Brian Dunn receiving his OAM in 2015. He is pictured with his Excellency General The Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC.
The Twin Town Times would like to offer our condolences to the family of Brian Dunn. Brian passed away on Monday afternoon after a long battle with illness.
Brian was truly one our our local legends and appeared in our 2014 book and print edition of our newspaper.
This is his story from 2014.
When Brian Dunn was asked to be a part of the Twin Town Times Local Legends he said, “I already get in trouble from people for being in the paper too much”. There is one reason Brian appears in newspapers consistently. He is involved in everything!
Brian Dunn loves a challenge. Brian is the eldest of two sons to Kevin and Dorothy (Dot) Dunn. Kevin worked on various farms around the district before working for Peter Bourke and then at Dalgetys. Dot was a Wilson and hailed from McMahons Reef.
Brian and his brother Gary went to St Columba’s. When Brian left school he did stock work with Bill and George Fitzgerald at ‘Geraldine’, whilst doing a course to work with his Dad at Dalgetys. After 12 months and still waiting to hear from Dalgetys, Brian began working for George Sewell & Son in Murrumburrah.
Local man Arthur Lawford would come to purchase goods in his Fargo ute and park in the very steep gutter at the time. His hand brake was faulty which added to the problem. He would say to either Brian, or Robert Lemon. “Boy, Boy, put my brick back in the back of my ute when I take off”. Brian said Robert or I would chase after the ute and throw the brick in the back, often wondering what was broken in the process”. Incidentally, Brian mentioned that Arthur had told him that he remembered a stage coach being held up in Murrumburrah in his younger days.
When Sewells purchased Killicks, he said “I will always remember the move to Harden to the new building, standing on the back of the delivery truck attempting to stay upright whilst holding clothing which was on fittings. The inevitable occurred when going over the old wooden bridge at Murrumburrah, some stock and rails landed in the drink. We of course, had to return and retrieve it.”
Judy was working at Killicks but was asked to join Phyl Gregory in her shop.
One lunch time, Judy and a friend came to buy a 21st gift for a party at the Railway Institute. Brian realised he was going to the party as well, which was for David Chesworth, so he suggested that he put in for the present with the girls.
After the party, Brian rustled up the courage to ask Judy out. He went to sneak a call via a phone in the bacon room at Sewells as other phones could not be used for private calls. Their first date was to the pictures.
Brian, Bill Dunn and Col Keogh worked at the Lyceum Theatre and Brian recalls some interesting mishaps, especially with regard to film breaking down. Amidst much yelling and whistling from the patrons, there was often a mad scramble to get the film rolling and Bill and Brian wisely stayed out of the projection box until all was well.
Brian said he had to fit the romance with Judy in between working there.
Brian recalls walking everywhere in those days before everyone had cars.
Brian and Judy became engaged in 1962 and were married in 1965. They will have been married 50 years in April 2015.
When in the shop, Brian would purchase goods for the business from travelling salesmen. One such salesman from King Gee was a bit of a prankster. He was showing Brian stock when a woman with a crying child came in. Keith Sewell had popped his head in but had gone back to his office. The travelling salesman walked to the opposite side of the shop and said to the woman, “Madam will you please keep that child quiet as we can’t concentrate on this side of the shop.” Brian was stunned and as Keith was not in sight, he thought that the salesman had insulted a customer until the salesman told him it was his own wife and child, and that Brian had been set up.
Brian left Sewells in 1968 to work for the South West Slopes County Council where he remained until he retired some 33 years later in 2001. He never did make it to Dalgetys.
After selling their first home in Stair Street, they built their current home on Jellambi Road and moved in during 1984.
Brian Dunn with Graham Chalker. Both men were integral in securing funding to undertake restoration work on the honour roll at Murrumburrah Public in remembrance of our servicemen and women.
Brian founded Dunn’s Light Horse and Military Museum in 2007, with tremendous assistance and support from Judy. He had been collecting artefacts since 1998. His interest in the Light Horse stemmed from his father’s enlistment in the Light Horse in WWII. Judy and Brian currently host visitors from all over the country, some arriving in coaches to view the museum, as well as overseas visitors from USA, UK and Canada. Brian is a founding member of the local Light Horse Troop.
It has been proposed that the museum be housed in Murrumburrah as part of the present Museum. If this eventuates Dunn’s Light Horse Museum will be even more appreciated by visitors to the region.
Brian’s first foray in to community involvement began in 1969 when he was a founding member of the SES, then called the Civil Defence. Since then, he has been Chairman of the original Meals on Wheels for 20 years and a volunteer driver for 10.
He has been Permit Officer for the Demondrille Brigade of the Rural Fire Service for 25 years and Treasurer of the Harden Murrumburrah Arts Council since formation in 1992.
Brian has been involved as a founding member of the Masonic Retirement Village and then Southern Cross Care Retirement Village.
He has fundraised for the Nursing Home, and been a community visitor and entertainer there for 15 years. He has also been a Patron and fundraiser for Cancer patients. He is a Justice of the Peace.
Brian has been one of Santa’s most loyal representatives in Harden for 28 years. He feels that retirement is nearing in his role helping out the big red fella, but has many funny stories to tell.
One such story originated at a local school where Santa was being entertained by the class. One little fella was looking very sad, so Santa asked him, “Why?” The little fella said, “My cousin said that you weren’t coming today because a terrorist killed Santa.” “Well, that’s not true because I’m here,” replied Brian.
Another story revolved around visiting a large group of children at McLean Oval in an ambulance-which was then called away on an emergency. Santa was mobbed by the kids and upon spying a highway patrol car he leapt in and said, “Get me out of here.”
Brian said that prior knowledge always helped when doing Santa Claus and recalls a function where a young Georgie Campbell asked him where he had parked his Reindeer. He replied that the town was too busy for them and asked if he could park them in a paddock near her place, but not the one with the Kangaroo and the Emu. Wide eyes greeted the statement.
A week later, Marg Campbell met Brian and jokingly said “I’m going to kill you, I had to put food and buckets of water on top of the shed for the Reindeer.”
Brian’s community involvement also encompasses the local Legacy group which assists war widows. He often works the barbeque for the Australia Day Awards and helped start the local Men’s Shed in 2007.
Brian has also been involved in the Kite Festival, the local Freemasonry, Harden Hunting Club and Murrumburrah Harden Show Society just to name a few.
Brian was an integral part of the Local Light Horse. He orchestrated the Anzac Day Service in Murrumburrah for many years.
Residents may remember that Brian appeared in a Cholesterol lowering margarine advert and achieved notoriety in newspapers and the Readers Digest.
Brian ran in the Queen’s Baton relay near Gundagai for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.
The Baton held a miniature camera and the Queen’s message from London was transmitted via a satellite and it recorded each runner.
Brian has been involved with the Advisory board for the A.N.U Clinical School which brings medical students to the district each August.
When asked what his proudest moment was he said, “Helping set up the Blood Bank and the establishment of the Mobile Breast Screening Van, especially after I had been firmly told neither would happen.”
As he said, “I love a challenge”.
Helping to organise the bus for the hospital was also a proud moment.
“When the Galong Retirement Village was closing, as chair of the Masonic Village and the Southern Cross, I made contact with the CEO in Sydney and suggested that the land between the hospital and the units would be suitable for a new facility.
Upon meeting with the CEO who said the area was too small I quickly pointed out that the boundary was in the wrong place and that another 16 metres was available
(local knowledge helps) and the rest is history.”
Judy and Brian shared an Australia Day Award in 1998 and Brian received a Premier’s award for Outstanding Volunteer in 2001 – Judy received the same award two years later.
He also received a Bushfire Award for 2001/2002.
Judy and Brian travelled overseas in 2004 and 2010 with good friends. The second trip included a visit to the WW2 battlefields. Judy’s uncle’s name was on the wall at Villes Bullecourt.
They were impressed by the fact that children from Robinvale School in Victoria had helped to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux with a museum devoted to Australian soldiers above it. Brian took some of his artefacts to donate to the museum. He said that Australia is held in very high esteem in the area.
When they are not busy with their community activities, Judy listens to classical music and Brian studies Australian and Military History. Brian and Peter Blundell co-authored “The Boys In Green, 1897 -1997” and formed the committee for the Light Horse Memorial.
In earlier years Brian and Judy were involved with the Demondrille Players and did ballroom dancing. They have been incredibly generous with their time for the betterment of their community. They still visit many of our aged residents and brighten their day.
Harden-Murrumburrah has indeed been fortunate to have residents such as Judy and Brian. Thank you for being a part of Local Legends and your community thanks you for your contribution to the many organisations that enhance our towns. You truly are Local Legends.
Brian Dunn RIP
