Diocesan Leadership Team

As well as the Bishop up to six other clergy serve on the Diocese’s leadership team.

Brian Kirk

Vicar-General

Brian is a son of the Diocese having grown up at Warialda. He has a number of academic qualifications, including a Master of Ministry from St. Mark’s in Canberra (Charles Sturt University). His ministry experience is varied having served in a number of parishes across the Diocese, including Guyra, Ashford-Delungra, Manilla and more recently Moree. Prior to becoming Vicar of Moree in 2007, Brian served as the CEO of the Diocese’s Counselling Service for five years. Apart from being a member of the Diocesan leadership team since 2007, firstly as the Archdeacon of the Barwon, and now as the Vicar-General. In January 2015 Brian was inducted as the Vicar of Uralla. Brian was Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anglican Council from 2008 to 2012.

He is married to Sharon and they have five sons. Away from ministry, Brian enjoys his family, sport, gardening, fishing, reading and growing in his relationship with Jesus.

Darrell Parker

Archdeacon of the Peel

Darrell grew up in regional New South Wales and came to Armidale Diocese after training at Moore Theological College. Before entering college, Darrell graduated with a science degree from Macquarie University in Sydney and held a number of ministry positions in Sydney, mostly among youth. He served first as Deacon-in-Charge at Walcha, before leading the Parishes of Boggabilla and Tenterfield. He was appointed Archdeacon of the MacIntyre in 2004 and held that position until appointed the Vicar of the University of New England Chapel in early 2012, when he also became Archdeacon of New England. In November 2016 Darrell was inducted as the Vicar of West Tamworth and was also appointed at that time by the Bishop to be the Archdeacon for the Peel.

He is married to Elizabeth and they have four children. When not ministering Darrell enjoys tinkering on various projects, watching his beloved AFL team, riding his bike and hanging out with his family.

Geoff Hearne

Archdeacon of the New England

Before commencing training for the ministry at Moore Theological College in 1989, Geoff worked as an optometrist having graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1984. After serving as a curate at West Tamworth between 1993 and 1995, Geoff became Vicar of Lightning Ridge in 1996 and ministered there until appointed Vicar of Quirindi in 2000. He was appointed Archdeacon of the Namoi in 2008 and relinquished that role in early 2017 to become the Bishop’s Assistant and Archdeacon of the New England.

Geoff and his wife, Catherine, have four children. When not involved in ministry, Geoff likes to spend time with his wife and family, read books and relax watching movies.

Adam Draycott

Archdeacon of the MacIntyre

Adam grew up in Sydney’s west. Before entering Sydney Missionary and Bible College (SMBC) to train for the ministry he worked in various property-related roles, including as a property valuer in central Victoria. Upon graduating from SMBC, Adam was ordained and moved to Gunnedah where he served as an assistant between 2007 and 2009. He became the Vicar of Barraba in 2010 and remained there until the end of 2014. It was during this period that he also served as the Diocesan Youth Encourager. In early 2015 he was inducted as the Senior Minister in the Inverell Parish and a little later accepted the Bishop’s invitation to become the Archdeacon for the MacIntyre.

Adam is married to Tanya and they have two children. He loves watching his children play soccer, going on long walks with his family, spending time at the gym and chasing vermin.

Simon Waller

Archdeacon of the Barwon

Simon left the coast to study at the University of New England where he majored in botany and plant pathology. It was during this time that he “fell in love with the north west, Jesus and then a girl from the region, in that order.” Before entering Moore Theological College in 1990 Simon worked as an industrial chemist and also for two and a half years with the Anglican Youth Department in Sydney (now Youthworks) in its school camping ministry.

Within the Diocese he first served as a Deacon-in-training in the Uralla Parish before moving to Moree as a curate and assistant. He has served as the Vicar of Boggabri (1996-2005) and Warialda (2005-2020), and he is now the Vicar of Gunnedah (2020-). Simon now also serves as the Archdeacon of the Barwon having been appointed to this role in early 2015.

He is married to Jenny and they have four children. He likes to keep sane and relax by attempting to grow anything he can find from seed, cutting up wood and putting it back together and making wooden model ships (that take three years to build). He also has a love of reading, anything from fantasy novels to theology and apologetics.

Bernard Gabbott

Archdeacon of the Namoi

Bernard grew up in a number of places, as the son of a ministry and missionary family. He completed his high-schooling in Sydney, an Arts degree at the University of New South Wales (1997), a PhD (Political Science) at the University of New England (2003), and a Bachelor of Theology at Moore Theological College (2007). In that time, he also worked at St Mark’s Chapel (UNE), on shearing teams and properties in the New England, in politics, and, after theological training, back on farms on the Liverpool Plains.

In 2010, he was ordained and took up an Assistant Vicar’s position in Wee Waa. In 2012 he became the Vicar of Wee Waa Anglican Church and served there through to 2019. Bernard is currently the Vicar of Narrabri (2019-). Bernard has also served on the Diocesan Commission for Education and Discipleship and as a member of Diocesan Council.

Bernard is married to Anita and they have four children. In his spare time, he reads books and he definitely enjoys his family and being outside.