THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au Available early Tuesday at: http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 22 #09 TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2007 22,300 copies every week
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Farewell, Geoff Williams
Music and sunshine make for November 19, 1950-July 30, 2007 Splendour in the Grass Geoff Williams, Echo advertising manager and Brunswick Heads resident, died of cancer at John Flynn hospital on the Gold Coast on Monday July 30, aged 56. His life was celebrated by family and friends last Thursday on the banks of his beloved Brunswick River. Born in Melbourne on November 19, 1950, Geoffrey Kenneth Williams grew up in the city and was educated there before moving on to a career in newspaper publishing. Among the many speakers at his service, Geoff’s father Ken recalled his natural gregariousness, how he would as a child sit astride the family letterbox and chat with passersby. He also noted Geoff’s sporting prowess, in athletics and rowing, and recounted how the great distance runner Ron Clarke arrived at the family doorstep to encourage Geoff with a gift of running gear. Geoff also backpacked through Europe, said Ken, before being employed in the newspaper industry at The Age in Melbourne, Townsville and with Rural Press at Merimbula. His friend from Caulfield Grammar, Tony Maine, recalled their rowing days together and his stint at Latrobe University, where Geoff graduated in Arts/Science. Geoff had a great love of science, exhibited in an impressive knowledge of physics and geography. There was even more to Geoff, however – he loved a punt and a drink and was an avid Carlton AFL supporter. Poetry was another string to his bow and Tony told how Geoff once impressed the locals at the Jingellic pub,
Hans Lovejoy
For the first time in four years it wasn’t reduced to a mudpit. Winter sunshine broke through the morning drizzle last Saturday, setting the stage for possibly the best lineup Splendour In The Grass has ever seen. Over 17,500 music lovers danced, partied and sent each other text messages throughout the two day event, bringing a colourful and vibrant atmosphere to Byron Bay. Carpark, tent and festival capacity was also pushed to the limit. The best T-shirt slogan of the festival? ‘No politics. Just parties.’ As with any major musical festival, cases of drug and
who had overheard him spouting his own verse at the local river. Another pub was owned by the then retired Australian world champion boxer Lionel Rose, and Tony remembered Geoff dancing the pugilist publican around the room to the strains of the just-released American Pie. Geoff came to The Echo in 1999, and as Echo publisher David Lovejoy remarked, ‘immediately impressed his stamp on the newspaper. He was well-organised, farsighted, and clear about his plans, and he accompanied it all with a delicious probing wit. ‘Geoff’s influence on The Echo was therefore entirely beneficial. Certainly on his
alcohol overdoses, drinkdrug driving and partyrelated injuries were recorded by the local hospital and police. Fines for sleeping in cars were also issued by Council Rangers according to at least one witness, and complaints ranged from trespassing to public urinating. It’s all about the music, however, and this year’s lineup of local and international acts did not disappoint. Local bands Sara Tindley and the Kingfishers and Wild Marmalade opened the festival on Saturday with Aussie favourites Grinspoon, Powderfinger and London songstress Lily Allen headlining the night, while local act The
Ride, The Hoodoo Gurus, Arctic Monkeys and The Hilltop Hoods were some of Sunday’s highlights. Despite the cancellation of two international drawcards, The Klaxons and Damien Rice, replacement bands The Waifs and The Hot Chip DJs were luckily available to perform at late notice. Police kept a visible presence throughout the town and festival site. A learner driver and his nominated supervisor were charged with drink driving on Sunday night at Ewingsdale, according to NSW Police Online. The pair will appear at Byron Bay Local Court on Friday continued on page 2
watch the volume of sales increased hugely, but just as importantly he taught us to treat the business with professionalism, and to keep leavening it with good sense and humour as he did. He fitted in so well at the newspaper because he had things to say, and I regret that we didn’t insist on Geoff writing more because when you drew him out on the subject of Australian rural media he was a fund of anecdote and insight. ‘He loved the paper and he loved the area where he found himself after years with the corporate press. He threw himself into local Brunswick issues and got to know everybody. Melbourne musician Wally De Backer as his solo project Gotye attacks the drums at Splendour. See continued on page 2
more pictures on page 18. Photo Jeff ‘Pit Bull’ Dawson