Mike Pritchard MC
Mike Pritchard has become a local legend throughout the Upper Hunter Valley. I’ve called this blog Mike Pritchard MC because it pinpoints the pro bono work Mike does willingly at all time in the community. It’s OUR ABC; and he’s OUR Mike Pritchard. Mike is a cricket tragic; with much to be tragic about.
It’s a trait we share. Winston Churchill said of Clement Attlee in 1945: “He’s a very modest man with a lot to be modest about”. I thought it was quite catchy; excuse the unintended cricketing pun.
The featured image is of Mike acting as MC at the Melbourne Cup Celebration in the UHSC Chambers on Friday 15th October 2010. There were several luminaries in the auditorium including current delectable VRC Chairperson Amanda Elliott and official ambassador Des Gleeson. Leviathan owner/breeders Geoff and Beryl White were also present. Garry Blair of the ABC was also there; but I cut him out. I terrified both he and Mike one day when I telephoned the Muswellbrook studio pretending to be then ABC Chair Mark Scott. It was a time of ‘revision and review’. Garry woke up straight away but Mike was taken in for a short while!
See: http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/content/s1870635.htm
Mike Pritchard, Rural Reporter (ABC Local Radio)
Mike joined the ABC in 1990 as a rural reporter in the Upper Hunter after 15 years as editor of the Scone Advocate newspaper. Before that he worked on newspapers at Parkes and Forbes.
His interest in rural reporting stems from his involvement with family farming in England; and on a dairy, sheep and wheat farm in the Central West of NSW.
Away from the cattle yards, vineyards, horses and coalmines, Mike enjoys family life and sport, in particular cricket at which his best effort these days is remembering to put on a protector before batting.
First posted: Fri, 9 Dec 2005 11:00:00 +1000
Last updated: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 08:56:00 +1000
http://www.abc.net.au/upperhunter/about/
About ABC Upper Hunter
The first presenter to work at ABC Upper Hunter was Mike Pritchard, and he is still there today.
The Upper Hunter station was established in June 1990 in Market Lane in Muswellbrook and in 1997, the station moved from Market Lane opposite the railway station to its current location, Brooks Street Muswellbrook.
Before the Upper Hunter had its own station, a rural reporter would broadcast from the Newcastle studios, situated in Newcomen Street, Newcastle.
The Upper Hunter rural reporter, then based at Newcastle, would update listeners with regional and rural news.
Mike Pritchard has been the voice for the Upper Hunter listeners since 1990 when he left his post as editor of the Scone Advocate to join the ABC as the Upper Hunter rural reporter and breakfast presenter.
About Upper Hunter NSW
The Upper Hunter Shire is situated at the northern end of the Hunter Valley, formed in 2004 from the amalgamation of Merriwa, Murrurundi, and Scone Shires.
The shire is a vibrant rural community that has been able to develop its own unique character combining:
– Aberdeen, the home of the Australian Blue Heeler and host to the annual “Aberdeen Highland Games”;
– Merriwa in the west being well known for its popular “Festival of the Fleeces”;
– Murrurundi with one of the largest sheep dog trials in the state and more recently the annual “King of the Ranges Stockman’s Challenge”; and
– Scone, renowned for its thoroughbred horse industry, and the long running “Scone & Upper Hunter Horse Festival”.
The Upper Hunter Shire is a neighbour of Muswellbrook and Singleton Shires, which boast industries as diverse agriculture, viticulture, equine industry, power generation and also coal mining.
Muswellbrook Shire consists of two larger towns, Muswellbrook and Denman, as well as a number of outlining rural communities including Sandy Hollow, Wybong, Baerami, Martindale, McCullys Gap, Widden and Muscle Creek.
Singleton Shire, bordering the Lower Hunter regions of Maitland and Cessnock, has industries including market gardens, dairy and beef cattle, and is part of the world renowned Hunter Valley Wine Country.
Source: Muswellbrook, Singleton and Upper Hunter Shire councils.