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My other life:
Peter McKenzie
by Greg Martin
Like many of
us, Peter loves
nothing better
The Adventures
than curling up
of Barry McKenzie
with a good “read”
was a roller-coast
– newspapers,
of a ride for those
magazines and
of us who got
books.
along to the flicks
He devours
to watch the 1972
the classics by
movie about a
such renowned
Yobbo let loose on
writers as Tolstoy
London.
and Waugh, reads
Bazza had
each edition of
many adventures
New Scientist but none more so
“there’s something
than our very own
new and exciting
McKenzie – Peter
in it every week”
McKenzie, who,
Peter McKenzie flanked by Helen Rossi
– and is a great
along with his
and her son, Michael.
admirer of the
sister and brotherwritings of Bill Bryson.
in-law, Helen and Gary Rossi, has
In days gone by, Peter would
operated Richmond Newsagency for
have given me a tip about one of his
going on 27 years.
horses but the biggest tip he could
During his 69 years in this place,
give me during this interview was “go
Peter, as they say, has lived a life.
and get your hands on a copy of W.E.
Bankstown paper-boy, sheep
Bowman’s 1956 novel, The Ascent of
station roustabout, newspaper
Rum Doodle”.
circulation representative, long-time
“It is a spoof of the non-fictional
newsagent, successful thoroughbred
chronicles of mountaineering
and standard-bred racehorse owner
expeditions that were popular during
and breeder, keen golfer and a
the 1950s, as many of the world’s
passionate devotee of that most
highest peaks were climbed for the
intense of all card games, contract
first time.” Peter said.
bridge.
“I have read it many times but I
Unfortunately an incident which
still laugh out loud every time I turn
involved a huge 550kg horse, a long
a page!”
length of rope and his left arm has
Now, let’s have a brief look at
curtailed Peter’s involvement with
Peter McKenzie’s adventures along
golf and even his beloved bridge at
the pathway called life.
which pursuit he was an outstanding
He grew up in Bankstown and
player.
attended Hurlstone Agricultural High
I’ll let Peter briefly tell the story.
School, leaving at 15 to become a
“It was back in ’87 and we were
roustabout on a sheep station north
living at Forbes,” Peter explained.
of Broken Hill – where he says, he
“I had a few acres on the edge of
“grew up quickly”.
town and used to look after my own
“I spent a couple of years there
horses and those of a few friends.
learning all aspects of looking after
“Anyway, one day I was leading
sheep and running a station then
this big grey horse down for a drink
spent another couple of years doing
and, thinking about something else, I
the same work on sheep stations in
had wrapped part of this long leadSouth Australia,” Peter said.
rope around my arm.
He then returned home to
“Still can’t believe I did that! Well
Bankstown and worked for a year in
the horse bolted and I was pulled
Greenaway’s Newsagency where he
about 120 metres along the ground
had a paper route as a boy.
before crashing into the side of a
“I then joined News Limited as
gate which snapped the halter off the
a circulation representative from
horse.
1966-1977 and learned enough of
“My arm was in a terrible way but
the game to buy a newsagency in
fortunately two blokes were nearby
Stanmore which I operated for nine
and they called an ambulance.
years before moving out to Forbes to
“I had 27 operations at Orange
do the same.”
Hospital, spent six months in
“I sold the newsagency just before
rehabilitation at Bathurst and then
my accident but go back into the
had another series of operations
game in October ’89 when Helen
down in Sydney.
and Gary and I went into partnership
“They saved my arm but the
damage done has certainly curtailed with this,” Peter said, waving an arm
around the shop.
my recreational activities.
While living in the bush, Peter
“I even had to give bridge away
bred a couple of handy horses
because I could only hold my cards
including a couple of smart
for a few seconds before the hand
standardbreds, one of which was
started aching.”
good enough to win a couple of
When I approached Peter about
races at Harold Park against quality
doing this My Other Life article he
opposition.
told me “not much of another life in
However his greatest joy on the
me”.
racetrack was handed to him by
But there’s another life in all of us
and for this hard-working man it now classy thoroughbred, Mr Bureaucrat,
which he raced in partnership with
is reading.
local medicos, Rob Sheehan and
Phillip Chan.
Mr Bureaucrat raced 43
times for 11 wins, six placings
and accumulated $830,000 in
prizemoney.
He hit a purple patch in the
winter of 2002, winning on the trot
the Sir Byrne Hart Stakes (Group
2), Doomben Cup (Group 1) and
Hollingdale Cup (Group 2).
Mr Bureaucrat was top-class –
much like Peter McKenzie.
Honest, hard-working and
endeared many people.
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Peter delivers the papers during his
days at Stanmore.
HAWKESBURY DISTRICT INDEPENDENT NEWS www.hdinews.com.au
ISSUE 61 // June 2015 19