Hi Tracey. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. When did you come to Castlemaine? Were you born here?
No I was born and raised in Singapore, Malaya and Sydney before my family settled in Eltham in Melbourne. I first started coming up here in the 80s to visit friends involved in the arts and mudbrick movement, including Peter Wallace who had a gallery where Katharina Rapp’s studio is now in Hargraves Street. I eventually brought a property here in 1998 but I didn’t actually settle here until quite some time later.
Did you move from Eltham?
In the early 90s I moved to South Africa where I worked for 20 years. I have two threads in my life – textiles and media. I believe I was born a textile artist. I began making dolls clothes and working with textiles from an early age. I was obsessed with fabrics. I never had any formal training. I started out in my 20s working in the arts but then moved to South Africa and pursued a career in radio and media. I got a contract with AusAid setting up five pilot community based radio stations in the final years of Apartheid.
You completed formal study?
Yes I studied Fine Art at the Phillip Institute of Technology (PIT), a post grad in Community Development and then a Masters in Social Research in Johannesburg. Around the same time I learnt to fly Cessnas.
Is that so you could travel long distances?
No it was so I could smuggle short wave radios into Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. We had set up a short wave transmitter in London but we had to get radio receivers in so people could receive the news being broadcast about Zimbabwe within the country. They were great little wind up radios so they didn’t need electricity. I also worked on a soap opera at one stage which was focused on delivering positive messages around healthy eating and safe sex during the AIDS epidemic.
Wow incredible. Your work must have taken you far and wide?
I worked out that I have worked in 57 countries including North Korea on UN mission. I would drive across the Namib and Kalahari deserts in my Land Rover. I did a lot of kilometres and air miles!
It must have been wonderful to have explored so many countries?
It was great to work with community right through to politicians and the UN. I believe it is only once you visit a country that you can get a true understanding of the social and political culture. It’s so important we come from a place of respect when it comes to diplomacy. Never lead, you need to work side by side to create lasting change.
So you eventually made the decision to move home to Castlemaine?
Yes my mum helped me find the house while I was away and I reluctantly returned home in 2006. I wasn’t well. I recall one day I had been speaking to a group of 300 people at a UN event and when we broke for lunch I literally laid down under the podium and went to sleep! On returning home I finally got my diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
I got my health back in check, renovated my house and began to settle into the Castlemaine community. However, I was then head-hunted to be Country Director for a Washington DC based International non-government organisation (INGO) in Mongolia and jumped at the opportunity. I spent six winters there. It gets down to minus 50 in winter and 40+ plus in summer. My MS progressed and very reluctantly I had to return home again.
So you returned to Castlemaine?
Yes in 2011, I planned to pack up and move to Footscray but once I got back I became reimmersed in the local community. I found a new home to renovate, got involved in the local radio station MainFM once again and I just couldn’t leave!
In between working have you still found time to pursue your passion for textiles?
Whilst I was abroad I collected loads of textiles and I would also make banners for local groups and organisations. An exhibition of these textiles toured Australian public art galleries for about five years. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the current exhibition ‘Signs of the Times’ at Lot 19 with my partner Sir Leslie Thornton and friends which features some of the badges and t-shirts I have collected from various campaigns and my Revolutionary Jam.
Is there anything that people may not realise about you Tracey?
When I am out and about I am living my best life, but behind closed doors can be hard. My MS makes me very tired and most days it’s difficult to walk.
What are you reading at the moment Tracey?
I have three books on the go! QAnon and On – A short shocking history of internet conspiracy cults by Van Badham; Sundressed – Natural Fibres and the Future of Fashion by Lucianne Tonti which is all about sustainability; and Carmel Bird’s Telltale. I just love Carmel’s work!
What’s your favourite musical genre or artist?
I am a bit stuck in the 80s and 90s. I like Leonard Cohen and I love Apple Music because is suggests artists you may like.
OK. Three dream dinner guests?
That’s a tough one. I’ve had many fabulous dinner parties! I have two thoughts on this. The first is that I would love to invite all the strong women from my family’s past. As the eldest of five children I was fortunate enough to meet many of them. The second group would be Kim Jong-un, Fidel Castro and Commandant Marcos. But how can I not include Banksy!
Any philosophies by which you like to lead life?
Keep moving forward. It is better to make a wrong decision strongly, than a right decision weakly. And if I say I will do something, I’ll do it.
Do you have any pet peeves?
The erosion of both the truth in media and freedom of speech.
What do you enjoy most about the place you call home?
I love that we make room for everyone and our community works really hard to make sure people are supported and don’t fall through the cracks.
