NSW Variety B to B Bash
The NSW Variety B to B Bash is a fun event organized each year by Variety, the Children's Charity for special needs kids. The Bash is not a race or a rally and speed is not important. This year hundreds of cars with hundreds of colourful characters were partaking in a 10 day drive from Blacktown to Batemans Bay. The Bash started at 8am on Thursday 7th August from the Westpoint Shopping Centre carpark at Blacktown and finished at Batemans Bay on Saturday 16th August. The 3,976 kilometre drive took participants to West Wyalong, Mildura, Murray Bridge, Mount Gambier, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Wangaratta and Cooma before arriving at the final destination. This year, apart from entertainers such as John Williamson and John Paul Young, there were people from all walks of life who were giving up their time to make this event a very special one. En route the 'Bashers' called in at local schools and community groups to raise awareness and funds for this important charity.
The accompanying pictures show John and partner Meg in her 1964 Humber Super Snipe at the Blacktown start. We wished good luck to all the drivers and their supporters!
The Variety Bash continued on its merry way. Here are a couple of pictures taken during the first two days of the stellar event as the cars travelled through southern New South Wales...
Thursday 7th Aug - lunch
John performed some bush ballads for the kids at Boorowa Central School
Friday 8th Aug - afternoon
John and fellow Bashers kindly disposing of their fruit before entering the fruitfly-free zone at Mildura
Taking part in a Variety Bash is not always a walk in the park, John and Meg had continuing struggles with the Humber breaking down. One of the most important people in any Bash is the Sweep. His is the last vehicle, which has to be behind the last car to make sure that everyone gets into town and no-one is left behind. These pictures illustrate some of the inevitable problems...
And 'Sweep' (aka Greg Lynch) is now saying to John ". . . No, we haven't sorted the fuel problem yet, John. Now let's try replacing the fuel filter . . . again!"
"John Williamson may not be going back to the tractor driving days way back when he wrote Old Man Emu, but he was behind the wheel of his rally car, which he calls 'Hillbilly Road', doing his bit in the 2008 Variety Bash. The Bash spanned
almost 4000km, starting at Blacktown and finishing at Batemans Bay. The rally started on August 7 and came to a close on August 17. Entry in this annual event is restricted to vehicles of pre-1970 vintage. Other well known personalities involved in the bash were '70s rock star John Paul Young and John Howard - no, not the ex-prime minister. Try the actor from television's Sea Change instead." (Bundaberg News-Mail).The Eurobodalla Shire Independent has written an excellent summary of this year's NSW Variety B to B Bash. Although the weather was not always kind, a great time was had by all and sundry!
"More than 100 Variety Bash cars pulled into Batemans Bay on Saturday - and with them came hundreds of people keen to experience the party atmosphere. Saturday's event was the grand finale for the Variety Bash, which left Blacktown 10 days earlier and covered the many hundreds of kilometres to Mildura, Mount Gambier, Bendigo, and Cooma before winding up at Batemans Bay. The 400-strong touring party this year included singers John Williamson and John Paul Young among its drivers and gave away $65,000 worth of equipment to communities they travelled through ..... The Bash raised more than $2.5 million for children's charities, one of the better efforts in the 24 years of the event."
Pictured above: The Variety Bash drew hundreds of people to Clyde Street, Batemans Bay, last Saturday. (Story and photo courtesy of the Eurobodalla Shire Independent)
10th YEAR OF 'WALTZING MATILDA' AT THE BLEDISLOE CUP
This is the 10th year of 'Waltzing Matilda' being sung at the Bledisloe Cup Rugby Test matches between Australia and New Zealand.
It all started in August, 1999 when John Williamson led the crowd of over 104,000 people at Sydney's Stadium Australia singing our national song.
The request had come to John from Rod McQueen (subsequent World Cup winning coach) who asked for an Australian song that could counter the All Blacks Haka. John had no hesitation in suggesting 'Waltzing Matilda'.
John was asked to sing and lead the almost capacity crowd on 26 July 2008 back at Stadium Australia (ANZ Stadium) and the fans joined in with him with pride and gusto to really support the Wallabies.
John Williamson's 1999 recording of 'Waltzing Matilda - Rugby Version' is available on the following CDs - 'Anthems', 'True Blue 2'
AUCTION HAS NOW CLOSED!
Thank you, on behalf of John, Meg and Variety, the Children's Charity to all of the generous bidders. Congratulations to the highest bidder- who will enjoy a weekend away at John's hinterland hideaway!
HILLBILLY ROAD GETAWAY AUCTION KICKED OFF 23rd JUNE
"To raise money for the special needs kids of Variety, Meg and I are auctioning off a dinner, plus bed and breakfast for a couple. The two winners will spend the night in the spare bedroom in our Springbrook cottage after a magic night around my permanent stock camp with smoked chops and song. Weather permitting I will be the chief cook. Here's an idea . . . a big family could raise the money between them to give their beloved mum and dad a wedding anniversary present they'll never forget! And remember, all the money goes to help the kids."
Solomon Islands Tour Earlier this year, John Williamson was honoured to be invited to join the 'Solomon Islands Tour for the Troops'. On Monday 25th February John, his daughter Ami and their sound engineer, Matt Andreatta flew to the Solomons for a special five day visit. Their main ambition was to spread music and cheer to our troops based there. Australian troops are not stationed in just one area, so it was important that John and Ami performed to the masses as well as smaller, more intimate gigs. As John said upon his return, "it was a truly uplifting and memorable experience". Luckily we have some pictures of the tour. Please click on the photos to view an enlargement...
We have recently received a number of new photos from the Defence Force. In two of them, John and Ami visit the local Solomon Islands radio station...
When John Williamson appeared on the Seven Network's Sunrise program, his performance of a new song from his forthcoming album 'Hillbilly Road' prompted this email from a fan:-
"My name's Yvette, I'm 22 from Sydney. I just heard your song Cydi and loved it. It's a song that I think my dad and I can really relate to. We have just come back from Perth's National Surf Life Saving Championships. We compete in surf boats and dad is our sweep. This was our first year and we got Silver! Your song sums up the bond we have developed over the years. Standing up on the podium with him was a proud and awesome moment. I cannot wait to give him your new album."
This photo (left) of Yvette and her dad taken just after the presentation says it all.
ANZAC Day 2008
One of the great benefits of having a website is that we receive constant feedback from the many visitors to these pages. Earlier this week, a journalism student sent us these questions. John's answers give an insight of how much ANZAC Day means to him.
How did it feel to be performing on such a commemorative day such as ANZAC Day? Firstly it's always an honour to sing in any ANZAC Day ceremony. While I am comfortable singing my old song 'True Blue', it's never easy at these occasions to keep the emotions under control.
Did you feel you needed to live up to a certain expectation? I guess I always know that 'True Blue' is the right song for the job. So as long as I know I have my concentration in gear, I know I will live up to expectations.
How was performing against such a beautiful landscape (Currumbin's Elephant Rock)? I think performing on the beach was obviously appropriate to the ANZAC Gallipoli story. Also the sunrise over the Pacific Ocean has a special significance considering the Second World War.
Do you think the service and performance at Elephant Rock served to strengthen the awareness of ANZAC Day amongst the community? I think Currumbin was well chosen also for the spectacular clear sunrise over the ocean, which naturally attracts bigger crowds, which of course promotes the awareness of ANZAC Day. ANZAC Day to me has become more of an 'Australia Day' than Australia Day. The character of the ANZACs at Gallipoli for the first time in history defined the Aussie character.
John Williamson's recording and sound engineer, Steve Newton, made a short documentary of some of the Currumbin Beach ANZAC Day activities and John's sound check prior to his appearance on the Seven Network's Sunrise program that morning. Click on the arrow to play...
Over recent months John & Warren have travelled to many towns in New South Wales and Victoria. It has been a joy to greet many longtime fans as well as meet a whole lot of new ones. We have some pictures to share. Please click on the photos to view an enlargement...
John by the banks of the Murray River near Mildura.
Fans who gave John and Warren a 'True Blue' cake they'd made after the show at Warragul, Vic.
Close up of the cake! It was enjoyed by all the crew!
The Eurobodalla Shire Independent has written an excellent summary of this year's NSW Variety B to B Bash. Although the weather was not always kind, a great time was had by all and sundry!
ANZAC Day 2008
