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| A DREAM to build a state-of-the-art memorial to country music legend Slim Dusty is one step closer to becoming a reality after the Commonwealth Government on Tuesday donated $1.5million. |
| Prime Minister John Howard said once built the Slim Dusty Centre would link Slim's life and his music with our culture, our land and people. |
| He said the centre would be a celebration of Slim's life and would provide employment and further tourism opportunities in Kempsey. |
| Slim's daughter Anne Kirkpatrick said the family we all excited about the donation because it bought the whole project much closer to the opening. |
"It's a real turning point for us with the centre to get Commonwealth Government backing and the Prime Minister's kind words gives the whole project impetus," she said.
"I think this will raise awareness of the whole project and that's so good because many people have been working behind the scenes to get things done, especially people in Kempsey like Kempsey Shire Council and project general manager Kathryn Yarnold." |
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| Ms Yarnold was equally thrilled with the news and said the foundation was now more confident than ever in the eventual success of the project. |
"The Commonwealth Government's funding boost to the project concrete's the integrity and credibility of the venture," she said.
"We can now continue our negotiations with major corporations knowing that we have backup of such high regards." |
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PRIME MINISTER |
| THE SLIM DUSTY CENTRE |
| I am delighted to announce that the Australian Government will provide $1.5 million to help establish the Slim Dusty Centre in Kempsey. |
| The Slim Dusty Centre will link Slim's life and his music with our culture, our land and people. The greater part of the Australian Government's contribution towards the Centre, which will come from the Government's Regional Partnerships programme, will be used to construct the Centre and to fitout two transport-related interactive displays in the museum: the ‘Truckies' and ‘Ridin' the Rails' displays. The Truckies display will highlight the life of long distance truck drivers through the song ‘Lights on the Hill' and ‘Ridin' the Rails' display will emphasise the importance of rail transport in Australia's development and culture. |
| It is proposed that the Slim Dusty Centre will, in addition to a museum of Slim Dusty's life and music, incorporate a gallery and concert facility, an entertainment venue for country music and a recording studio. The Centre will provide employment and create further tourism opportunities for Kempsey. |
| The Centre will be a celebration of a great life. Slim is Australia's most prolific and best selling recording artist. Slim was awarded 36 Golden Guitars at the Tamworth Country Music Awards, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and the Country Music Roll of Renown and was named Father of the Year and Senior Australian of the Year in 1999. |
| I congratulate all those who have come together to support this project, including the Slim Dusty Foundation, and in particular Slim's wife Joy, Australia's Holiday Coast Area Consultative Committee, the local community and the state government. Through the Slim Dusty Centre, Slim's music will continue to touch the lives of many more Australians. |
| Tuesday, July 13th, 2004 |
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| Further information: |
| The Slim Dusty Foundation |
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Kathryn Yarnold
General Manager
18 Kemp Street, West Kempsey.
PO Box 70, Kempsey NSW 2440
Phone: 02 6562 6533
Fax: 02 6562 1849
Email: slimdustycentre@midcoast.com.au
Website: www.slimdustycentre.com.au
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