John is a Director of Otway Optical and enjoys making glasses that others say cannot be made.

John qualified in Optical Surfacing and Fitting from RMIT in 1992. He has worked in several corporate optical stores prior to Otway Optical in 2002.

John enjoys riding his motorcycles, both dirt and road bikes, as well as spending time with his wife and three sons.

Jodie is also Director of Otway Optical and is the Chief Financial Officer.
Jodie previously worked at Westpac Bank. She also helps at the store-front.

Leigh Plowman and his family moved to the Western District in 2012.

Leigh’s first eye examination was as a four year old. At the time, his parents noticed that he was distracted at kinder. His Optometrist found that Leigh needed glasses for longsightedness. He also successfully completed eye patching for a lazy eye.

Leigh chose to pursue Optometry as a career in order to put back into the profession. He graduated with a Bachelor of Optometry (Therapeutic Endorsement) from the University of Melbourne in 2006.

Following graduation, Leigh worked at Acuity Eyecare in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne until 2011.

Leigh joined Otway Optical in 2012 and enjoys forming relationships with the community.

Leigh likes to think of the eyes in context to you as a person, as a holistic approach to any eye problems.

In 2016, Leigh was featured in the Colac Herald in an article: 'Routine eye testing averts man's stroke'.

Leigh is a member of Optometry Australia and helps coordinate ongoing education meetings with Optometrists in Geelong.

Leigh is a keen cyclist. He also enjoys photography, online marketing and spending time with his young family.

Mary grew up in Colac. Her parents were local business owners.

Mary’s first eye test came in early High School. She sat up the back of the class and struggled to see the whiteboard. She was dianosed with myopia (short-sightedness).

in 2012, Mary received an offer for Deakin University Waurn Ponds’ new Optometry course. She deferred and took a gap-year. During uni, Mary had a reputation for having the most sensitive eyes in her cohort. She empathizes with those who also have sensitive eyes. She also likes to help those who may experience anxiety during eye tests.

Mary oversees the website development and management for Otway Optical, Eyesports, XplorRx, Cycling Glasses Australia, and a few other associated websites.

Mary has been part of the Colac City Band for many years. She is also an active member of Synergy Christian Church.

Mary is well-known for her terrible puns and dad jokes.

B Optom Melb Therapeutics Endorsed

Jason is an experienced optometrist who completed his externship in Canada and has worked throughout his career in Ballarat & Geelong. He is dedicated to providing a holistic approach to suit your visual needs and eye health.

Jason has a keen interest in glaucoma, macula degeneration, dry eye management and myopia control.

Kathryn has over 14 years optical experience, previously working at Vision Crest in Colac. Kathryn qualified with Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing from RMIT in 2005. Kathryn enjoys helping everyone from children to adults. Kathryn enjoys spending time with her young family, including camping and walking.

Jacqui loves finding a great looking frame for each person she meets.

Jacqui started working at Otway Optical in 2016.

Jacqui grew up on a dairy farm in South Purrumbete. She attended high school in Camperdown to Year 12.

Jacqui has experience of more than eighteen years in Healthcare, including Practice Management.

She enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons.

Deb started at Otway Optical in 2016

Tamara has several years optical experience, previously working at Eyewear on Pako in Geelong.

Tamara loves helping children adjust to wearing first time glasses. She has received many chocolates from clients over the years.

She graduated in 2011 with Bachelor of Forensic Science from Deakin University.

Tamara enjoys spending time with her husband Glenn and her two children. She also enjoys gardening, painting and drawing.

Shane started in Manufacturing in Sola Optical in 1997, following a previous mechanical employment history.

Working in a Laboratory Environment, Shane has over 10 years experience in general lens fitting, 5 years in Wrap-around lens fitting and 3 years in Rimless lens fitting. Shane was also Backup Team Coordinator at Carl Zeiss Vision in the Stock Lens Line.

Shane holds a St John Ambulance First Aid Certificate and CPR/Defibrillator certification.

Shane’s interests include Photography and Custom Photo Framing, Riding and Working on Motorcycles, Home Renovation, Gardening, Welding and Volunteering for RSPCA.

Heidi started at Otway Optical/Eyesports in 2021

Mitch started his Optical Technician traineeship at Otway Optical/Eyesports late 2022.

Anne commenced her position at Otway Optical mid-2023.