Taking The High Road To The Back O' Bourke
Newcastle Herald
Friday August 9, 2002
THE acclaimed City of Newcastle RSL Pipe Band has hit a high note with the residents of a tiny town out the back of Bourke.
Following on from a successful New Zealand tour earlier this year, tomorrow the band marches off to the musical rescue of Louth, smack-bang between Bourke, Cobar and Broken Hill.
It's time for Louth's annual race meeting, which means the usual population of 60 will swell to thousands, as people drive and fly into town.
Disturbed by the lack of music, let alone a live band, at each year's meet, the local State MP Peter Black sent an SOS out to our own Member for Charlestown and Minister for Gaming and Racing Richard Face.
Luckily, the Minister is well connected when it comes to music and marching, being a long-time drum major for the Australian Mine Workers Union Pipe Band (see left), and he soon had Louth sorted.
`Nobody in living memory can remember a band performing at Louth,' a chuffed Mr Black said.
Mr Face said the Louth races had been declared a `Year of the Outback' event to promote country racing and, as a result, the band comprising 21 pipers and drummers would be sponsored by the TAB.
`It has a dirt track; outback racing at its best,' Mr Face said.
`Besides the many people that come for the day with many of them flying in, people also camp in tents and cars as there is no accommodation.'
© 2002 Newcastle Herald
