Physical description

2 page article printer on A4 printer paper. Handwritten in greylead pencil across top of first page reads: Trad + Now Article written by John Williamson. Peter Ellis Order of Australia Recipient 2012 By John Williams. On 26th of January 2012 Peter Ellis was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to the Arts through the collection and preservation of Australia's folk history. Peter has been a long time correspondent to this magazine and has provided the most detailed information on social dancing in Australia. There are many more things about Peter that readers should know. Peter has the largest collection of dance related material in the National Library Archives from over thirty years of collecting. His collecting trips have included Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. The Western Australia trip was with John Meredith who was a long time mate of Peter's. Peter is a founder, charter member and life member of the Bush Dance and Music Club of Bendigo and received the Graham Squance award from the Folk Song and Dance Society of Victoria. He was also awarded a life membership of the Victorian Folk Music Club. Peter is founder of the Celebrated Emu Creek Bush Band which has been performing for thirty years and has played at the opening of the Melbourne Museum, Victorian State Parliament and Centenaries of the Shamrock Hotel and Post Office in Bendigo among many other gigs. Peter has also produced twenty one CDs with Emu Creek in that time which cover quadrilles, couples dances and the History of the Bendigo over one hundred and fifty years. (Emu Creek are already booked for the Canberra Centenary Ball in 2013!) Peter has also played with the famous Wedderburn Old Timers for thirty years during which time that band has received two platinum and several gold recording awards. Peter has also found the time to write several books including his three well know volumes of dance music, 'Collectors Choice' and the definitive volume on social dance in Australia 'Merry Country Dance'. He has also co-authored 'Two Hundred Dancing Years' with Shirley Andrews and 'Music Makes Me Smile - The music of the Nariel Valley' with Harry Gardner. Peter has also contributed to books compiled by others such as Rob Willis, Graham Seal and Dave Di Santi. Peter has trained many young musicians and conducted continuing Ed classes and Deb sets. He is a gold medal standard ballroom dancer in his own right which many dancers say contributes to his understanding of the correct tempo for all the dances he plays for. Peter has also been instrumental in the Bendigo Field Naturalist's Club of which he is a life member. He has been heavily involved in campaigns that have led to the establishment of two flora reserves and extensions to the Greater Bendigo National Park when housing developments threatened native bushland. He has contributed text and photographs to the publication 'Wildflowers of Bendigo'. Peter's award was really well deserved as you can see. What is really fitting is that he received the award on Australia Day. How fitting for a man who has single handedly saved more of Australia's Social Dance music and history than any other person. Australian dancing, music and the environment really owes Peter a lot. Well done from all your Trad and Now readers.