My Castlemaine: HR manager, Rotarian and tap dancer, Lyn Ellery

Castlemaine's Lyn Ellery tells journalist Eve Lamb what she loves most about the place she calls home,,,

G’day Lyn. Well I’m here talking to you at Castlemaine Secondary College where you work. What is it you do here?
I’m HR manager.
That sounds demanding.
It can be. But I like my job. It’s good. There’s never a dull moment. It’s always busy.
How long have you lived in this local community Lyn? You are a Castlemaine resident aren’t you?
Yes. I’ve lived here all my life. Grew up at Harcourt North and then moved to Castlemaine, and I live at Campbells Creek now. So I’ve been in this district all my life.
And you are also very well known here through your work with Castlemaine Rotary where, up until very recently, you were club president weren’t you?
I was president but that finished on June 30th, so now I’m community director. I’m still involved on the board and doing things to support the community in different ways. We get submissions from community groups for funding support with events or barbecues and it’s just coordinating those. We meet once a month as the board and then we go through what we’ve received for the month and decide how we will support the groups.
How long have you been a member of Rotary?
Eight years.
What drives you to contribute that sort of commitment?
I like to be busy. I think we should give back to the community. The community supports us in our work and our living. There’s lots of needy groups out there that need support and it’s good to be part of a group that has the same drive to support the community and I really enjoy Rotary.
Right. It’s quite social as well isn’t it? A good way to make some new friends?
Yes. It’s a great group of people. One of the members has organised a train trip to Maldon – the Murder on the Orient Express run. We’ve been given a special night just for Rotary.
Sounds like fun. Will you all be in period costume?
Well we can be. Yes. We do lots of social things.
And the art show that Rotary recently staged raised a lot of money didn’t it?
Yes. It was about $20,000. It will go towards the community events that we support and then we do support overseas things as well.
It’s polio eradication that Rotary focuses on isn’t it?
Yes. That’s Rotary’s thing. There’s only one or two cases in the world now.
Any other community involvements for you Lyn, besides Rotary?
I’m treasurer of the Castlemaine Uniting Church. I have been that for about eleven years. I have organised a Biggest Morning Tea here (Castlemaine Secondary College) for the last ten years.
Any other particular areas of interest?
I go to Bendigo every week and learn tap dancing.
That sounds like a lot of fun. How long have you been doing that?
I’ve probably been tap dancing for 16 or 17 years.
You must be pretty good.
I don’t know about that. But I enjoy it. I started off learning from Stan Munro. He was in Les Girls. And then David Watson. David and I have busked in the street at times. Haven’t done that since COVID though.
What are you reading at the moment?
Origin by Dan Brown. I like Dan Brown. He and Wilbur Smith are my favourite authors.
And music… What’s your genre or artists of choice?
I like a wide range of music.,, classical, musical, theatre stuff.
Do you have any philosophies by which you like to lead life?
I believe that if you’re given an opportunity to do something you should take it. I think these opportunities are given to you for a reason so I think you should go for it.
Sounds like solid advice. OK, any pet peeves?
I’m going to say graffiti and vandalism. It’s senseless.
Three dream dinner guests?
Hugh Jackman and Jock Zonfrillo from Master Chef – the guy in the kilt. and the Queen because she’s just an amazing person.
That would make for an interesting combination! So just finally, Lyn, what do you enjoy most about where you live?
It’s a good community. It’s very diverse. It’s amazing the people who live here. We have guest speakers at Rotary each week and it’s always amazing, the guest speakers we have who live in this community.

Brazen theft of much loved e-bike leaves locals on lookout for hoody-wearing man

The stolen electric bicycle looks similar to this. Photo: Supplied.

The brazen theft of a much loved red electric bike in broad daylight in Castlemaine last week highlights the need for bike and scooter users to take extra care to ensure their wheels are well secured when not in use, police say.
“It’s pretty distressing. It was my beautiful means of transport and I loved that red bike,” said distressed e-bike owner Castlemaine local Serna Everill whose electric bicycle was pinched.
Serena’s $4000 red Juiced electric bicycle was stolen from where she had left it beside the Castlemaine Community House last Wednesday afternoon.
Serena has momentarily left her e-bike, which she had owned since 2000, against a fence between the local Community House in Templeton Street and the adjacent car park – very close to the Castlemaine police station.
It didn’t take long before some eye witness reports came forward including a report of a tallish male wearing a hoody who was reportedly seen making off with the bike at about 1.30pm that day.
“It was completely brazen,” says Serena who reported the incident to police.
“It sounds like it was a tallish bloke with a beard and a hoody who was seen at about 1.30pm, and then another person reported seeing him at about 1.50pm heading down Johnstone Street.
The Mail contacted Castlemaine police to ask how common bike thefts are in the community and was quickly told they happen regularly.
“It’s something that goes on all the time – bike and scooter thefts,” a Castlemaine police member said.
“Quite often people leave their bikes out not locked up because they are trusting and my advice is not to be so trusting. Be wary. It’s different now to what it was 10 to 20 years ago.
“It’s the same with people leaving their cars unlocked. We get a lot of thefts from motor cars which happen because people have been trusting and left their car unlocked.
“My advice is definitely lock up your bike if possible. If it’s after dark leave it in a well lit area. Leave it in front of a CCTV camera if possible.
“Don’t leave it unlocked out on the footpath, make sure it is secure, and if you’re riding to work I’d be putting it inside out of view.
Anyone with information about the stolen red Juiced e-bike is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers, something which can be done anonymously on 1800 333 000.
“What I would love is for people to look out for my red bike,” Serena said.

Castlemaine Secondary College netballers shine at regional competition

The Castlemaine Secondary College Year 9/10 netball squad are proudly pictured at the recent tournament.
The Castlemaine Secondary College Year 9/10 netball squad are proudly pictured at the recent tournament.

Castlemaine Secondary College is delighted to report that their Year 9/10 Girls netball side recently blitzed their rivals in the Loddon Mallee region Netball Tournament in Bendigo to secure a berth in the State Finals to be played at Waverley on September 5.
CSC sports coordinator Brendan O’Donnell congratulated their students which included Paige Langley, Kyla Byrne, Sarah McLean, Maddison Clifford, Maybel Krasner, Olivia and Charli Henderson.
“The team showed great chemistry and skill to their advantage, defeating the likes of Swan Hill College, St Augustine’s College and Marist to advance to the next stage of competition,” Mr O’Donnell said.
“They where supported throughout the day by Mrs Black, Miss Colquhoun and one of our Year 11’s Emma Giddings. They are a very driven team and I have no doubt will represent the college proudly as they take on the very best across Victoria,” he said.
Best of luck to the side as they take the next step in September!

Join the vigil for our homeless during Homelessness Week

Community members are invited to attend a vigil next Thursday afternoon, August 4 to honour those who are homeless and further galvanise the community action happening locally to address the housing crisis.
The event coincides with Homelessness Week (August 1-7) an annual national event used to raise awareness of homelessness and its impacts and the broader and deeper systemic changes needed to address it.
Homelessness Week is coordinated by Homelessness Australia and this local vigil is being coordinated by the My Home Network (MHN) and Dhelkaya Community Health Housing Team to highlight how this issue impacts those in our local community.
Dhelkaya Community Health housing services manager Purdy Buckle said on any given night 64 community members are homeless in Mount Alexander Shire.
“More than 250 families are seeking support for housing crisis, there is a shortfall of around 100 diverse, safe and affordable rental homes,” Ms Buckle said.
“Our shire needs at least around 687 social housing units and far more crisis and transition housing to meet current demand. Currently there is only one motel room for crisis housing,” she said.
“Homelessness and the risk of homelessness can profoundly affect a person’s mental and physical health, education, employment opportunities, connection to community and their ability to fully participate in society,” Ms Buckle said.
Everyone is invited to attend the vigil at the Castlemaine Market Building on August 4 from 4pm-5pm and hear about the local housing supports and how we can increase crisis, transition and longer term affordable housing in our shire.
My Home Network is a collaboration of community and government organisations, community members and lived experience of homelessness formed in response to increasing concerns about the lack of affordable, safe, secure, sustainable and appropriate housing in Mount Alexander Shire. It is coordinated by Central Victorian Prevention and Population Health of Bendigo Health.
For more information about MHN and the love push to create more affordable housing email CarolynNeilson@bendigohealth.org.au

Evacuation Mapping Workshop to offer insights into bushfire management at Chewton

Dr Dhirendra Singh (left) and representatives from RMIT, CSIRO, Mount Alexander Shire Council, the CFA and key stakeholders are pictured at the Evacuation Mapping workshop last Monday.
Dr Dhirendra Singh (left) and representatives from RMIT, CSIRO, Mount Alexander Shire Council, the CFA and key stakeholders are pictured at the Evacuation Mapping workshop last Monday.

Mount Alexander Shire Council and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) hosted a workshop with key stakeholders from the Chewton community and RMIT and CSIRO researchers to discuss Evacuation Mapping for the region last week.
The round table discussion at the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens Tea Rooms was part of a broad ‘Community Based Bushfire Management’ program that the CFA are initiating in Chewton with a focus on enhancing disaster resilience.
This is a community-led, place-based approach to risk reduction that is part of the Victorian Government’s Safer Together program.
The workshop looked at an evacuation scenario in the township in the event of a bushfire on a day of extreme weather, what traffic would do and how the community would respond.
The modelling is being led by RMIT principal research fellow Dr Dhirendra Singh and Dr Erica Kuligowski an expert on modelling human behaviour in mass evacuation events.
Dr Singh said the workshop looked at a very specific scenario being an extremely hot Friday afternoon in February, where there were children in attendance at Chewton Primary, families at the local pool and lots of visitors at the popular swimming spot at Expedition Pass Reservoir. This scenario was co-designed with community input and local knowledge.
“We discussed what would happen if there was a fire in the landscape, how weather conditions would impact this and how traffic would respond in an emergency. We also looked at what would happen if a tree came down or there was an accident on one of the main roads and how this might impact the evacuation of the township,” Dr Singh said.
The RMIT and CSIRO team will now go away and collate all the data to create a computer model of the scenario and workshop participants will reconvene in two to three months to look at exactly what would happen in such an emergency, and how the community and emergency services can best prepare for such incidents.
Mount Alexander Shire Council’s emergency coordinator Luke Ryan said the modelling can be quite confronting but was crucial to provide an understanding of what can occur during such an emergency and the best way the community can be prepared.
Mr Ryan said the Victoria Police are the lead agency when it comes to evacuation and traffic management and they have tested the data around this but it is not current.
“We will also be seeking input from those unable to attend to create a new Traffic Management Plan. The modelling will help us to establish what went right and what went wrong and to fill those gaps and build resilience,” he said.
CFA Community Based Bushfire Management Facilitator Claire Collie thanked all the community stakeholders which took time to be part of the discussion and offered valuable knowledge and input on the area, including representatives from Mount Alexander Shire Council Luke Ryan and emergency management officer Zack Abbott, Cr Christine Henderson, members of the CFA, Chewton Primary, Dhelkaya Health, volunteers from the local Red Cross, the Chewton Pool committee, and the wider community.
“We thank everyone for their input and look forward to exploring the modelling and planning for future response and increased preparedness of the Chewton community,” Ms Collie said.
Anyone who would like to be involved in the Chewton CBBM project can email Claire for more information at Claire.Collie@cfa.vic.gov.au

Let’s take a look back at … Castlemaine Coach Factory

A group of workers outside the Castlemaine Coach Factory of W.R. Williams. There are two carriages on the right. (Sometime between 1905-1915)

Then:

W. R. Williams Coach Builders (pictured) operated as a business for at least 68 years, from Forest Street. 

He originally came to Castlemaine to fulfil a position in Mr. Myring’s coachbuilding shop near the gasworks. Mr. Gaulton purchased Mr. Myring’s business with Mr. Williams staying on as foreman. Shortly after, the business moved to Forest Street. 

Production would have changed over their long period of operation from shoeing (4s. per set) and a forge in their early years to production and sale of buggies, gigs and all classes of vehicles, both light and heavy as per their advertisement in the ‘Mail’ in 1932. They imported regular stocks from England and America, which they displayed in the Showroom on the north side of Forest Street in the building now occupied by Graffiti Publications. 

They also advertised the painting, upholstery and hoods of motor cars and vehicles and body builds on the premises. Williams was well-known throughout the Commonwealth and it was rare not to win a prize at shows where he has exhibited. He was a keen follower of sport and financially and personally supported many sporting bodies in the town. He was a judge at many Agricultural Shows, a captain of the Fire Brigade for 11 years and a pioneer member of the Rechabite Lodge. He died on September 3, 1917 – aged nearly 70. He had broken his leg 18 years prior and as it didn’t knit properly, he had needed to walk with a crutch or stick ever since. His son, John, had died in 1916 and this had had a marked effect on him. Image and information kindly supplied by the Castlemaine Historical Society – Exploring our Past.

Now:

The location of W. R. Williams showroom on the north side of Forest Street is now home to Graffiti Publications founded by local hot rod enthusiasts Larry and Mary O’Toole. It is fitting that the building still has a connection to Australian transport and motoring with Graffiti being the producers of the renowned Australian Street Rodding magazine.

Graffiti are celebrating their 45th year in publishing in 2022 and have produced almost 400 editions since they started out back in 1977. They have also produced a wide array of other publications including Hot Rodding International and numerous books on the subject of hot rodding. The local business are also Australian distributors for a range of other highly sought after hot rod mags including American publications The Rodder’s Journal, Rodding USA and Wheel Hub, and Australian Hot Rodder produced fellow Aussie enthusiast and local Graham Smith.

You can explore the address with Google Street View here.

Maldon’s Ned Cameron honoured at annual memorial match

Maldon's Xavior Noy was awarded the Ned Cameron Medal by the Lang Family (Ned's Family). Photo: Jason Rogers Photography
Maldon's Xavior Noy was awarded the Ned Cameron Medal by the Lang Family (Ned's Family). Photo: Jason Rogers Photography

After another week-off with the bye the Maldon sides headed over to Carisbrook, in what was a very wet day, which again was set to be another hard contest for all teams.
This was also an important day for both club’s as it was the Ned Cameron Memorial game in memory of the late Ned Cameron played for both Maldon and Carisbrook in the Juniors.
Xavior Noy won the Ned Cameron medal for Maldon which was awarded by Ned’s family – the Lang family of Maldon – after the game which was a very special moment for both clubs.
With a lot of movements through the Senior Football teams with injuries the pressure was on to get those wins on the board.
Although there was the lingering pressure for both Senior Football sides they gave what they had to give, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough with the Seniors going down and the Reserves failing to keep their to keep their winning streak alive.
The Senior Netball teams all had very close games against a very eager and strong Carisbrook showcasing what finals may will like. Our Junior Football and Netball Teams all played hard with the Under 17s Football coming out with another great game and our Under 15s Netball backing it up for another win on the board. With only four games left before finals the club is shaping up to take a strong lead into the finals campaign.
This week Maldon take on Trentham at home which will be yet another big weekend of sport with Trentham Senior Football Teams taking the top place on the ladders and fighting to keep their places in the top 8 for the Senior Netball.
Maldon will sure be set to put on a hard fight. S2 Sport will also be at the game this weekend for all of your Club Merchandise needs, be sure to check it out! We are also hosting our Yobbo Lotto Function after the games which is set to be one to remember with a sell out of tables and we’re sure – some impressive outfits!

Triple treat to be unveiled at Castlemaine Art Museum

Agri-Cultures, a projection commission by local artist Zoe Scoglio, will be among three new installations to be launched at Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) this evening.
Agri-Cultures, a projection commission by local artist Zoe Scoglio, will be among three new installations to be launched at Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) this evening.

Local art enthusiasts can enjoy a triple treat at Castlemaine Art Museum (CAM) this evening as they officially launch three new offerings – Agri-Cultures, a projection commission by local artist Zoe Scoglio; Reflections #2; and the first in the 2022 Orbit exhibition series celebrating local artists – Gabrielle Martin’s Through the Long Grass.
The three new installations will be officially opened with a special event from 6pm tonight, July 29 at the Lyttleton Street gallery. All are welcome to attend.
CAM recently unveiled a new exhibition of works featured in the ‘Reflections on the Castlemaine Art Museum Collection’ email and website series.
Reflections began as part of CAM’s online response to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Contributors are asked to ‘reflect’ on works or objects from the CAM collections and history.
Some of these contributions have been published monthly in the Castlemaine Mail.
This is the second exhibition of the works featured in Reflections.
The night will also include the launch of the latest Terrace Projections installation Agri-Cultures by Zoe Scoglio.
This is also the second in the series and the first work specifically commissioned for the Terrace Projections initiative which sees the artists’ work projected onto the exterior wall of the gallery after nightfall.
Agri-Cultures is a video work in dialogue with local small-scale farmers Gung Hoe growers in response to the theme ‘Industry.’
Focusing on the manual labours and tactile relations, this is a visual portrait of the daily regenerative wholistic practices and emergent cultures at the Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op.
Zoe told the Mail that she was volunteering at the Harcourt Organic Farming Co-op when the commission opportunity arose and she was inspired to celebrate their work.
“It’s a very busy place so I just brought my camera along and did some light touching filming over the course of a few months and then edited the work together,” she said.
“It was an honour to learn more about the details of their daily practice and connection to land and to be able to share that with a wider audience,” she said.
Visitors can also enjoy an artist talk with Gabrielle Martin about her latest work Through the Long Grass at CAM tomorrow, Saturday, July 30 at 2pm.

A still image from Agri-Cultures courtesy of artist Zoe Scoglio.

Salvation Army Castlemaine strikes up the band

Some of the Just Brass participants are proudly pictured with their haul of new instruments. Photo: Max Lesser.
Some of the Just Brass participants are proudly pictured with their haul of new instruments. Photo: Max Lesser.

There was plenty of excitement at The Salvation Army Castlemaine’s Just Brass music group’s latest gathering after 26 brand new brass instruments finally arrived.
Just Brass is a free music program run by the Salvos in local primary schools under the guidance of experienced local music teachers.
The new instruments are the result of a series of fund raising concerts held in Castlemaine by brass quartet Brasslemaine, who donated all proceeds to the program.
Just Brass coordinator Dean Curtis said these instruments will make a massive difference.
“We’ve been getting by with older instruments with sticky valves and the occasional leak. This means that the students haven’t been able to play at their best. These new instruments will change that,” Mr Curtis said.
The Castlemaine Just Brass group travelled to Melbourne last Sunday to play with the polished Preston Salvation Army Band in a joint concert and enjoyed giving their new instruments a solid work out.

Just Brass musician Chris Binder gives a new E flat Tuba a test run. Photo: Max Lesser.

Let’s find a home for Ruffy, Mac, Milly and Misty

Many of the beautiful animals that have appeared in this column recently have found good new forever homes! However there are still plenty of personality-packed pooches and companionable cool cats waiting right now at Castlemaine’s Mount Alexander Animal Shelter to find good, caring new homes to call their own. If you think you may be able to share your life with any of them then you can call the shelter on 5472 5277, make an appointment and come out and meet them. Some of those currently waiting to find their own good new forever home include:

Mac: tabby desexed male cat. MC# 956000015025040

Mac was found caught in a fox trap which is not a place any cat wants to be.
Fortunately he was rescued and has already acquired a reputation at the MAAW shelter as “a smoochy, affectionate – and quite talkative – dude”.

Ruffy: long haired desexed male tabby, young cat. MC # 956000014960543

This young man is just five months of age. He has a lovely fluffy tabby coat so will require a little grooming. Ruffy was a little shy when he came into the MAAW shelter but has since revealed his true nature as “an awesome, smoochie boy” shelter staff say.

Milly: torbie (tabby-tortoiseshell) desexed female cat. MC# 956000014958674

This eight month old girl is “quite unique” shelter staff say. This is because of her unusual torbie (tabbie-tortoiseshell) coat. The staff at MAAW also describe Milly as cute as a button and “very sweet natured”. A great household pet for any good caring home.

Misty: white and grey desexed female Siberian husky. MC# 953010000120443

Misty is an absolutely beautiful dog. She is eight years old and is a pure bred husky which means she needs regular exercise and a secure yard. Misty is best suited to a new home with someone who has some experience of the breed. She’s lived with other dogs but is not suited to being with cats. Misty is a truly lovely dog with a great, easy-going personality. She’s very smart and trainable.

Outcry at nest hollow tree felling: residents question DELWP procedure

Questions raised: Some of the concerned local residents and wildlife experts photographed where the old peppercorn tree and eucalyptus tree, containing valuable nest hollows, were felled by DELWP in recent days. Photo: Eve Lamb

Important seasonal nesting hollows were destroyed when the Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning felled two large old trees in Castlemaine in recent days, local bird and wildlife experts say.

Responding to questions from the Mail, DELWP say the mature eucalyptus and peppercorn tree long growing beside Forest Creek, near the Lawn tennis courts, were felled because they were impacting on a nearby stone wall alongside Forest Creek.

But the trees’ removal has drawn strong criticism and concern from many, including local wildlife carer Nikki Sutterby, Castlemaine BirdLife Australia president Jane Rusden and noted local birdo and ornithological writer Damian Kelly.

All say the eucalypt tree contained nest hollows that provided valuable seasonal nesting for wood duck over many years.
“We’ve seen the wood duck nest there over many years and we were very shocked to see the trees suddenly weren’t there any more,” Mr Kelly said.

“I would think that tree predated the stone wall and it’s well known that we’re short of nesting hollows. It seems crazy. I’m left reeling.”

Ms Sutterby and others who contacted the Mail particularly questioned what process had been followed before the trees were destroyed and whether due assessment had been conducted to determine the environmental value of the trees.

“These two trees were home to countless native mammals and birds including wood duck families that according to locals had been nesting in these trees for a decade,” said Ms Sutterby, founder of the Mt Alexander Wildlife Network.

“Locals at the site are describing their distress at finding these habitat trees destroyed, and the sight of confused wood duck now wandering aimlessly looking for their destroyed homes.”

The Mail contacted DELWP in an effort to obtain answers and was subsequently provided with the following prepared statement attributable to DELWP Land and Built Environment Program Officer, Lucas Elliston.

“In response to concerns regarding the impact a peppercorn and blue gum tree were having on the integrity of the historic stone wall along Forest Creek, the trees were removed,” the statement reads.

“The blue gum logs have been repurposed by Mount Alexander Shire Council for the development of the Norwood Hill playground, and a number of the logs have been stored for future use.

“Prior to removal, an arborist assessed the tree, found the structure to be unstable and a public safety risk and recommended the blue gum tree be removed.

“On inspection, the arborist found no wildlife using the tree as habitat. A letter was sent to surrounding landowners advising them of the felling of the tree.

“Plans are now underway to undertake essential repairs to the historic stone wall in late 2022 when environmental conditions allow, and several native trees also to be planted at a safe distance from the stone wall.”

But BirdLife Australia Castlemaine president Jane Rusden says she understands that the wood duck that used the tree’s hollows for nesting were simply not nesting at the time checks were conducted on the tree, prior to its felling.

“They checked the hollows but just not at the right time of year,” Ms Rusden said.

“Wood duck don’t use nest hollows except when they are nesting.
“It takes 300 years for the appropriate nest hollows to form and they’re used not just by birds but by all sorts of animals.

“They shouldn’t be cutting down any trees with nest hollows.”

Among local residents left deeply concerned by the tree’s removal, Clodah Norwood said the department involved should now be required to install artificial nest boxes to help compensate for the environmental loss.

“There should be a clear requirement that the community be advised well in advance of any proposal to remove any large trees,” another, Sally Kaptein said.

Aussie music legend Russell Morris to visit Theatre Royal

Australian music legend Russell Morris is set to return to the region this Sunday July 24 to share new music from his latest album Black and Blue Heart.

Morris returns for the Theatre Royal show just months after rockin’ the Maldon Golf Club as part of the ‘Steampacket Under the Stars’ gig in December.

Morris’ latest album offering has been produced by Nick DiDia and Bernard Fanning.

Morris says after six decades on the road, an album can almost write itself. It might arrive in the space of a few months, fully formed in vision and texture in the mind of the vigilant creator. But it takes a rare combination of talent and circumstances to realise that vision as vividly as Black and Blue Heart.

“I’d met Bernard [Fanning] years ago,” Russell Morris remembers. The Powderfinger frontman came backstage at one of the Australian rock legend’s countless gigs to pay his respects with a mutual friend.
“But it wasn’t til I moved up to Queensland last year that we sat down and started talking,” he says.

The warmer environs had already exerted a strange, organic influence on the songs Russell was writing in the wake of the platinum-selling, ARIA-winning blues-rock trilogy — Shark Mouth, Van Diemen’s Land, Red Dirt Red Heart — that so spectacularly relaunched his career from 2012 onwards.

“I thought I was writing an album which was rootsy, bluesy, almost psychedelic, but nothing came out the way I expected.”
He gave the demos to Fanning and producer Nick DiDia (Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Powderfinger) and “they rang me back within two days,” Russell says.

“They said, ‘We can’t stop listening to these songs. This will be a great album’. So I said, ‘Let’s do it’.”
The two producers speed-dialled their dream studio team: guitarist Dan Kelly, drummer Declan Kelly and, from Fanning’s touring band, bassist Matt Englebrecht and keys player Ian Peres.
Perched between the tropical bush and panoramic ocean views of La Cueva Studios near Byron Bay, Black and Blue Heart found its rhythm fast.

“I didn’t want to have any smooth edges,” Russell says.

“Pop songs were the last thing I wanted. The musicians had the songs the week before but they were told not to do too much work. They came into the studio, we’d play them once, twice or three times, and that was it.”
A lifelong observer of human experience, he found inspiration in art and life, past and present.
Fanning says of the album “it sounded to me like the kind of music only someone with Russell’s backstory could make.”

“He’s always been renowned for his incredible voice but it’s really come into its own now. His tone just communicates this unique life experience, so we just had to get that down,” Fanning said.

Born and bred in the USA, Nick Didia’s perspective was more immediate. “I was hearing this amazing history for the first time as we were making the record,” he says of timeless Australian classics such as The Real Thing, Wings of An Eagle and Sweet Sweet Love. “And his stories are incredible. I mean, I thought I’d been around,” he laughs.

“Their contribution was enormous,” Russell says.

“Bernard’s harmonies in parts are fantastic [check the skybound chorus to Sitting Pretty, for instance]. He knew the songs better than I did. See, I wrote the songs so quickly, by the time we got to the studio I couldn’t remember some of the details. Bernard knew them back to front. Nick and Bernard’s attention to detail was just extraordinary.”

Be sure to catch Russell Morris and support acts from 2.30pm this Sunday July 24. For tickets visit theatreroyalcastlemaine.oztix.com.au

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