Slim Dusty Foundation
Rededication Press Release
Date: 1st April, 2008

Celebrating East West Plaza Opening – Slim Dusty Family Rededicates Plaque

The official rededication of the plaque which will celebrate the recent refurbishment of the new East West Plaza (formerly the Credit Union Plaza and Mayfair Theatre) will be performed by Joy McKean OAM, Slim Dusty's wife and partner of over fifty years.

The original commemorative plaque was unveiled by Slim Dusty AO MBE in September 1986. The new plaque will be located next to the original one to celebrate the history of the Plaza in Clyde Street, Kempsey. It also celebrate’s Slim’s beginning, as it unfolded, with his first live performance in Kempsey being at the Mayfair Theatre. It was in 1942, when at 15 years of age, he and childhood mate Shorty Ranger appeared as the Yodelling Boundary Riders.

The dedicated people at the Macleay River Historical Society will develop and provide the rare materials for the displays, in an ongoing capacity to ensure that there is future rotation to create and maintain interest.

Nearby will be a large screen that will play Slim Dusty songs and feature concert footage from his popular DVDs, creating an ambience of heritage country atmosphere.

At the official rededication ceremony, to take place on Thursday 10 April, at 10am, Joy will be joined by their daughter, Anne Kirkpatrick, a successful and extremely popular performer in her own right. Anne will sing several of her Dad’s songs for the large gathering expected to attend the momentous occasion.

Joy McKean, also speaking on behalf of the Slim Dusty Foundation, has expressed their thanks to Dr and Mrs Tiong Ting, Plaza owners, for taking care to retain the historical original plaques for remounting.
All concerned strongly appreciate the Ting family's recognition of the popularity and significance of the Slim Dusty heritage, and of Kempsey Shire as Slim's boyhood home.

Joy will travel from Sydney to rededicate the plaque at the memorable ceremony that will also be attended by the Federal Member for Lyne, The Hon Mark Vaile MP, Federal Member for Cowper, The Hon Luke Hartsuyker MP, Deputy Mayor Cr Janet Hayes and other local dignitaries.

Mr Richard O’Leary, a notable community leader, Kempsey businessman and Rotarian, will be the MC for the occasion.

The new East West Plaza and the rededication ceremony will also celebrate the additional new life being breathed into the CBD of Kempsey. The Clyde Street Mall will be bubbling with the Thursday morning markets, where the CBD already enjoys the strong, steady pulse of long established and successful businesses. Within the East West Plaza itself, where the rededication is being staged, there are many major long-term Kempsey businesses, specialty shops and a new Food Court.

In continuing to celebrate Slim Dusty and keep his memory alive, the East West Plaza will continue to attract tourists and shoppers to the Kempsey area, his home town.

That will, in turn, help maintain the impetus for the continuing work of the Slim Dusty Foundation on the Slim Dusty Centre project.

BELOW Rededication of the Plaque Ceremony, April 10, 2008 caption:

Left-Right: The Hon Luke Hartsuyker Member for Cowper, The Hon Mark Vaile Member for Lynne, Joy McKean OAM, Anne Kirkpatrick, Cr Janet Hayes Deputy Mayor of Kempsey, Mr Vern Keena, former Mayfair Theatre projectionist, Tina Ting and Dr Tiong Ting owners of the East West Plaza.