Hi Ned, you are a well-known local artist. Can you tell us a little about your journey as a painter?
I started painting at school. I’ve been working with Tobias Richardson at Lot 19 for the past three years. It’s the most fun part of my week.
He’s taught me how to do things in the right spot and how to hold the brush right. My painting are bigger now and more complex, like the one from the film clip, Welcome to the Jungle.
Toby and I like lots of music; like rock from the 60s to the 90s, and I like painting famous musicians like the Spice Girls.
People ask me to paint for them, like James who makes coffee at the train station, he asked me to paint David Bowie. I painted The KLF too and sold it to Dan Kelly, who is the nephew of Paul Kelly and a musician.
You’ve had two exhibitions of your work in 2022 and 2023 didn’t you?
One at Lot 19 called the Big Reveal and one at the Taproom called Revolution of Music. I sold a lot of paintings and I’m having another one in January next year in the library foyer.
Your house is full of your incredible paintings, including one of Britney Spears and another of a scene from Bollywood. There’s also a lot of medals hanging in your front window. Can you tell us about those?
I did my certificate two at the Seven Turns Studio in Bendigo, which is closed now, and I danced with Emotion 21 for three years and won medals. I went to India in 2016 with my mum and a dance crew from Melbourne. I’m really flexible. I was born that way. I can do the splits and put my leg over my head.
And you’ve worked at the Taproom for two years now?
On Tuesdays it’s bottling day and there’s a conga line of beer bottles. You have to be careful they don’t fall off. On Fridays I work in the kitchen preparing food.
You also have a show on Main FM with Able Radio on Fridays at 1pm. What’s the show about?
Jakob and I do that on Wednesdays. We talk about movies, songs and bands. The last film we talked about was Barbie and we did a bunch of films called Home Alone. And I’m doing special show with Simon about my favorite show in the world, Glee. It’s called Songs In the Key of Glee.
You moved to Castlemaine when you were 11 and went to Castlemaine North, Winters Flat, Steiner and spent the last two years at Bendigo Senior. What were you like at school?
I got into a little bit of mischief, hiding things.
And you’ve been living independently since you were 21 years old, first in a flat in the backyard at your mum’s and then with housemates. How old are you now?
28.
What other interests do you have?
I like Doctor Who and I play drums and keyboard.
What sort of music do you like listening to?
There’s a lot. I like David Guetta and the Black Eyed Peas. I’d like to see them both in concert but not together. I’ve seen Pseudo Echo at the Theatre Royal with my support worker, Jakob, and I’ve seen Jessica Mauboy and I met Christine Anu in 2011.
Who would your dream dinner guests be?
I’d like to have a girlfriend. Paula Abdul, Britney Spears, Shakira, Selena Gomez. I could talk about Aboriginal stuff with Christina Anu and Jessica Mauboy.
One of the McGrath Foundation’s most dedicated supporters, Dr Prabodh Malhotra, stopped over in Castlemaine on Wednesday on his inspirational walk from Melbourne’s MCG to the Sydney Cricket Ground.
This is the second year that the 72-year-old has embarked on the arduous journey to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation to boost their pool of vital Breast Care Nurses.
Dr Malhotra began his 1325 kilometre trek on October 29 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
On Tuesday this week he walked the 25 kilometres from Daylesford to Guildford where he was warmly welcomed by locals celebrating the Melbourne Cup at the local hotel before being offered a hot shower and a place to park his van for the evening.
Dr Malhotra caught up with the Mail when he reached Castlemaine at lunchtime on Wednesday enjoying a cuppa and a chat at the Hot ‘n’ Crusty Bakery.
The retired economist has been living in Melbourne for more than 40 years and says he wanted to give something back to the community.
The fundraiser said that he has heard many touching stories of those impacted by the disease through McGrath Foundation events and along his journey.
“This country has given me a beautiful life, and now it is my turn to give something back. I am so pleased to have this opportunity to make a small contribution to such a noble cause,” said Malhotra.
Prabodh raised $73,000 for the foundation in 2022 and hopes to smash his $100,000 target in 2023. He has once again meticulously planned every aspect of the walk and recruited friends and family to act as his support team along the way.
Prabodh’s inspirational journey between two legendary cricket grounds aims to shine a spotlight on the importance of fundraising for McGrath Breast Care Nurses to assist the foundation in reaching its goal of 250 nurses by 2025.
He is scheduled to arrive at the Sydney Cricket Ground on day one of the NRMA Insurance Pink Test on Wednesday January 3, 2024.
“It was such as special moment last year. I was joined on the final leg by the Big Three Trek team fellow fundraisers walking from Allianz Stadium to the Pink Village, and was received outside the SCG by Glenn McGrath and the Premier Dominic Perrottet.
“This year I am taking a different, longer and more challenging route in a bid to stop at more regional centres and boost awareness and my fundraising efforts,” he said.
McGrath Foundation Ambassador & Director, Tracy Bevan said Prabodh’s journey is not only a gesture of solidarity but is also a powerful call to action to support those affected by breast cancer.
“Generous support from an everyday Australian like Prabodh is always special, but the fact he’s chosen to do something so extraordinary is truly incredible. Prabodh’s fundraising generosity will help us get closer to our goal of ensuring no one misses out on the care of a breast care nurse and we couldn’t be more grateful,” Tracy said.
At an age where many retirees are slowing down, Prabodh’s 66 day journey will see him stopover in Bendigo today, followed by Echuca, Deniliquin, Wagga Wagga and Goulburn in mid December. He will then journey to Mittagong, Picton, Liverpool, and Canterbury before his arrival at the SCG.
To donate and support Prabodh’s fundraising efforts click here.
For the latest updates on his walk visit his blog page
The award-winning documentary Gravel Road, depicting the debut tour of rock band The Desert Stars, will be screening at the Theatre Royal this Sunday followed by a live performance by the band.
The Indigenous four-piece, whose music fuses traditional Aboriginal culture with western rock ’n roll, navigate the drama and excitement of their journey through outback Western Australia, taking the viewer with them across some of the loneliest roads on the driest continent on the planet.
Gravel Road is essentially a character study of Desert Stars’ front-man Jay Minning, whose engaging presence guides viewers into the drifting culture of Spinifex Country situated in Western Australia’s Great Victoria Desert and nurtures a number of Indigenous communities, including the band’s community, ‘Tjuntjuntjara’, and call its vast and remote surrounds, home.
Minning said he had wanted to play guitar since he was a little boy and even though he didn’t know how to play guitar, the music was in him.
“I don’t know where it come’s from, but it somehow generates in me and makes me want to….dance.
“For me it’s a big thing. Going out there and performing music out loud, it proves how strong we are.”
Directed by Tristan Pemberton, who shares credit for the film with the Tjuntjuntjara Community, Gravel Road won Best Documentary Feature at Poppy Jasper Film Festival in California and Best Road/ Tour Movie at Sound on Screen Music Film Festival in South Africa.
The film made its Australian premiere in Margaret River, WA at Cinefest Oz on late last year, followed by a surprise live performance by The Desert Stars. The band received so many calls for encores it ran out of songs.
“What an utter privilege it’s been to collaborate with singer-songwriter Jay Minning and the community of Tjuntjuntjara in the making of Gravel Road,” Pemberton said.
“Every journey changes you, and this one left an indelible mark on all participants in the true spirit of ngapartji-ngapartji (reciprocity).
It was all made possible because of Jay’s incredible passion to share his remarkable life, culture and Spinifex history through music,” he said.
Catch Gravel Road followed by a live performance from The Desert Stars – Sunday November 12 from 3pm at the Theatre Royal Castlemaine. Visit www.theatreroyalcastlemaine.com.au/events/special-event-gravel-road to purchase tickets.
