Michael John Moyes Cheshire died on Saturday, leaving a hole in the community which he once filled with constant efforts to help those around him.

A photographer by trade, Mr Cheshire grew up in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, thriving at school before enrolling in one of the world's first formal tertiary qualifications for photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

He married his wife Helen (Joy) Burow in 1968, leading to the birth of their two children James and Elizabeth in 1971 and 1972 respectively.

Mr Cheshire parlayed his skill behind the camera into a cadetship with The Age, before moving onto the Ministry of Tourism, where he acted as a senior photographer.

After working a number of roles across the next 30-odd years, including becoming a Justice of the Peace, Bail Justice and President of the Australasian Council of Justices' Associations, Mr Cheshire and his wife moved to the Hepburn Shire, living in Daylesford for a brief period before moving to Clunes.

Mr Cheshire's son James told The Courier he was very happy in Clunes, instantly falling in love with the region and wanting to contribute to the community however he could.

"He was always very connected to the community," James said.

"His community activity and want to always do what he could to help others was an ethos that he was brought up in and one that he passed on to his children and grandchildren."

Mr Cheshire would go on to serve as both a councillor and mayor of the Hepburn Shire Council in the early 2000s, cementing his commitment to the community.

In recent years, Mr Cheshire and Joy loved to spend time with their three grandchildren, Frankie, Wil and Max.

"He was a very devoted family man - both as a father and a grandfather to his three children and three grandchildren," James added.

The Cheshire family said they were thankful for the amount of support they had received since Michael's death and would like to thank everyone who has shared their kind words with them.

Mr Cheshire will be laid to rest on Thursday in a private ceremony due to COVID-19.

Thursday would have been his 75th birthday.

Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.