Don grew up locally on Brisbane’s Bayside, attended Birkdale State School and Iona College and has been an active participant in many local sports clubs. 

It is the lifestyle and opportunity of the Bayside community that led Don and his wife Mel to make their home in Alexandra Hills with their son Oscar.

Having obtained his Applied Science Degree and working as a Pathology Scientist, Don studied further and acquired a Law Degree.

These qualifications went alongside his work as a United Workers Union official on behalf of some of the lowest paid workers in Queensland