The Slim Dusty Centre

06/02/2025

Join us for a powerful Truth Telling Session at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery on Thursday, 13 February 2025 as three Uncles from the Kinchela Boys Home share their lived experiences as part of the Stolen Generation.

Set against the backdrop of the moving We Were Just Little Boys photography exhibition, this event is an opportunity for our community to come together, acknowledge history, and take steps toward reconciliation.

📅 Date: Thursday, 13 February 2025
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
📍 Location: Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery, Slim Dusty Centre, South Kempsey

Be part of this important conversation. Click the link to learn more and attend this unforgettable event. 👇

Join us on Thursday, 13 February 2025, for a profound Truth Telling Session at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery, commemorating the 17th anniversary of the National Apology.

17/01/2025

Slim and Joy's stage costumes are unique, iconic and world famous. Our curator, Annette Young, shares why they are her favourite exhibit in the museum.

Have you visited the museum yet? Tell us what your favourite exhibit is and why!

13/01/2025

Did you know that Slim Dusty's most famous car is inside the Museum? 😮
Our venue support officer, Trudy, explains why it's her favourite exhibition. Have you been to the Slim Dusty Museum yet? What's your favourite exhibit?

06/01/2025

Ever wondered what's inside the Slim Dusty Museum? Here's a sneak peek! Come and see it for yourself 😉We are open Monday to Friday 10am-3pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. Click the link in our bio for all the details.

21/12/2024

We are closed from 22 December to 1 January. Come and see us on 2 January 2025! We will re-open at 10am.

11/12/2024

Planning a visit to the Slim Dusty Centre this holiday season? Come and see us before Christmas or in the New Year. We will be closed from 22 December for a Christmas and New Year's break and we will re-open on Thursday 2 January 2025. ❤

10/12/2024

The Dusty family are saddened to share that on 25th November Heather McKean passed away peacefully with family by her side. Heather was one of the great pioneers in Australian country music; a precious mother, aunt, grandmother, and of course sister to Joy McKean. Heather will be greatly missed, but her legacy and memory will live on.

The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) wrote a beautiful piece on Heather that we share with you below.

--------------
Vale: Heather McKean
B: 20 February 1932 – D: 25 November 2024

The board of the Country Music Association of Australia is saddened to advise of the passing of Australian country music pioneer, Heather McKean on 25 November surrounded by her family.

Most will know Heather as the younger sister of Joy McKean, and their rise to fame in the 1940s through to the 1950s as the McKean Sisters, including hosting their own radio programme, Melody Trail for 7 years, publishing country music magazine ‘Spurs’ and recording their own songs.

Heather went on to record numerous singles and albums as a solo artist, marrying Reg Lindsay in 1954 and later raising three daughters (Dianne, Sandra and Joanne), all whilst touring with Reg, managing his burgeoning career, tour management, and even co-producing Reg’s popular television shows ‘Country & Western Hour’ and ‘Country Homestead’, the latter earning several Logie awards. In 1973 she was invited to represent Australia in the International Fan Fair Show in Nashville, which was considered quite an honour!

Heather won a Golden Guitar in 1976 for Female Vocalist of the year, and in 1977 moved to the US with Reg where she worked with the Country Music Association in Nashville for three years and represented Australia in the International Country Show. Heather was the very first Australian female performer on the Grand Ole Opry, and went on to perform on that revered stage over 20 times, leading the way and opening doors for all female Australian artists who were to come. She was known to be a dedicated an passionate advocate for all Australian artists during her time in the US.

Returning home, Heather began touring once again with Slim, the McKean Sisters back in the saddle once again, performing together at every opportunity over the following years. She also managed the massive Slim Dusty Fan Club for many years, and was President of Country Music Australia, one of country music’s early industry groups.

The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Heather was inducted into the Hands of Fame in 1977, had her wax likeness (along with Joy as the McKean Sisters) added to the Galaxy of Stars Wax Museum in Tamworth in the 1980s. Heather and Joy were inducted into the Roll of Renown in Tamworth in 1983, added to the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2002, in 2010 Heather was presented with the Tex Morton Award for services to the country music Industry, and was even recognised by the Lane Cove Municipal Council for her lifetime contribution to the entertainment industry.

In 2013, Heather was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to country music and the entertainment industry. Country music identity Alan Clement fondly commented on the occasion of the news of Heather’s OAM “she’s little, but she’s loud … and we all took notice”.
Heather was known to be a strong, intelligent, resilient, and funny woman, and a loyal and caring friend. The Australian country music industry is very much the richer for her contribution.

The CMAA would like to offer it’s sincere and heartfelt condolences to Dianne, Sandra and Joanne and their families, and to David and Anne and their families on the loss of their much-loved Mum and Aunty.

04/12/2024

🌟 NOW OPEN: We Were Just Little Boys 🌟

The powerful exhibition by Indigenous artist Tace Stevens is officially open at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery! 🎨✨

Step into the stories of resilience, reflection, and reconciliation as we explore Kinchela Aboriginal Boys Training Home. Through evocative photographs, archival images, and a poignant documentary, this exhibition brings a crucial part of Australia’s history to life.

📅 When: Open now
📍 Where: Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to experience art that heals, educates, and inspires. Let’s come together as a community to honour the past and build a stronger, more connected future. 🌿

Tag your friends, bring your family, and visit today!

03/12/2024

🌟 Tomorrow at Nulla Nulla: Shining a light on a shared history.

Tomorrow, 4 December 2024, the We Were Just Little Boys exhibition opens its doors at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery.

This incredible showcase by Indigenous artist Tace Stevens features stunning, evocative images and a moving documentary that tell the stories of the Kinchela Boys Home survivors.

📍 Why it matters to us in the Macleay Valley
The Kinchela Boys Home, a significant part of our region’s history, holds stories of resilience and strength. This exhibition is a profound opportunity to reflect on the past, celebrate the courage of the Uncles, and honour their journey toward healing.

✨ Be part of this moment. See it. Feel it. Reflect on it.
🔔 Visit the Nulla Nulla Gallery tomorrow—doors open at 10 AM.

👉 Click here to learn more: ksc.pub/wewerejustboys

27/11/2024

Starting next Wednesday, 4 December experience 'We Were Just Little Boys' at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery—a breathtaking exhibition that brings the powerful stories of the Kinchela Boys Home survivors to life.

Through stunning images and documentary, this is a must-see exhibition.

⏳ Don’t wait—this is an exhibition every community member needs to see. The exhibition closes Saturday, 22 Feb 2025.
👉 Click to learn more: ksc.pub/

21/11/2024

We Were Just Boys | Opening 4 December at the Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery

The Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery invites you to experience 'We Were Just Little Boys', a powerful exhibition by Indigenous artist Tace Stevens. Through stunning portraits and a moving documentary, this exhibition reveals the untold stories of the Kinchela Boys Home survivors—a journey of strength, vulnerability, and reconciliation.

This is more than an exhibition—it’s a chance to connect with a vital chapter of our shared history and honour the resilience of the Uncles.

Location: Nulla Nulla Regional Gallery
Dates: From Wednesday, 4 December, 2024
Admission: Free

👉 Click the link to learn more and plan your visit: https://ksc.pub/wewerejustboys

Kempsey Shire Council acknowledges photo credit: ©Tace Stevens for Magnum Foundation/World Monuments Fund.

27/10/2024

Something special is coming to the Slim Dusty Centre... Can you guess what it is?

20/10/2024

We can't wait for Melinda Schneider's concert - this Saturday night! Tickets are still available at the Slim Dusty Centre (pop in or call us) or online www.trybooking.com/CUUBP
See you there! ❤️🎼

🎨🎶 Kempsey, get ready for a special night! I'm thrilled to bring my Tender art exhibition to life through song this Saturday night at The Slim Dusty Centre ! I'll be performing the songs that inspired the paintings, and I can't wait to share them with you.

Plus, I'm excited to have the talented TC Cassidy as my special guest! 🎤✨

Don’t miss out—grab your tickets now at www.trybooking.com/CUUBP 🎟

13/10/2024

NEW IN! By popular demand, we now have iron on embroidered patches to add a bit of Slim to your outfit. Available in our museum store today.

09/10/2024

Sorry Mate. We are closed this Saturday for a special community event. But we're open today and tomorrow so come and see us!

08/10/2024

Looking for something fun to do before school holidays end? Come to the Slim Dusty Centre! See Slim's famous 1971 Ford Fairlane, Old Purple, that travelled the equivalent of the earth to the moon and halfway back.

04/10/2024

We were so proud to have taken home the Highly Commended award for Outstanding Visitor Experience at the recent Business NSW Mid North Coast Business Awards! 🎉
We love providing a memorable experience at the Slim Dusty Centre and it’s wonderful to receive this recognition. Shout out to our amazing team!
Pictured: our Economic Development Manager Ashley Gray and General Manager Craig Milburn receiving the award.