Australia Day in Boggabri 2024

Under the scorching sun, Malcolm Donaldson welcomed Boggabri residents and visitors to the Boggabri Memorial Pool for the celebration of Australia Day in Boggabri.

Sharlee Bruce, Aboriginal liaison officer with the Narrabri Shire Council delivered the acknowledgment of country.

Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens welcomed and thanked the Boggabri community, especially those who worked hard to organise this year’s event.

Cr Tiemens reflected on the sense of community, the fabric that binds us, the memories, history, stories, struggles and triumphs, as well as the wealth of cultures, traditions and perspectives.

Narrabri Shire Australia Day ambassador Clyde Campbell AM captivated his audience with humour, family stories, his interest in robotics, and trying to find a way to slow down, stop, and cure Parkinson’s.

Mr Campbell began by saying: “Each year for Australia Day we have a different focus theme, this year is, Reflect, Respect and Celebrate our nation and our people.

“It is an opportunity to open our hearts, respect our differences, and celebrate our strength, our generosity, and our strong sense of community.”

Check out Boggabri’s Australia Day gallery here: Australia Day in Boggabri 2024 | Gallery – The Courier (courier.local.tiemens.com.au)

Mr Campbell said he is always challenged in cutting down his speech to fit the time allotted so he reflected on some lighthearted feedback from one of his daughters, Zoe.

Zoe regularly sees him speak and her feedback was, don’t talk about yourself; you’re not that interesting, don’t tell your jokes; they are not that funny.

Talk about something interesting; talk about me.

The crowd appreciated his humour and candid approach to life.

Mr Campbell said, “I have three passions in life: family/friends, robotics and to find a way to slow down, stop, and cure Parkinson’s.”

“I have a fantastic wife Cazz, who joins us here today with one of our three sensational kids, and they are all great levellers.

“In teaching them I learn a lot about myself.

“I look to teach our kids that you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control what everything means to you, and this is critically important especially when times are tough.”

“As an example, I can be Clyde that has Parkinson’s, or I can be Clyde that does something about Parkinson’s, and together I think we can win this fight.”

“Has Parkinson’s effected the kids and our family, most definitely but it hasn’t been all bad.

“If you asked my kids to describe me, they’d go through a whole list of words before even thinking about Parkinson’s, it is part of my life but not my whole life.”

Mr Campbell told those present that we have 100,000 Australians with Parkinson’s, with 32 people a day being diagnosed.

People everyone knows such as, Billy Connolly, Robin Williams, George Bush, Muhammad Ali, Johnny Cash, Billy Graham, Neil Diamond and of course Michael J Fox have all had Parkinson’s.

Mr Campbell grew up in country Australia but Sydney has been home for his working life.

They founded a robotics company 35 years ago and he works nationally as well as internationally.

Their expertise is in vision guided robotics, and machine learning powered by AI.

Primarily in food and mining automation, as an example where they are taking a carcass of beef in a process plant, take a 3D image, utilise AI to locate the position to cut and use a six-axis robot to perform the cutting task.

The core benefits are that it removes a very dangerous task using a circular saw and pick up yield to maximise the high value cuts and earn more value for the farmer and the meat processor here in Australia.

He said they have been successful globally by using Aussie innovation and taking it to the world.

Parkinson’s entered his life 13 years ago at the age of 44.

He noticed a shake at a planning day.

Narrabri Shire Australia Day Ambassador Clyde Campbell AM.

When he held a beer is was if he was washing machine, shaking and swirling.

After a visit to the doctor and numerous tests the doctor said, “the good news is that you have Parkinson’s.”

The other news was that it could have been a brain tumour, or motor neurone disease.

Mr Campbell made two promises to himself after visiting the doctor and before turning the key in the car ignition; first one, he could accept it – acceptance is the initial building block to happiness, secondly, what was he going to do about it – he said that was crystal clear, find a cure.

The journey began.

Three steps – slow/stop/cure, research, raise funds.

He researched Australian capability. He was working in the USA and decided to visit the Michael J Fox Foundation.

It took 12 months of building a relationship and displaying the purity of the motive.

He attended a board meeting and his wife was sitting outside, he says, “Cazz was sweating”.

The foundation was born and he remembers the dinner and chat on Sunday night.

At the launch of the foundation there were television people doing interviews and he says that the youngest child who was four years old was asked by the journalist, ‘Are you proud of your Dad?’

Yes, was the answer, and then another question, ‘Is he your hero?’ No was the answer. So, who is your hero? Mum!

Since the launch through their partnership with Michael J Fox Foundation they have funded $26 million in research, here in Australia.

One hundred per cent of every donation goes to Australian research as the founding directors cover all foundation overheads.

This year will be very exciting as they start their Catalyst program where they have several novel compounds ready to start trials right here in Australia.

Mr Campbell says for him life is about one word – resilience.

Parkinson’s is part of his life but not his whole life.

He says he is fortunate that he is by nature super positive about almost everything. To many the diagnosis is the beginning of the end.

He is very conscious that each person has their own individual Parkinson’s, all varying symptoms, however, they all share hope. Hope for a cure.

Mr Campbell remembers at the first doctor’s meeting and discussion a few simple tests and when Parkinson’s was mentioned he wasn’t concerned until they got to the part of no cure.

He asked his doctor what the disease affects and they looked at the computer screen.

He then remembers how it would directly affect him.

Tremor – I now buy pints because I only have schooners left by the time I get to the table.

Emotion – loss of emotion, I am an engineer, we don’t have any to lose.

Confidence – I am lucky that I can afford to lose 50 per cent and still be in a good place.

Mr Campbell received a thunderous ovation.

Boggabri young leaders from both schools did their school, parents and family proud as they told those present what ‘Australia means to me’.

Grace Groves said she is a proud Sacred Heart School Captain for 2024.

She went on to say in Australia there are so many things that make us stand out.

“No matter who we are or where we come from, Australians all have the right to an education which allows us to be anything we dream of. We can be farmers, tradesmen, doctors, scientists or teachers and the list goes on.

“Australia has produced many sports men and women including Ash Barty, the amazing Matildas, Dakar legend Toby Price, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Sir Donald Bradman and my favourite swimmer – Emma McKeown.

“We have fresh water to drink and swim in, and our fertile soils provide us with fresh food and fibre that we share with the world.”

We also share many medical advancements and technologies such as the bionic ear, the ultrasound, skin spray for burns victims, pacemakers, Vegemite, Anzac biscuits, the hills hoist and the black box, just to name a few.”

Grace went on to say she loves the stunning beaches and amazing landscapes, the late-night barbecues and swimming in the pool on Christmas day.

Grace also loves the multiculturalism in Australia and the array of food and festivities it brings.

Grace finished her speech quoting Dorothea Mackellar’s; I love a sunburnt country.

Oscar Thomson, boy school captain from Boggabri Public School spoke proudly saying, “Australia to me means ‘home’ in Boggabri because this is where my home country town is and where I live, sleep and play.

“My most favourite thing about Australia is that it is full of fun and kind people which includes my friends and family.”

Oscar said: “the things I like to do in and around Australia are fishing with dad and pop.

“I like to fish at the coast and the second bend or the Iron Bridge in Boggabri.”

“Playing polocrosse and camping at polocrosse carnivals and riding my horses with my mates, I enjoy the campfires and camp oven meals over these weekends.

“We get to see a lot of NSW by playing polocrosse and at some carnivals I even get to go fishing.

“Bush walking is another experience that I like about Australia I get to see all the lizards and birds when we go walking.”

In finishing Oscar said: “My favourite food is steak and sausages, so I hope you all get to enjoy a barbecue today with a snag or two with the Australia Day happiness.”

The third young speaker, Grace Nobilo is the girl school captain from Boggabri Public School and Australia Day is a day where people celebrate the day where the First Fleet came to Australia in the year 1788.

Grace went on to say, “on Australia Day my friends and family either come to the pool, the movies, or they have a big barbecue.”

“This is a great day to spend time with friends and family and have lots of fun.

“Last year my friends came to the pool and we did the monster island in Narrabri. This was fun and I think it is a very special day to everyone.”

In conclusion Grace said: “I find Australia Day is an enjoyable and exciting day, what does Australia Day mean to you? Have a great day.”

Community members enjoyed a sausage sizzle, ice cones, cold drinks, swimming, jumping castle and the highlight for young and the young at heart, the monster island.

Australia Day was celebrated in Boggabri by the residents of John Prior Multi-Purpose service with a lunch of pies and chips, with well-known Boggabri singer-song writer Gary Seton’s CD playing the in background.

The activity room was adorned with the Aboriginal and the Australian flags. The Southern Cross and flag was featured on drink containers and serviettes.

To round out a very busy day, the Boggabri RSL Club had live music with the very talented Caitlin and Tim Matthews entertaining club patrons.