Canberra musicians pay tribute to bushfire victim Ross Rixon in song dedication performed at Cobargo Show

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View Subscription OffersBega District News' complete view of propertyHome/MultimediaOur PeopleCanberra musicians pay tribute to bushfire victim Ross Rixon in song dedication performed at

Cobargo ShowBy Ellouise BaileyUpdated February 18 2022 - 2:44pm, first published February 16 2022 - 8:00amBy Ellouise BaileyUpdated February 18 2022 - 2:44pm, first published February 16

2022 - 8:00amFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopy Three Canberra musicians played tribute to Ross Rixon at the Cobargo Show, performing an original song dedicated to the local man who died

during the Black Summer bushfires.

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50% off EOFY SaleAll articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperAll other regional websites in your areaContinuePaul Marsh and Joanne Craigie of Craigie Marsh and guest

cello player Helen Lamour perform their song Bushman of Cobargo at the show on Sunday, February 13. Photo: Ellouise Bailey Paul Marsh and Joanne Craigie of folk outfit Craigie Marsh and

cello player Helen Lamour were invited to perform the song that was written in honour of Mr Rixon's life at the show.

Mr Rixon, 84, died of a heart attack on January 8 after suffering significant burns to his face when the Badja Forest Road fire hit Cobargo, but has been remembered by the community as "a

real Aussie bushy and strong as an ox".

Mr Marsh said he wanted to write the song after hearing about the tragedy that unfolded in Cobargo during the bushfires and was moved when he learnt of people like Mr Rixon who risked their

lives to help others.

"There was this amazing story that went around about this older guy that got in his car, beeped his horn, saved a whole lot of neighbours from the fire, but died himself in the process," he

said.

"I read about how he used to steal the wine off the altar as a boy, and how he was a drover in Queensland, and had been in Cobargo for 40-odd-years, so all of that just lent itself to a

song."

Although Mr Marsh said the lyrics of Bushman of Cobargo came naturally to him, he wanted to create more of a connection to the people and place that inspired the song.

Cobargo was a place he had visited on a few occasions, but he didn't have any other connections to it other than he lived in Canberra and came to visit when he wanted a country escape.

"So I wrote the song and shared it and my colleague Joanna and we developed it into a song but I thought, hang on a second I don't really have very strong connections to Cobargo and I've

just written this song about somebody, so I thought I should try and find out what was going on there."

Coincidentally Mr Marsh had another colleague whose parents lived in Cobargo and happened to live next door to Ross Rixon's daughter, June Tarlinton.

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and most incredible show of our lives', says Cobargo Show committee "They got me in touch with June and I had a chat with her and she was really lovely and liked the song. At that point we

had made a little video on YouTube and had shared it around the community."

Ms Tarlinton invited the folk singers to perform their song at the show in honour of her father.

It was first played at the post ripping and chainsaw racing event, where many of the competitions were held in his honour to reflect Mr Rixon's dedication to the sport and to the show as a

long-term committee member.

The three-piece band performed the song again after the firewood auction and tree felling relay to a crowd of thousands, which was a really emotional moment for all in attendance.

Craigie Marsh perform their song at the start of the chainsaw events at the cattle ring on Sunday, February 13. "It was a real honour and really lovely to be invited down to sing the song.

For me as a song writer this is one of my life's highlights," said Mr Marsh.

"I had spoken to June on the phone but she's a very busy lady and so today was actually the first time I got to meet her in person.

"She was lovely and had made all these arrangements for us and was actually quite emotional when she introduced the song this morning.

"You could tell how important her dad was to her and how important all of these events were, and fantastically she liked the song that we wrote."

Cobargo Show senior vice-president and daughter of Ross Rixon June Tarlinton speaks to the crowds about her father's involvement in the show over the years before the chainsaw event. Photo:

Ellouise Bailey Mr Marsh said he had written songs about places or people before and really loved writing about real events or people with whom he could connect.

"I've written songs about my daughter for example who has chronic fatigue syndrome, and how she's dealing with that."

He said his visit to the Cobargo Show had been eye opening and had helped him to better understand the people of Cobargo.

"I always knew Cobargo as a rural town and a bit of an escape from Canberra for a few people, or somewhere where people went to live after being in the city for a while, but it's probably

the first time I've really seen this vibrant community and fully immersed myself into it.

"It has really confirmed what I had heard and knew about it, that it really had a vibrant beating heart," he said.

Ms Tarlinton said she felt quite emotional and had a few teary moments throughout the duration of the show.

"At the opening ceremony I got quite emotional and broke down when I had to read the names of the people who had passed, and found that very difficult.

She said that it was very fitting that Craigie Marsh performed at the beginning of the chainsaw events and she was very moved they wrote such a wonderful tribute to her father.

"We also decided to run a ladies post rip and I went in that for my dad, and I was beaten by two fantastic young ladies and afterwards fully expected to just crash from weariness.

"The whole event there was wonderful, it really lifted the emotions, it drew the people who had family lost through the fires.

"A lot of people actually broke down and cried and said what a great experience it was.

"I really think it might actually help a lot of people, just the change of how we feel about what's happened,

"We might be able to let that go now that we've had the show, the traditional event that we normally have, and now we can move forward, I might be naive but I really think that's how it

would be," said Ms Tarlinton.

Love your regional news? Then sign up for the Voice of Real Australia, daily news from across the country delivered free to your inboxShareFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyEllouise

BaileyJournalistQueensland Country Life reporter based in Rockhampton and reporting on agriculture in the central Queensland region. Got a story? Get in touch: 0447 477 399 or email

[email protected] Country Life reporter based in Rockhampton and reporting on agriculture in the central Queensland region. Got a story? Get in touch: 0447

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