About Us

Started by Bryne and Elizabeth Fowler in the early 1990's, today the tradition of EB Plumbing continues through their son Lee Fowler and his team of professional plumbers and gasfitters.

Bryne Fowler

I started my apprenticeship in 1972 at the age of 15 with Kevin Roberts who had a thriving business in the Doncaster / Templestowe area. After I completed my apprenticeship, I travelled for 12 months and then settled down to work for the Gas and Fuel for the next eight years where I learned to service all types of gas equipment such as gas cookers, space heaters and ducted heaters. Michael, who had gone to the same school, trade school, and the Gas and Fuel as me, decided it was time to start up a company together and so we started working for ourselves. We worked in a partnership with our wives for the next few years until the 1990’s when my wife and I started up a company of our own. My wife and I continued to run our partnership as we were raising our two boys, Jeffrey and Lee.

When Lee left school, he didn’t really know what career path to take. He was leaning toward joining the Air force but was not keen on signing up for 11 year to become a pilot. I was busy so I asked him to come and work for me while he decided what he wanted to do. He finished his apprenticeship with me and we have not looked back. I really enjoy working with Lee and just last year my wife and I offered him a share of the company.

I have had 5 apprentices complete their time with me and I am proud their achievements. They have all gone on to be competent and confident plumbers who now are self- employed.

A lot of our work is for builders who concentrate in extensions and renovations but we also do a lot of maintenance and repairs. Some of our clients have been regulars since my days of working with Michael over 20 years ago.

I still enjoy plumbing and i'm proud of being able to hand the business down to my son to carry on the tradition I started.

Elizabeth Fowler

I left school when I was 16 and worked in pharmacy for a few years then went back to school to do a receptionist course when I was 18. After I completed the year- long course, I was employed as a girl Friday for a screen printing company where there was a lovely lady, Mrs Adsed, who taught me how to be a bookkeeper. I was not to know it then, but it was a skill I would use for the rest of my working life.

Bryne and I have been together since we were both 14 years old. We travelled around Australia together when we were 20 and we were married in 1981 at the age of 23. We bought a house in Croydon and raised our children, Jeffrey and Lee.

We founded E.B. Plumbing in the 1990’s. Bryne does all the manual labour and I look after the invoices and paying of our suppliers. Up until the time when the GST came in, I kept a check on all accounts, receivable and payable, in a hand written ledger. I realized that life as I had known it was no longer going to be possible. It was time to learn how to use a computer and a computerized form of book keeping. I selected Quick Books and I am still learning some of the nuances of the program. It is lovely working from home although sometimes a little challenging when friends pop in assuming I can always stop for coffee and a chat. The up side was being home for the children. I was able to drop them off and pick them up from school and often could make myself available as a parent helper at school (and now at kindergarten with my grandchild).

Lee started his apprenticeship with E.B.. Plumbing at the end of year 12. It is delightful to have one of our children working with us and knowing when Bryne and I are ready to retire, the business we have worked so hard to build up into something we are proud of, will be in good hands.

Lee Fowler

After I finished high school I wasn't sure what I was going to do for my career. I considered the Air Force and thought about some other options, but there wasn't really a clear path. I decided to try plumbing with my dad and quickly started an apprenticeship. I really enjoyed the work and decided to make a career out of it. I slowly took more day-to-day responsibility from my father as time went on, he taught me how to quote work, invoice it and interact with customers. I'm really proud of the business he built and now that he has retired i'm able to take it forward into the next phase.