Ron and Jenni Stone, who co-owned it with a man named Darcy Brennan.
And so, in 1979, the Andersons laid down their roots in Shepparton, a year that saw them not only take over the pharmacy but also prepare for the arrival of their first child.
“We scraped some money together to buy this little house in the south of Shepparton and took over the pharmacy,’ John said.
“We were able to turn the business around and put our own stamp on it even though we had a small baby.”
Their business prospered over the years, with Darcy Brennan eventually stepping back to allow the Andersons full ownership.
“So the business grew, and Darcy was gracious enough to allow me to buy him out after three years,” John said.
“He’s still a really close friend.”
John speaks of his early days in the profession with humility, acknowledging the growth he experienced from a shy individual to a community figure and a good listener—an essential trait for a pharmacist.
His sensitivity to the community he serves is reflected in his habit of reading the death notices daily, a practice that has helped him in his role as a funeral celebrant.
Despite receiving most of the acknowledgement, John attributes most of his success to Agata.
“In our situation, I’m the pharmacist, and you can’t own a pharmacy unless you’re a pharmacist,” he said.
“Ags has put as much time and effort into the pharmacy as I have, but because she’s not a pharmacist, her name isn’t up in lights, so to speak.”
Agata was the lifeblood of the shop’s customer-facing side.
“Ags was the front of the shop person, so involved with the staff, the displays, the stock buying, kind of the personality of the front of the shop,” John said.
However, the couple’s connection to the community extended beyond business, with Agata being involved with sporting activities at her children’s schools and John joining local community groups.
John later took his civic duty to the next level when he was elected as a councillor for the City of Shepparton.
He later made significant strides as president of the Shepparton Chamber of Commerce and Industry trading as the Greater Shepparton Business Network.
Thirty-nine years of dedication to their pharmacy ended in 2018 when they sold the business to Melvin Deo.
However, John’s passion for his profession didn’t waver.
“Five years later, I’m still there. I love being a pharmacist,” he said.
“Retiring from ownership is great because Ags and I chose to sell just because we could, not because we had to.”
This decision allowed them to explore new pursuits, though their plans were curtailed by the unforeseen global pandemic.
Nevertheless, they adapted and found comfort in a long-held dream.
“We’re currently building a home that is in Ocean Grove, where we’ve had a holiday house for 10 years.”
The couple has since poured their energy into this new project, drawing on their shared resilience and adaptability.
“We’re still very heavily committed to Shepparton at the moment, but that will come to an end,” John said.
“We’re not going to close the door on Shepparton because we have two daughters who live here.”
“Shepparton has been so good to us.”