HEB : A RETROSPECTIVE
PINNACLES GALLERY
Publisher Gallery Services
Gallery Services, Townsville City Council
PO Box 1268
Townsville Queensland, 4810 Australia
pinnacles@townsville.qld.gov.au
©Gallery Services, Townsville City Council and the authors 2016
ISBN: 978-0-949461-15-5
Organised by Gallery Services
Shane Fitzgerald Manager Gallery Services
Eric Nash Curator
Erwin Cruz Exhibitions and Collection Coordinator
Louise Cummins Education and Programs Coordinator
Rob Donaldson Digital Media and Exhibition Design Coordinator
Jo Stacey Team Leader Administration Gallery Services
Holly Grech-Fitzgerald Collections Management Officer
Carly Sheil Digital Media and Exhibition Design Officer
Dianne Purnell Digital Media and Exhibition Design Fellow
Leonardo Valero Exhibitions Officer
Rurik Henry Exhibitions Officer
Sarah Welch Public Art Officer
Jess Cuddihy Education and Programs Officer
Sarah Reddington Education and Programs Assistant
Danielle Berry Arts Officer
Wendy Bainbridge Administration Officer
Ruth Hughes Administration Officer
Jillian Macfie Gallery Assistant
Jo Lankester Gallery Assistant
Damian Cumner Gallery Assistant
Nicole Richardson Gallery Assistant
Samuel Smith Gallery Assistant
Cover Image
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Permanent residence] 2001
Pencil and pen on paper
18 x 27.4 cm [image];
21 x 27.4 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Wednesday, January 2, 2002
Published on the occasion of Pinnacles Gallery
HEB : A RETROSPECTIVE
15 July - 21 August 2016
Exhibition Curators
Eric Nash and Danielle Berry
Publication Design and Development
Eric Nash / Dianne Purnell / Danielle Berry / Rob Donaldson / Shane Fitzgerald
Acknowledgements
Gallery Services would like to pay tribute to the artist, Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden, for a lifetime’s contribution to Australian cartooning. Gallery Services would also like to acknowledge the continued support of Townsville City Council which has allowed this exhibition and supporting publication to be produced.
The exhibition, publication, and film, have all been developed with the selfless and generous contribution of many people. Gallery Services would like to thank HEB’s siblings Dennis, Pauline, and Debra, for initiating this project and providing information and artworks for display. Artworks have also been kindly loaned by Matt and Karissa Richards, and CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection - thanks to all of the Library team, particularly Susan Coker, Judith Jensen, Annette Burns, Barbara Mathiesen, Jenna Gallagher, and the Library Services Team.
Research and advice has also been kindly provided by the Townsville Bulletin, with thanks to Ann Roebuck and Kylie Davidson, and the James Cook University Library Special Collections.
A number of HEB’s friends and colleagues have paid fitting tributes and provided insight into HEB’s life, and we thank the Mayor of Townsville, Councillor Jenny Hill, Ray Dickson, Neville and Rosemary Kingsberry, Bruce MacDonald, Les Nicholson, and Steve Price.
All artworks have been photographed by Shane Fitzgerald.
Contact Pinnacles Gallery
Riverway Arts Centre
20 Village Boulevard
Thuringowa Central QLD 4817
Tues - Sun: 10am - 5pm
(07) 4773 8871
pinnacles@townsville.qld.gov.au www.townsville.qld.gov.au
@TCC_Pinnacles
PinnaclesTCC
[Complete Work]
Robert Hebden, affectionately known by his pen name ‘HEB’, has left an indelible mark on this region.
HEB created cartoons for more than 50 years - for over 40 of those years, his works were published in the local papers.
While HEB didn’t limit himself to local observations, it was surely his take on Townsville - its politics, people, and peculiarities - that had the most profound impact.
His Townsville works were simultaneously humorous and cutting, but above all they underlined the deep sense of connection HEB had for the tropical city he called home.
The affection with which HEB is held in this community became extremely apparent in the willingness of his friends, colleagues, and subjects of
his cartoons to assist the Gallery in its research, and also in loaning works for display.
My thanks go to all who participated in this project, and I can only hope we have done HEB’s legacy justice.
Of course special mention must go to HEB’s siblings, Dennis, Pauline, and Debra, who first approached the Gallery about the possibility of displaying HEB’s cartoons, and have been a source of support and information ever since.
It is extremely fitting that this exhibition should be displayed in 2016, the year Townsville celebrates its 150th year since being declared a municipality.
For the final third of those years, the events and issues that have shaped our fair city provided HEB with ample material for his works.
I’m sure viewers will enjoy looking through all of the selected works. I encourage viewers to embrace the Townsville spirit of not taking ourselves too seriously, a community trait HEB certainly appreciated.
Shane Fitzgerald Manager Gallery Services Pinnacles Gallery PercTucker Regional Gallery
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Born in 1949, and passing far too soon after a battle with cancer in 2014, Robert Hebden made an immense contribution to Townsville through his satirical cartooning - a contribution that cannot be adequately surmised in a single exhibition.
Having created over 4,500 cartoons for family, friends, and the local newspapers throughout his lifetime, Life & Laughs | HEB: a retrospective assembles a selection of just 91 works that provides only a glimpse into the artist’s talent, sharp wit, and love affair with Townsville.
Robert’s childhood was spent with his family, which included his mother and father, who would often travel for
work, and siblings Dennis, Debra and Pauline. Dennis recalls his early years, explaining, “Robert was fairly shy when he was young. He spent a lot of time in his room drawing, and particularly Disney characters. He used to enjoy cartooning, right from day one really.”
His early drawings came in the form of reproductions of Walt Disney characters, and kangaroos on the inside of Coca-Cola bottle tops.
Dennis remembers the bottle top drawings, explaining, “when we were kids, back in the late ‘50s, Coca-Cola used to have a promotion, where on the inside of the bottle lids they used to have a drawing of a kangaroo. There was probably 1 in every 500 bottles
or something. But the Hebdens, we managed to get 5 or 6, every 5 or 6 bottles! Because Robert was really good at drawing his kangaroos in the lids, and if you returned them to the store, you got a free Coke.”
It must be noted that Robert’s childhood was also spent developing his drumming skills; another lifelong love affair. More on that later.
In his early teens, his development as a cartoonist came about rapidly; from his drawing of his teacher at Pimlico State High School at age 12, to introducing himself as a professional to nationally-recognised cartoonist Eric Jolliffe at the Townsville Show in 1963 when he was aged just 14.
To provide proof of his claim, Hebden drew a caricature on the spot, with Jolliffe returning the favour and the pair exchanging drawings. It seemed even the professionals recognised a special talent in Hebden from the very beginning.
His next major step came by virtue of PIX magazine, a national publication. Dennis Hebden recalls, “I remember him cutting out a coupon in a PIX magazine, and sending it away for a correspondence course on cartooning. That was a six month course. That’s pretty much the only training he had in that field.”
Indeed, PIX magazine were so taken by Hebden’s submission, and the maturity of his work at such a young age, that they printed an article about his cartoons. The article read;
PIX always believed the Local Talent pages would unearth a young genius - an Australian cartoonist with an Aussie flair to his work.
We had been delighted with the contributions of Robert Hebden...and imagined from his work he was a person of mature age.
We wrote and asked him for a photo and some background and you could have pushed us over with a drawing pen when we learned Robert was only 18.
Just two years prior, Hebden had found a slightly more secure and lucrative use of his drawing talents.
At age 16, he commenced work as a cadet draftsman for the Townsville City Council in the City Architect’s Department. He would go on to work for Council for the remainder of his years, though the increasing reliance on digital drawing and drafting programs would mean his focus shifted to office fitouts.
Upon marking his 45 years of service with Townsville City Council, Hebden recalled that on his first day, “I was
so nervous I spilt ink on my shirt from the stationery cabinet and had to cycle home to change.”
Councillor Jenny Hill, Mayor of Townsville, remembers Hebden as someone who was “highly respected by his fellow Council workers...He put a lifetime into serving his community.”
Of his architectural drawings, Councillor Hill particularly recalls the many designs he developed for the bus stops and shelters that can be found around the city, while he was also heavily involved in the development of the Townsville Civic Theatre and Flinders Mall.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden Early Architectural Drawing
At age 16 or 17, Robert painted a Sleeping Beauty-themed mural in his sisters’ bedroom. It was covered with wallpaper when the Hebden family sold their home.
However, several years later, the new owners came across the Hebden family and explained how much they loved the mural, which they had discovered in the process of doing renovations, and had decided to keep it.
Still at a young age and working with his brother Dennis, Robert also put together a short animation of a boy and his dog on 16mm film. HEB’s sister Pauline recalls it was compiled from, “hundreds and hundreds of drawings.”
On the back of this formative animation experiment, Dennis took Robert and his father to the Hanna-Barbera studios in Sydney, where The Flintstones cartoons were being worked on at the time.
Impressed with Hebden’s work, the studio immediately offered him a job in Sydney to work on a full-length animated film.
Dennis recalls, “he pondered about it, but I think he got talked out of it and about leaving town, because he was still pretty young, and he would have had to drop a few bob in pay, so he declined.”
His family believe this may have been a regret for Robert later in life - a genuine ‘what if?’ moment - but his decision to stay was certainly to Townsville’s benefit.
In 1979, Robert Hebden, who would also adopt the pen name ‘HEB’, began drawing a regular weekly cartoon for the The Advertiser (and later the Townsville Sun). There were very few misses in the many thousands of cartoons that he would develop, which often centred on Politics, Sport, or unusual Events and Issues - themes which underpin this exhibition.
Dennis explains, “I guess politicians and sports people, they tend to offer up alot of ammunition for cartoonists, and they can’t resist them.”
Perhaps as impressive as the quality of his work was the speed with which HEB was able to both conceive and execute his drawings.
Dennis states, “He’d actually look at the paper from the day before or that morning, and within 20 minutes he’d come up with something. He was pretty quick and his humour is pretty obvious in his cartoons.”
Bruce MacDonald, who was the Sports Editor at the Townsville Bulletin, recalls meeting HEB in 1983, when he poached HEB’s services to create caricatures for the Townsville Sports Star of the Year Awards, however it wasn’t until the late ‘90s when working as the Editor of the Townsville Sun that he truly got to know HEB.
MacDonald described HEB as “a thorough professional. Self-effacing actually,” however confesses, “he didn’t inspire me with confidence in terms of his drive and enthusiasm, but that was just how the man was. He had a very incisive mind. He could encapsulate and sum up a situation so well, and particularly caricaturing prominent people...He just had a knack. He had that capacity to dial in on that prominent feature.”
HEB’s uncanny ability to draw recognisable personalities can be seen throughout this exhibition. His depictions of various Prime Ministers stack up favourably amongst
caricatures created by leading cartoonists around the nation, with his sister Pauline revealing, “I know he did like Bob Hawke, because that’s a face that you could do a lot with. And Julia Gillard.”
His ability to capture a person’s defining features was no doubt a by-product of his keen observational skills, in keeping with the quiet and considered nature of the man described by family, friends and colleagues.
Another personality who was often the subject of HEB’s cartoons was media personality Steve Price. Over the years, Pricey’s nose would become more and more exaggerated, much to his amusement.
Pricey explains, “Every time I did something silly, like in those days the broadcaster would come up with a silly thing to do - Bob would draw it, and put it on his page in the paper, and send me up.”
“HEB would draw you as he sees you, and there’s certain parts of my body that are, well, are large...I gave HEB material. I’ve got an ugly face, and he could draw it even worse. But with a smile. Always with a smile,” he continued.
Working for Townsville City Council for so many years also provided challenges, as HEB would often be taking the sitting Mayor and Councillors to task on any number of issues. He managed to avoid any serious issues though, on the back of his skill, humility, and the purity of his comical intent.
Late in his career, Robert Hebden commented, “It was never about putting across any political message for me, it was just about making people laughso I tried to remain impartial.”
HEB continued cartooning and was employed at Townsville City Council throughout the service of eight different Mayors.
Untitled [Carols by Candlelight with Tony Mooney and Pricey] 1994
Pencil and pen on paper
28 x 20.4 cm [image];
29.7 x 20.8 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, December 21, 1994
He commented, “I am just grateful that Council have kept me on for so long and I am just a bit of stayer.”
One of the earlier Mayors, who was frequently a source of inspiration for HEB, was Mike Reynolds.
Reynolds paid tribute to HEB’s talent in the early 1980s while still the sitting Mayor, commenting, “HEB is very broad with his penstrokes and his satire. As Mayor, I have not been spared from his clever caricature. I have always believed that humour is an important ingredient in public life, and we should all be able to enjoy a chuckle, even when we are on the receiving end.”
Current Mayor, Councillor Jenny Hill, was also the subject of a number of HEB’s cartoons, and her belief is that his work was not only universally received with good humour, but also that he had a more profound effect in shaping our political landscape than he may have intended.
Councillor Hill explains, “in political life, you’ve just to have a little bit of a thick skin. Guys like HEB were really about providing a funny way to give all of us a social commentary, and HEB did it perfectly.”
“I grew up reading Melbourne papers, so I used to see (Bruce) Petty’s cartoons, and there were a whole range of guys in the ‘70s and ‘80s who used political cartoons as a way of drawing attention to things in the community.”
“HEB was no different, but he just did it at a different level. So while you’d see cartoons about inflation, or unemployment around the nation, HEB was the sort of character who could localise it. What people like HEB do is they provide that social commentary around some pretty significant issues. And that’s really what cartoonists do. They measure the community, they understand what it’s thinking at the time, and they place it in such a way that it’s a bit of a joke, but it’s also a bit of a message,” Councillor Hill continued.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Mike Reynolds and Tony Mooney] 1985
Pencil and pen on paper
25.2 x 28.3 cm [image];
29.6 x 32.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Advertiser, Thursday, June 13, 1985
HEB’s popularity grew exponentially during his early years as the cartoonist at The Advertiser, and several books of his most memorable works followed.
The first release, The Best and Naughtiest of HEB, came in 1981, was followed in 1983 by a sequel, while A Decade of HEB was published in 1988.
At this time, HEB had some notable fans, particularly acclaimed and controversial Australian cartoonist, Larry Pickering.
Dennis Hebden recalls, “Larry Pickering, a tomato farmer from down in Sydney, and general trouble maker really I think...I believe he also offered Rob a job to come down and work for him in Sydney. But it was pretty hard to pry Robert out of North Queensland.”
In his introduction to The Best and Naughtiest of HEB no. 2, it was evident the esteem with which HEB was held by his southern counterparts.
Pickering wrote of HEB, “Bob Hebden is one of that rare breed of cartoonists who slots into anything.”
“His brand of North Queensland humour oozes with the smell of beer and the buzz of flies.”
“His adaptability is such that he would have little trouble contributing to the political pages of the Big Smoke newspages. His wit, if transposed to that Canberra asylum, would have the best (or worst) of those keepers of the public purse scurrying for cover.”
“HEB is here to stay - a pen destined to scribble yet another name on the list of world class cartoonists,” Pickering concluded.
His ongoing commitment to Townsville, and the very North Queensland humour that flowed through his pen, can make it somewhat difficult to judge with any authority where Robert Hebden - HEB - sits on the list of great Australian cartoonists.
But we also know his tropical take on life is what made his cartoons great. Unique. As Pricey explains, “HEB was one of these great individuals that looked at the bright side of life through his crayons, through his pens. We sometimes get very serious about our life. We shouldn’t - we’re North Queenslanders.”
“We’re above Capricorn, we live in the sunshine, we wear shorts, thongs, and silly shirts, and Jackie Howe’s, so often southern people may come up and think it’s a bit too casual. But so many southern people also come up and say, ‘It’s casual! How good’s this?!’ Well Bob would draw that. Bob would see that, see the fun in it, every true essence of North Queenslanders.”
HEB himself recognised how at one with the city he had become, commenting quite succinctly, “I guess after being here so long I know this town inside out.”
His affinity with Townsville flowed through most of his works, but none more so than the large-scale ‘map’ he drew of Townsville.
As if drawing the back of his hand, HEB meticulously plotted and watercoloured the city, its people, features and eccentricities without sparing a freckle. He knew the lay of the land - the way all of the cogs fit together to keep Townsville moving forward.
One of those cogs is Townsville’s music scene, of which HEB was also an integral component.
A skilled jazz drummer and also a guitarist, Hebden played in numerous bands, most notably as a founding member of the Pacific Mainstream Jazz Band from 1974.
Les Nicholson was a long-time band mate of HEB’s (or H. as he called him), with the two first meeting as Army Medics in a Reserve Unit.
Together in the Pacific Mainstream Jazz Band, they formed a friendship lasting more than 40 years.
Nicholson explains, “the band is driven by the drummer and the bass player. They’re the two guys that hold everything together. Bob was the consumate drummer...I recall in the early ‘70s when we first started playing Rock ‘n’ Roll together, I was fairly fiery in those days...Not only musically did he hold the band together, he held our personalities together I suppose.”
Though he achieved so much, the sense of the unfulfilled makes Robert Hebden’s early passing all the sadder.
HEB had begun painting more seriously, twice entering the Archibald Prize, though without success, and producing a number of landscapes. This was to be his retirement focus, and given his history of determination, skill and achievement, we can only speculate as to what he would have accomplished in this field.
Despite this sour note, HEB’s legacy is ensured, with the Hebden Memorial Bursary launching in 2015.
The concept was driven by his brother Dennis, who explains, “I approached James Cook University about raising a Scholarship for Arts students, and they were very susceptible to that. It provides encouragement for struggling students each year.”
His memory will also remain strong for those who were lucky enough to know him personally. They’ll recall how the humour so evident in his cartoons would spill over to real life, despite his quiet nature.
Robert’s sister Pauline provides an example, describing rides they would take in his first car, “an Anglia. For the younger generation, this model of car was the flying car in the Harry Potter movies. Back in the day the lads would do what was called ‘lappies’ up and down Flinders Street, way before the Mall came to be.”
“Many guys would have their souped-up cars and then there would be Rob and me in the Anglia. As Rob very slowly did his U-turn to do another lappie, I would hang out the window and make screeching sounds as if he was doing a squeelie.”
Though sadly departed, HEB leaves us with a catalogue of many thousands of drawings. Drawings that have given many times that number of laughs.
Whether he was looking at the Townsville/Thuringowa power struggle, taking a shot at State and Federal politicians and their attitudes toward regional North Queensland, or even ‘taking the piss’ out of our very own Perc Tucker Regional Gallery after its launch, HEB was the city’s eyes, and provided the community a voice on important issues.
Likely to his surpise, his cartoons also acted as a subversive and powerful agent for change.
Perhaps reading this essay, those who knew him best will find it odd that the man known as HEB (or Rob, Bob, Bobby, H, or some others that can’t be printed) has been referred to as Robert Hebden.
So I’d like to finish with a more intimate insight into the man, and for that the final words go to his friend and media colleague, Pricey, who fondly proclaimed, “HEB was a wonderful man, and I’m so privileged, in fact the whole city should be privleged and honoured to have known him, and indeed seen the way he looked at us in a most wonderful, Aussie, and humorous way.”
Eric Nash Curator Gallery ServicesPublished
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Rural voter backlash] 2001
Pencil and pen on paper
21 x 29.7 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
HEB’s cartoons captured, and even shaped, the political attitudes of Townsville residents for many years. While his main interest was on the local scene, he also took State and Federal politicians to task.
Paul Keating, John Howard, Pauline Hanson, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Bob Katter, Dan Gleeson, Mike Reynolds, Tony Mooney, and Les Tyrrell.
This selection of works sees HEB send up familiar faces such as Joh BjelkePetersen, Bob Hawke,
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Breakwater Island Casino] 1982
Pencil, pen, and newspaper clipping on paper
15.6 x 31.2 cm [image];
24.8 x 37.1 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Advertiser, Vol. 6, No. 262, Thursday, May 20, 1982
On February 6, 1985, electricity workers employed by the South East Queensland Electricity Board began a strike action.
On February 7, Joh Bjelke-Petersen declared a state of emergency under the State Transport Act 1938, and sacked the 1100 striking workers, all members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
This had a flow-on effect of the power station operators cutting supply in support of the dismissed men.
Robert‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [JBP v. ETU] 1985
Pencil and pen on paper
18.2 x 29.6 cm [image]; 27 x 36 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Advertiser, Thursday, February 26, 1985
Untitled [Mr Warburton’s Phantom Department] 1986
Pencil and pen on paper 18 x 19.5 cm [image]; 21 x 29.5 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Advertiser, Thursday, May 15, 1986
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Alderman Chesney said Mayor Tony Mooney ‘bullied’ anyone who dared to oppose him at the first joint local authority meeting he chaired in 1991, when discussing proposed changes to Valencia Street.
Mooney a former high school teacher said, “The 1991 class of Thuringowa was the worst group of students I have ever taught.”
Veteran Thuringowa Mayor, Dan Glesson, said, “If Alderman Mooney wants to shout his mouth off, it doesn’t bother me, I just won’t listen.”
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Tony Mooney teaches Dan Gleeson a lesson] 1991
Pencil and pen on paper
20.2 x 22.9 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Untitled [Tyrrell, Mayor of Disneyland] 1991
Pencil, pen, and newspaper clipping on paper
20.8 x 26.8 cm [image]; 21 x 26.8 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection Published in
April 4, 1991
In 1991, then Prime Minister Bob Hawke opposed a proposed mining project at Coronation Hill, which ultimately saw the area become part of the Kakadu National Park. His opposition was in support of the traditional custodians of the land, the Jawoyn people, who feared the project would upset their creation god, Bula.
The Jawoyn people believe Bula lives under the ground, and that if disturbed by the mining project, Bula would bring sickness to the land. Hawke’s fierce opposition to the mining project was in contrast with the views of many of his cabinet colleagues.
Hawke recalled, “I was annoyed beyond measure by the attitude of many of my colleagues, of their cynical dismissal of the beliefs of the Jawoyn people...I think I made probably one of the strongest and bitterest attacks I ever made on my colleagues in the cabinet.” The issue widened a cabinet divide, and no doubt played a role in Hawke losing the prime ministership to Paul Keating later in 1991.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Bob’s last fact finding mission to Kakadu] 1991
Pencil and pen on paper
27.9 x 29.7 cm [image];
29.9 x 31.4 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Pencil and pen on paper
20.1 x 22.6 cm [image]; 21 x 23.8 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
August
In 2007, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie established a Local Government Reform Commission to consider new boundaries for councils across the state. Included in this consideration was the proposal to amalgamate the then ‘Twin City’ councils of Townsville and Thuringowa.
The response that followed saw Townsville Mayor Tony Mooney open to the idea, but not as a forced decision.
Thuringowa Mayor Les Tyrell was openly opposed to an amalgamation of Townsville and Thuringowa city councils.
On 10 August, 2007, it was announced that the two city councils would be amalgamated along with NQ Water following the Report of the Local Government Reform Commission, with the following election in March 2008 finding Tony Mooney deposed and Les Tyrrell becoming the Mayor of the newly joined city.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Mooney and Tyrrell wrestle for Townsville] 1991
Pencil, pen, and newspaper headline on paper
32.4 x 29.6 cm [image];
32.4 x 29.6 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Robert
Untitled [Paul Keating v. John Howard] 1995
Pencil and pen on paper
27.5 x 20.6 cm [image];
29.7 x 21 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, February 8, 1995
Untitled
Pencil
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
On 16 September, 1995, Prime Minister Paul Keating became a Paramount Chief of the Orokaivan people, the traditional inhabitants of the Central District of Papua New Guinea.
The traditional ceremony saw Keating invested as a chief, something that had not happened in living memory, through the placing of a headress made using the bills of five Hornbill birds on his head. Photographs of Keating wearing the unique headdress quickly spread.
of the Hebden Family Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, September 20, 1995
Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, September 27, 1995
The 1998 Queensland State election proved to be a momentous one in Australian political history. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party recorded support of just 5% to begin the year in a Newspoll, however political discussion in the lead up to the election increasingly focussed on the party; whether they would win any seats, and what effect the Coalition’s decision to direct preferences to One Nation would have.
By election day many were predicting One Nation could claim a number of seats and hold the balance of power in a hung parliament.
However, few predicted Hanson, the Fish and Chip shop owner, would lead the Party to claim 11 seats, defeating the Liberal Party, which claimed only 9. The result was a knockout blow to Rob Borbidge’s Coalition, and a significant hit to Peter Beattie’s ALP.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Hanson v. Beattie v. Borbidge] 1998
Pencil and pen on paper
21 x 29.7 cm [image];
21 x 297. cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published
Ken Turner, the politician and parttime Santa Claus, was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland to represent the seat of Thuringowa in 1998.
Having reached office as a member of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party, Turner quit the party to sit as an independent in February 1999. Turner was one of three MPs to quit the party as in-fighting intensified over One Nation’s constitution.
Robert‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Ken Turner leads revolt] 1999 Pencil, pen, and newspaper clipping on paper
19.6 x 26.1 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, February 10, 1999
Under the Howard Government, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) came into effect on July 1, 2000. Addressing the nation in a speech two days before the tax system’s introduction, Prime Minister Howard proclaimed, “This is something the country has needed for more than twenty years and we’re doing it because it is the right thing for the nation.”
In the lead up to its introduction, the GST was a controversial topic, and its impact on prices of various items immediately after its implementation was also a source of conjecture, with genuine concern amongst citizens exacerbated by political scaremongering.
Locally, Federal Member for Herbert Peter Lindsay defended the GST against claims that school fundraising would be subject to the tax, while Herbert Liberals chairman David Moore took a Townsville City Council budget to task. The budget saw increases in rates, water, and sewerage charges above the rate of inflation, with Moore stating, “Townsville Mayor Tony Money tried to pass that off as a result of the GST, but the GST is not imposed on those services.”
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden Untitled [The GST Train] 2000Pencil and pen on paper
20.1 x 28.8 cm [image];
20.8 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, July 5, 2000
On July 8, 2010, Prime Minister Julia Gillard ruled out a carbon tax as an interim measure, telling ABC’s Lateline, “The pricing of carbon I think is best done through a market-based mechanism.”
On February 24, 2011, however, Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveils plans for a carbon tax from July 2012, described by Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott as a, “historic betrayal.”
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Julia Gillard’s carbon copy] 2011
Pencil and pen on paper
19 x 29.4 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, October 12, 2011
In the lead up to the 2012 state election in Queensland, James Packer made a donation of $250,000.00 to the Katter Australian Party. This donation was the largest recorded in Queensland’s history at the time, and was instrumental in assisting the party to field 76 candidates in the state’s 89 seats.
Controversy surrounded the gift, which was given at a time when poker machine regulation and reforms were being debated. Prior to the donation, party leader Bob Katter had opposed the gambling reforms, however the party went on record stating that the donation was the result of long-term family friendship.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden Untitled [Bob Katter and James Packer KENO] 2012Pencil and pen on paper
20 x 26.5 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, August 8, 2012
On June 26, 2013, Julia Gillard lost a leadership spill by 57-45 to Kevin Rudd, whom she had deposed as Prime Minister in 2010.
With that, Australia’s first female Prime Minister would walk away from politics, while Rudd would go on to lose the September election to Tony Abbott and the LNP.
19.9
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in colour in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday March 27, 2013
HEB captured the highs and lows of our local and national sporting heroes.
He was there for the early turbulent days of the North Queensland Cowboys, and would have taken great joy in paying tribute to their 2015 premiership.
In this section he also depicts our national cricket team, State of Origin, Mike Tyson, Serena Williams, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Black Caviar, the NQ Fury, and the most serious of competitions, the Goldfield Ashes.
HEB saw the Crocs march to the 2000/2001 NBL grand final, and magical 16 match winning streak. He would no doubt have been saddened by the club’s recent demise.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [The Emperor of Lang Park] 1986
Pencil and pen on paper
25.5 x 38.5 cm [image]; 29.5 x 42 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Advertiser, Thursday, May 29, 1986
1992 saw a major push for Townsville to have its own team in the nation’s topflight rugby league competition, with the structure of the Winfield Shield coming under review at an initial meeting of a newly appointed Northern Division Board of Directors.
HEB envisaged Townsville’s own team tackling their big city cousins - a dream which would become a reality in 1993 when the North Queensland Cowboys were announced to enter the NSWRL in two years’ time.
19.5 x 24.2 cm [image]; 21 x 25.5 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville,
Cricket’s fiercest rivalry, The Ashes, were rather uncompetitive affairs for a period, with Australia claiming eight successive series wins over the Old Enemy between 1989 and 2002/2003.
24.8 x 19.5 cm [image]; 29.5 x 20.8 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, December 14, 1994
Pencil
25.9
29.6
Published in The Advertiser, Wednesday, January 4, 1995
Coached by Graham Lowe, the 1996 season was the North Queensland Cowboys’ second in the first grade rugby league competition. While the team finished in 17th place (from 20 teams), they did enjoy 6 wins, an improvement on the 2 registered in their debut season.
One of their victories in 1996 came on the road in round 21 against the highly-fancied St. George Dragons, who finished the regular season in 7th place and would go on to reach the Grand Final.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Cowboys slay Dragons] 1996
Pencil and pen on paper
19.8 x 28.2 cm [image];
20.2 x 28.5 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, August 28, 1996
Australia left the 1998 Commonwealth Games having topped the medal tally, claiming 80 gold, 61 silver, and 57 bronze.
England were the nearest rival, well adrift with 36 gold.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Australian Athletes depart from Kuala Lumpur] 1998
Pencil and pen on paper
20.2 x 29.2 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, September 23, 1998
Nothing more need be said, than that HEB truly understood the spirit of the annual Charters Towers cricket tournament, the Goldfield Ashes.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Top order at the Goldfield Ashes] 2000
Pencil and pen on paper
19.2 x 16.8 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, January 26, 2000
The Townsville Crocodiles enjoyed a strong season in 1999/2000, eventually going down in the semi-finals.
The Crocodiles’ form in the later part of the season was such that they embarrassed the Brisbane Bullets to the tune of 122-73 in round 20 at the Townsville Entertainment Centre.
The team’s largest ever winning margin, a whopping 63 points, would also come in a match against the Bullets the following year.
Pencil and pen on paper
19.3 x 29.6 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, February 16, 2000
The year 2000 was a momentous one for the Brisbane Broncos, having a stranglehold on top spot of the NRL ladder from round 4 until the completion of the season, and going on to win the Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters, 14-6.
The same could not be said of the North Queensland Cowboys’ season. The two teams first met in round 6, with the Broncos inflicting a 50-8 defeat on the Cowboys at their home ground, and making a mockery of the pre-game fireworks and celebratory atmosphere.
Published
Robert‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Pre-game fireworks] 2000
Pencil and pen on paper
21 x 29.5 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
March 15, 2000
The North Queensland Cowboys enjoyed little success in their formative years, collecting wooden spoons in 1995, 1997, and 2000, the latter two ‘won’ under experienced coach Tim Sheens. Despite this, the 2001 season began with much optimism of improved performances.
This optimism proved to be for nought. The season started poorly, and pressure mounted on Sheens, whose cause was not aided by a mounting injury toll.
In the end, the Cowboys - under new Head Coach Murray Hurst and owners News Ltd. - did avoid the wooden spoon in 2001. They finished second last, equal on points with wooden spooners, the Penrith Panthers, but with a superior points differential.
Untitled [Cowboys play at the Country Music Festival] 2001
Pencil and pen on paper
20.8 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, May 9, 2001
With 2001’s State of Origin series levelled at one game apiece, Queensland coach Wayne Bennett named Maroons halfback Allan ‘Alfie’ Langer to make a comeback for the third and deciding match. It was the first time an England-based player had been named to play a State of Origin match.
Nearing 35 years of age, Langer called on all of his experience to lead the Maroons to a famous 40 - 14 victory, capping his night with a trademark solo try, and denying Blues legend Brad Fittler a fairytale farewell in his 29th and final State of Origin appearance.
Following the game, Sydney’s Daily Telegraph ran with the headline, ‘Bloody Alf, You flew 16,981km to break our hearts. Now, please go back to England.’
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden Untitled [Fire Ant Research Centre] 2001Pencil and pen on paper
18 x 27.5 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published
Parodying the 2000 hit single ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ by the Baha Men, HEB turned his attention in 2002 to the NRL’s most significant salary cap contoversy (until the 2010 Melbourne Storm affair).
The 2002 controversy saw the Caterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who at the time lead the competition on 37 points, stripped of all premiership points, and fined the maximum $500,000 for systematic breaches of the salary cap over successive years.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Who kicked the Dogs out?] 2002
Pencil and pen on paper 20.8 x 28 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
HEB’s depiction of the Townsville Crocodiles came from happier times for the club, capturing the team’s run of 16 straight wins during the 2002/2003 NBL season. What made the streak even more memorable was the fact the Crocs had started the season with just 3 wins from their first 14 matches, at which point players made a pact to not shave their beards until their next loss.
The team would go on to finish third, with a 19 and 11 win/loss record, and were beaten in the Semi Final by minor premiers Sydney Kings. Wayne Turner and Pat Reidy were named the team’s joint MVPs, while Ian Stacker won the NBL’s Coach of the Year.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Crocs win 16 straight] 2003
Pencil and pen on paper 21 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, March 5, 2003
Serena Williams is one of the most successful tennis players of all time, winning her first major championship in 1999, and completing the career Grand Slam in 2003. By the time the 2009 US Open rolled around, the US star already had 9 major championship titles to her name.
However, things unravelled at the US Open in the semi final. Facing match point against Belgian player Kim Clijsters, Williams was penalised for shouting and shaking her racquet at an official, which followed an earlier violation for breaking her racquet.
Tournament referee Brian Earley explained, “she was called for a foot fault, and a point later, she said something to a line umpire, and it was reported to the chair, and that resulted in a point penalty. And it just happened that point penalty was match point. It was a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, January 27, 2010
In 2010, controversial journeyman Willie Mason accepted an NRL lifeline with a one year contract to play for the North Queensland Cowboys. Mason had started his career with the CanterburyBankstown Bulldogs, and also played for the Sydney Roosters, before moving to Townsville.
Mason arrived with a long rap sheet from his time playing in Sydney, including being charged for public urination during a trip to Port Macquarie in 2008, however he was upbeat about his prospects with the Cowboys, stating, “I don’t really look back on the past, I look forward to the future. I looked at the team up here and thought I could play my best football at the Cowboys.”
Robert20.1
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, February 10, 2010
While the North Queensland Cowboys would ultimately finish the 2012 season in fifth position on the ladder, their round 1 match against the Gold Coast Titans was a much more slippery affair.
In going down 18-0 at home, the Cowboys put in a woeful effort, completing only 16 of their 37 sets, for a 43% completion rate.
Cowboys coach Neil Henry wasn’t able to contain his disappointment in speaking to media after the match, stating, “it was pretty awful, a pretty ugly performance all round really... At 13 errors at halftime you would think that we wouldn’t repeat that but we went one better so we’re very disappointed.’’
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Cowboys’ sticky sponsor] 2012
Pencil and pen on paper
19.7 x 25.6 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, March 7, 2012
HEB’s cartoons had a particularly Townsville flavour to them, and this was never more evident than in his cartoons capturing the many issues and events that colour our lives. In this selection HEB looks far and wide. He looks at the community’s reaction to a controversial artwork, death defying hang-gliders, fits Pricey’s nose in a single drawing, laments wet season mowing, tackles CBD and
Nelly Bay developments, immortalises the Castle Hill Saint, and pokes fun at local events such as a Lavarack Barracks
Open Day, and the city’s Bicentennial celebrations.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Townsville Casino] 1982
Pencil and pen on paper
21.2 x 28 cm [image];
27 x 36.5 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
At the 1974 Townsville Pacific Festival Art Exhibition, the awarding of top prize and subsequent acquisition of John Firth-Smith’s painting Cajun was not a unanimously celebrated decision. In fact, some vocal members of the community even labelled the work Townsville’s Blue Poles, baulking at its price tag, abstract style and the fact that Firth-Smith was not from Townsville. One ‘Letter to the Editor’ printed in The Townsville Daily Bulletin stated;
“The granting of first prize to Mr. John Firth-Smith with his painting called ‘Cajun’ at the Townsville Pacific Art Festival recently, not only discourages local artists and painters from entering their works in future competitions, but also tends to chase people away from viewing, and attending other exhibitions
or art displays, because of some of the absurd decisions made there...I hold nothing personal against the successful competitor, and wish to congratulate him on his win, and further success in the future, but I cannot make head nor tail of his painting.”
Others believe the awarding of this prize was the catalyst for Townsville’s arts awakening, an opinion supported by the subsequent and astute 1984 purchase of Firth- Smith’s Point to Point, Place to Place.
1988 was a year of celebrations marking 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet of British convict ships at Sydney in 1788. It also triggered healthy debate about national issues of our national identity, and Aboriginal rights.
A national program of events and celebrations was developed by the specially convened Australian Bicentennial Authority (ABA), with the largest and most memorable event being Brisbane’s World Expo ‘88
In Townsville, however, it seemed celebrations were complicated by long queues, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of keen attendees.
Robert ‘HEB’ HebdenUntitled [Victims of Bi-centennial Queue Fever] 1988
Pencil, pen, and newspaper clipping on paper
29.7 x 38.3 cm [image];
29.7 x 42 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Twin Cities Advertiser, Thursday, July 21, 1988
CityLibraries
Published in the Twin Cities Advertiser, Townsville and Thuringowa News, May 27, 1993
HEB found inspiration in the coalescence of events in 1996; an Open Day at Lavarack Barracks, and ongoing discussion about rising rates of youth crime across the city.
Untitled [Family Day at Lavarack Barracks] 1996
Pencil and pen on paper
19.5 x 29.6 cm [image];
20.9 x 29.6 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, October 16, 1996
HEB’s lament of the post-wet season mowing was an almost annual fixture, depicting all sorts of battles and hardships against the overgrown lawns.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Taking advantage of the weekend’s sunshine] 1997
Pencil, pen, and newspaper clipping on paper 20.9 x 27.5 cm [image]; 21 x 27.5 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, February 12, 1997
Pencil
Courtesy of the
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, April 30, 1997
The price of purchasing fuel in North Queensland was a hot topic of discussion in 1997 following a steep upward trend.
Unfortunately, the price has only continued to climb in the years since.
Works such as these showcased HEB’s awareness of the issues faced by Townsville and North Queensland residents.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Buying fuel in Queensland] 1997
Pencil and pen on paper
20.2 x 29.5 cm [image];
21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family Published
Robert
Untitled [1998 Townsville v. Cairns Mudslinging Championship] 1998 Pencil and pen on paper
20.9 x 28.8 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection Published in
Wednesday, July 29, 1998
Untitled [Cleveland Baywatch] 1999
Pencil and pen on paper
20.5 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, March 3, 1999
Many Townsville locals will remember the on again, off again saga of the proposed development of Nelly Bay, which was finally given the all clear in August 1999 by the Premier Peter Beattie’s representative in North Queensland, Mike Reynolds.
Cairns and Townsville have always been northern rivals, particularly evident during beachfront developments.
Image Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Pyne’s mud slinging] 1999
Pencil and pen on paper
20.4 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, November 3, 1999
QANTAS’ proud safety record took a series of hits in late 1999 and early 2000.
September 1999, passengers reported hearing the nose wheel snap and the front of the aircraft go down.
December 1999, shortly after take-off, a large piece of a plane’s engine fell into the ocean.
April 2000, passengers were stranded on the tarmac in Rome after the undercarriage of their Qantas jet collapsed beneath them.
May 2000, Flight QF128 was forced to return twice to Hong Kong airport after warnings of generator failures.
Robert‘HEB’
HebdenUntitled [Another QANTAS scare] 2000
Pencil and pen on paper
21 x 29.4 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, May 10, 2000
The Museum of Tropical Queensland is the only branch of the Queensland Museum north of Brisbane, and opened in its new, iconic building in 2000, which immediately transformed the Townsville skyline along Ross Creek.
The opening of the Museum on June 3 was cause for celebration, particularly the unveiling of the centrepiece display, the HMS Pandora.
The Sun, Sun Community Newspapers, printed a pennant flag depicting the Pandora, and ran a colouring competition for children as part of the festivities.
Untitled [New Landmark on the Townsville Skyline] 2000
Pencil and pen on paper 20 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Robert
Untitled [Permanent residence] 2001
Pencil and pen on paper
18 x 27.4 cm [image]; 21 x 27.4 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Wednesday, January 2, 2002
Untitled [Dam Fishing] 2002
Pencil and pen on paper
20.8 x 29.5 cm [image];
20.9 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in The Sun, Wednesday, April 3, 2002
HEB knew Barra Season in Townsville was no laughing matter. But still made us laugh anyway.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [Barra Season] 2003
Pencil and pen on paper
22 x 29.1 cm [image];
22.2 x 29.6 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Wednesday November 5, 2003
Untitled [Rare and vanishing species exhibit] 2004 Pencil and pen on paper 21 x 29.7 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in The Sun, Wednesday June 30, 2004
CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection
Published in Sun Community Newspapers, Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Prince Harry made news around the world in 2012 after an infamous game of strip billiards in Las Vegas.
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden
Untitled [A Royal decree] 2012
Pencil and pen on paper 19.2 x 27 cm [image]; 21 x 29.7 cm [sheet]
Courtesy of the Hebden Family
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Published in the Townsville Sun, Wednesday,
1949
Robert was born in Brisbane in October 1949. The family live in Greenslopes.
1953
1950s - 1960s
Robert went to Central State School in North Ward, and later Mundingburra State School, before attending Pimlico State High School and further education.
His gift as an artist and his sense of humour became evident during his teenage years. His first cartoon came at age 12, depicting his teacher, while he occasionally filled in for Channel 7’s resident cartoonist on their morning children’s program.
1965
Robert began working for the Townsville City Council in the City Architect’s Department as a 16 year old cadet draftsmen. He would work for the Council for over 50 years.
1967
Robert shared his Dad’s love of music and became an accomplished drummer, teaching himself using his Mum’s cake tins and an old set of drumsticks discarded by his Dad. He played in many local bands both as a drummer and guitarist.
Robert gained recognition for his skill as a cartoonist, with an article proclaiming him a young artist to watch out for. The article begins, “PIX always believed the Local Talent pages would unearth a young genius - an Australian cartoonist with an Aussie flair to his work.”
The article is accompanied by two of HEB’s cartoons, with colour additions by the paper’s resident artist, Max Foley.
1970s
Known as ‘Bob’ or ‘Bobby’ to friends, Robert adopted the pen name ‘HEB’.
His skill as a cartoonist saw major animation studio Hanna-Barbera seek his services, as did Australian political cartoonist, caricaturist and illustrator, Larry Pickering.
1974
The Pacific Mainstream Jazz Band forms, with Robert as the founding drummer. Robert would play in the band for over 40 years.
1979
Robert began drawing for the Townsville Advertiser. HEB continued supplying cartoons depicting local events to the Townsville newspapers until his passing in 2014. He provided over 4,500 cartoons for the newspapers and friends.
1981
Described as “A collection of some of the best cartoons of Bob HebdenTownsville’s most popular cartoonist”, the North Queensland Newspaper Company publishes HEB’s first book, The Best and Naughtiest of HEB.
1982
A letter from the office of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, is sent to HEB to congratulate him on the professionalism of his cartoon.
1983
The Best and Naughtiest of HEB no. 2 is released, containing introductions by Larry Pickering and Mayor, Mike Reynolds.
1988
A Decade of HEB - depicting more than 100 of his best works from The Advertiser - is released. It was made available for $3 from the paper’s office.
1990s
HEB’s love for oil painting saw him enter work on two ocassions into The Archibald. His aim, when he finally retired, was to concentrate in this field.
2014
Robert passed away from liver cancer; he was diagnosed only three months before. Robert was 64 years old.
Robert never married and had no dependants. He is survived by his brother Dennis, and sisters Debra and Pauline.
2016
Established in HEB’s memory, the first HEB Memorial Bursary recipients were Melissa Fazel, Erin Radel, and Georgia Gilbert. Learn more about the HEB Memorial Bursary opposite.
Pinnacles Gallery stages Life & Laughs | HEB: a retrospective to coincide with the city’s T150 celebrations, paying tribute to HEB’s many year’s of observation of the Townsville community.
2015
Townsville’s CityLibraries honour HEB’s contribution to the city with a display of a selection of his cartoons in the city branch at Northtown, Flinders Street.
IMAGES
Page 190 - 191
Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden Untitled [Townsville] 2001 Pencil, pen, and watercolour on paper 168 x 105 cm [image]; 174 x 111 cm [framed]
Courtesy of Matt and Karissa Richards
Biography
1 Robert Hebden with brother Dennis
2 Robert Hebden playing drums
3 Still from a 16mm animation film by Robert Hebden c. 1970
4 Robert ‘HEB’ Hebden, Untitled [The Pacific Mainstream Jazz Band album cover], 1978, Record cover; printed ink on card, 30.6 x 30.7 cm. CityLibraries Townsville, Local History Collection. Released 1978
5 Townsville Advertiser article referencing Robert Hebden’s letter from the Prime Minister’s office
6 Section from Twin Cities Advertiser advertisement for A Decade of HEB book
7 Robert Hebden with siblings Deb, Pauline and Dennis
The HEB Memorial Bursary was established by Mr Dennis Hebden to commemorate and recognise his brother, the late Robert Hebden, who passed away in 2014 after a battle with cancer.
The inaugural HEB Memorial Bursay was for $5,000, with $2,500 to be awarded annually for the next decade to the most outstanding Education students (Primary or Secondary) as ranked by their practical portfolio scores for the subject Teaching Art Education in Schools.
Eligible students must be studying through James Cook University’s Townsville campus.
HEB’s work as a cartoonist has left an idelible mark on the city of Townsville, and this Bursary is another means by which his legacy will be carried on for future generations.
Due to the outstanding quality of work submitted, the inaugural HEB Memorial Bursary was jointly awarded to three applicants in 2015; Melissa Fazel, Erin Radel, and Georgia Gilbert.
