Hugh Wiblin’s passion for the environment and his practical nature make him ideally suited to his job as the general maintenance supervisor of the Sardinia Bay Golf & Wildlife Estate.
Born in Grahamstown, the estate’s “Mr Fix-It” comes from a farming background, while he did an apprenticeship as an electrician after finishing his national military service in the 1980s.
He also has extensive experience of game-catching, which helps him to manage the wildlife on the estate.
In February, 2017, Wiblin was asked to assist with the laying of fibre optic cables on the developing Sardinia Bay estate and gradually became more involved in maintenance issues, which led to his official appointment in July last year.
Now his job encompasses a wide range of duties to ensure the residents are kept happy and that the estate lives up to its position as one of the best lifestyle options in Port Elizabeth.
“I am involved in many aspects of the estate and basically I am on 24-hour standby for anything that needs attention,” says Wiblin.
“This involves making sure the security is up to speed in terms of what we offer, the animals are cared for and to maintain the beautification of the estate.
“For example, recently the sewer plant was giving problems, so it was my duty to attend to that.”
Wiblin operates with a team of five employees which, he says, may seem to spread them thinly on the 110-hectare estate.
“But it’s a team I am very comfortable with because I prefer to keep it small and tight. That way I feel we can work much more effectively and efficiently.”
He is, however, also able to bring in outside contractors to assist with certain projects if necessary.
For Wiblin, a secure lifestyle at the estate is one of their priorities and he constantly checks his operations to maintain their effectiveness.
“One of the things we improved was to increase the number of security guards at night and this is a great asset for the estate,” he says.
“We want Sardinia Bay to be the number one estate in Port Elizabeth and there has to be a sense of serenity through top-rate security.
“We also promote the freedom aspect as our residents and their children must have peace of mind when they walk around the estate.
“The emphasis is on the perfect lifestyle because people want to live in a relaxed environment with no harassment or hassles.”
Beautifying the estate and creating capital improvements loom large in Wiblin’s thinking.
“Enhancing the look of the development is a priority,” he said. “Over time, we have done a lot of re-landscaping, fixed up the ponds on the golf course and planted more trees.
“Ultimately we are looking to create a well-treed estate and that’s an idea many residents have bought into by adding trees to their plots.”
With a wide-ranging brief, Wiblin uses his own initiative to add value to the estate.
“For instance, we have created the dog park where residents can take their animals off the leash.
“We have also opened up trails so residents can enjoy some exercise in nature and set up hides for avid birdwatchers.
“While there is a greater landscaping plan, I am always looking at ways in which we can improve things.
“The estate is number one in my heart and it’s my job to ensure that it measures up to the high-quality development we all want it to be.”