(Photo: Hazel Christie-Small)
November 10, 2015
Author and journalist Hugh Lunn and former Aussie tennis great Mal Anderson are the special guests at a special fundraising lunch being held in Blackbutt later this month.
The Mayor’s Fundraising Luncheon, organised by South Burnett Regional Council and Blackbutt & District Tourism & Heritage Association, is designed to kickstart the project to erect a statue of former Nukku boy and Wimbledon champion Roy Emerson in town.
Tickets are $50 a head and must be booked as soon as possible (the original deadline has been extended to November 11).
Hugh Lunn is well-known for his best-selling autobiographical books, including “Over The Top With Jim” which detailed his childhood during the 1950s growing up in Annerley.
Amongst his other books is “The Great Fletch” about his great mate, larrikin and tennis ace Ken Fletcher.
The tale of Fletcher, who died in 2006, fits well with the occasion as he was a former doubles partner with Emerson.
The pair won the French Doubles championship in 1964 (against fellow Australians Tony Roche and John Newcombe), and were runners-up in doubles finals at the Wimbledon and the Australian Championships.
Mal Anderson MBE is another former Australian tennis great born in Queensland. He took out the US Championships in 1957 and was runner-up at the Australian Championships in 1958.
Amongst other titles, he won the men’s doubles championship in France and the Australian Open Doubles.
He also has another claim to fame … he is Roy Emerson’s brother-in-law.
The lunch will include a two-course meal served with complimentary refreshments on arrival.
There will be lucky door prizes; and an auction will be held to purchase a limited edition miniature bronze statue of Roy Emerson as well as autographed copies of “The Great Fletch”.
The life-size statue that the Blackbutt community hopes to erect is valued at $65,000.
‘We have one very generous benefactor who has pledged a considerable sum,” spokesperson Hazel Christie-Small said,
“South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Peter Rasey (Brisbane Tennis Trail) are each donating $2000.”
The Mayor’s Fundraising Luncheon will be held from noon on Saturday, November 21, at the Blackbutt Community Hall.
- To book, text Hazel on 0408-517-399 or email the Nukku Nook Museum. Tickets must be pre-paid.
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