Dr Pigram, who grew up in Leeton shire and attended school here, has since gone on to achieve big things in the science and geology fields.

He was back in town this week as a guest speaker at Leeton's University of the Third Age meeting.

A geologist by trade, Dr Pigram has worked both in Australia and overseas including in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

After a long-spanning and successful career, he has "retired" as such, but is still involved in many important committees and organisations.

Dr Pigram is a member of the Australian Space Agency Advisory Board, the current chairman of both the federal government's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development.

Those are just some of his titles that he currently holds.

During his talk at the University of the Third Age meeting, Dr Pigram ran the group through his story, what he has learned along the way and much more, which was all condensed into only a short amount of time.

Dr Pigram has many fond memories of the shire and visits often with his wife, who is also from Leeton.

"I started my schooling at little school called Apostle Yard Bridge, which was out at Murrami ... my parents were share-farming with my uncle at that time," he said.

"Then I went to school primary and high school in Leeton.

"I went to the University of NSW after that, graduating with a degree in geology with honours."

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It was then he was recruited by a Commonwealth department and his career really started to build.

His story is one of hard work, but also fun along the way.

Dr Pigram wanted students making their way through their studies in Leeton today to know that the sky really is the limit, no matter where you might grow up.

"The opportunity is there if you want to take it," he said.

"I think it is about knowing what is possible.

The really big thing for me was in the NSW schools system (in year 9 and 10) they had careers advisors and they would come around and ask 'what do you want to do'? I didn't know.

"My parents were both labourers before they bought their own business, so I thought maybe banking.

"This careers advisor said 'no you're not doing that'.

"They and my parents encouraged me to explore my interests.

"Then I hit a couple of really good teachers at high school who also encouraged me to pursue some things and that led to geology and going to university to study that. You can do it."