Col Withers was born in the Tumut district in south west NSW. His father, a returned serviceman, took up a war service lot in the Willigobung closer settlement estate at Courabyra, NSW in 1951.
Courabyra is in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains. The family farmed the property and were on the land until at least 1974.
The property was in a remote location and young Colin received his secondary education at the Yanco Agricultural College, in the Riverina district. It was here that he came to prominence as a rugby league player.
Col Withers (L) and John O’Bryan (R) sandwich Mal Reilly (Manly)
