Chaffey worked as a butcher, but his fortune started with a winning gamble on his horse "Mavis".
He became the owner of Moorara station in New South Wales, followed by Tapio, Culpaulin, Cuthero, Avoca.
He was the owner of several successful racehorses, including Caulfield Cup winners Manfred and Whittier, and in 1930 served as chairman of the Victoria Amateur Turf Club.
The lives of Ben and Laura are documented in a book by Louise Austin, Journey to Tobruk.
He liked a bet on his horses and on one occasion had a lot of money on one which ran a bad race.