Theatre stalwart honoured

Barb Dunlop has spent her life performing and encouraging participation in the arts to those around her.

The Mount Clear resident has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community and to the arts.

A performer and former Loreto College and TAFE teacher, Dunlop has worked on and supported a range of the city’s art organisations.

The former secretary of BLOC Music Theatre sat on the boards of the Royal South Street Society, Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Begonia Festival.

She has also been associated with the Ballarat Arts Foundation, Legacy, the Queen Elizabeth Centre and the Order of St John of Jerusalem.

The pull of the arts led her into these many organisations.

“I was a singer, and then I was invited to the Ballarat Light Opera Company (BLOC),” she said.

“I used to sing all around the state and interstate as a guest singer. But then I was very busy with Royal South Street, and so that kept me busy for many years.

“I was a former teacher and really my life has been around music and performance and encouraging young people in their beliefs.”

Life in BLOC led to travelling performances with singing partner Len Carr.

“We used to go all over Victoria with our accompanist, singing for country towns that were raising some money for something, and we’d do a concert,” she said.

“But then I loved being part of the chorus, and then taking lead roles with the light opera company. But then I was… a member of South Street, I suppose theatre and music have been very much my world.

“I think of all the other people that should be honoured too, but I am extremely honoured to be receiving this award.”

She said her husband Ric and their two children had encouraged and supported her “unreservedly”.