My Rosedale - Colin Enright
I first met Rosedale when I was a student at Narrabundah High School in Canberra in 1965.
At the time, I was invited to join a band that was led by Dave Stirling, who was also the lead guitarist and vocalist. Phil Richardson was the rhythm guitarist and Ian Shapter was the drummer. As the last one to join, I became the bass player.
Dave mentioned that his parents had a place at the coast. At that time, I considered myself a cool Melbourne export and knew the delights of the sea, as I had lived close to Port Phillip Bay. But I quickly found that I was totally unprepared for what lay ahead of me at Rosedale.
Dave arranged for me to visit Rosedale with his dad, Tom Stirling. We approached Rosedale through the winding one lane dirt road, with a hand on the horn at each turn to warn oncoming traffic. I was then introduced to the fibro shack at number 16 Rosedale Parade, complete with open stud walls. I thought it was great, but this proved to be just a support act for the main act that greeted me, as I stepped up the sand hills of Rosedale beach to find a wide unpopulated vista of sand and surf.
This, to me, was it -nirvana - and did I mention the surf? I was entranced.
I first met Rosedale when I was a student at Narrabundah High School in Canberra in 1965.
At the time, I was invited to join a band that was led by Dave Stirling, who was also the lead guitarist and vocalist. Phil Richardson was the rhythm guitarist and Ian Shapter was the drummer. As the last one to join, I became the bass player.
Dave mentioned that his parents had a place at the coast. At that time, I considered myself a cool Melbourne export and knew the delights of the sea, as I had lived close to Port Phillip Bay. But I quickly found that I was totally unprepared for what lay ahead of me at Rosedale.
Dave arranged for me to visit Rosedale with his dad, Tom Stirling. We approached Rosedale through the winding one lane dirt road, with a hand on the horn at each turn to warn oncoming traffic. I was then introduced to the fibro shack at number 16 Rosedale Parade, complete with open stud walls. I thought it was great, but this proved to be just a support act for the main act that greeted me, as I stepped up the sand hills of Rosedale beach to find a wide unpopulated vista of sand and surf.
This, to me, was it -nirvana - and did I mention the surf? I was entranced.
Dave and I were soon making regular coastal runs to Rosedale, in my part- owned VW 1963 beetle (see photo outside number 16).We enjoyed the surf and oating activities from Boatshed Beach (see other blurry black and white Instamatic image of Dave and I, and his dad’s clinker built boat).
We brought our acoustic guitars and a small portable gramophone, as Bega’s radio 2EC signal on the AM band rarely made it into Rosedale. Popular musical items on the gramophone at the Stirling residence included the “Wheels of Fire” album from Cream, with the often repeated lyric line from the song Crossroads“going down to Rosedale, with my rider by my side”.
We brought our acoustic guitars and a small portable gramophone, as Bega’s radio 2EC signal on the AM band rarely made it into Rosedale. Popular musical items on the gramophone at the Stirling residence included the “Wheels of Fire” album from Cream, with the often repeated lyric line from the song Crossroads“going down to Rosedale, with my rider by my side”.
Later, in the 1960’s, saw Dave and I expanding our trips to Rosie with the inclusion of John Mallet, and his pink Mark 2 Zephyr, and larger groups with Dick Cordy to Yowani Road. The last trip with Dick Cordy and crew included one wet Friday night, where we pushed the car being driven by a group of nuns heading to The Retreat, who had managed to bog their car in the mud onGeorge Bass Drive, which was under construction.
Later, I assisted a fellow band member, Ian Shapter, by driving my 1959 Kombi to Rosedale twice in one day to move furniture to establish the McAuslan’s residence in Yowani Road.
My assistance led to frequent weekend retreats to this North Rosedale house, which culminated in a marriage proposal to my wife, Jane, at the Steam Packet in Nelligen on the way to Yowani Road in 1979. The photo shows the youthful exuberance of the recently engaged couple that Sunday in the Rosedale sandhills.
Next, we raised our family of three boys in Canberra, with frequent visits over a 14 year period, to a mobile home at Barlings Beach Caravan Park, with only infrequent visits to Rosedale. Lastly, as an empty-nested couple, Jane found our new residence at, where else, but Rosedale and we moved in as permanent residents in 2009. Another member of the original band, Phil Richardson, also now owns a house in Cooks Crescent in South Rosedale.
Colin Enright
April 2014
Later, I assisted a fellow band member, Ian Shapter, by driving my 1959 Kombi to Rosedale twice in one day to move furniture to establish the McAuslan’s residence in Yowani Road.
My assistance led to frequent weekend retreats to this North Rosedale house, which culminated in a marriage proposal to my wife, Jane, at the Steam Packet in Nelligen on the way to Yowani Road in 1979. The photo shows the youthful exuberance of the recently engaged couple that Sunday in the Rosedale sandhills.
Next, we raised our family of three boys in Canberra, with frequent visits over a 14 year period, to a mobile home at Barlings Beach Caravan Park, with only infrequent visits to Rosedale. Lastly, as an empty-nested couple, Jane found our new residence at, where else, but Rosedale and we moved in as permanent residents in 2009. Another member of the original band, Phil Richardson, also now owns a house in Cooks Crescent in South Rosedale.
Colin Enright
April 2014
