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| ABC TO GO : SLIM DUSTY CENTRE IN |
| January, 2004 |
| Excerpt below courtesy of The Macleay Argus, Kempsey |
| There is now no doubt about the move after the ABC building in Kemp Street was sold at auction on Tuesday night for an undisclosed sum. The buyer was Sydney businessman and Slim Dusty Heritage Foundation chair Doug Thompson. Mr Thompson was unable to be present at the auction because of business commitments. But said he was delighted the foundation's general manager Kathryn Yarnold was able to buy the building on his behalf. He told the Macleay Argus yesterday the premises would be renovated and used as the foundation's new offices until the Slim Dusty Heritage Centre was built over the next few years. |
“All the activity pertaining to the centre will now be able to occur out of those offices and we are particularly excited because when leading business people and politicians visit, we will be able to have adequate offices for meetings and displays” Mr Thompson said.
“Fundraising plans (for the centre) are now fully developed, as is the model and the site and fundraising will now be stepped up.” |
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| Mr Thompson will allow the foundation to operate out of the centre free of charge, as did the Macleay Regional Co-Operative for the current office in the Centrepoint Arcade and Kempsey Shire Council for office space previously. Ms Yarnold was thrilled with the idea of moving into new offices and saw it as a possible place to train staff for the heritage centre, as well as a business centre for architects, site offices and construction workers. Slim's old homestead at Nulla Nulla will also be refurbished to bring it back to how it was when Slim was a boy. Mr Thompson, also a friend of the family, brought the property with Slim, who died in September. |
| Earlier this month the Federal Government funded a commemorative plaque to be placed outside the farm. ABC regional program manager Cameron Marshall said the move would be the end of an era and many people in the Macleay Valley would feel a touch of sadness. The station is set to move on January 5 to its Port Macquarie offices but Mr Marshall said that transmission would not stop during the relocation. “Kempsey has been very proud of its radio station and there have been quite a few staff to work out of the building and all of their efforts made the SBC what it is today” he said. |
| “We will still broadcast to Kempsey and it will still be an important part of our region.” |
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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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