Delving into the past: Author Rachel Syers held a book launch in Echuca for her new book, Sir Bruce Small from Malvern Star to Mr Gold Coast.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Author Rachel Syers stopped by the Echuca Library on Friday, March 15, as part of her ongoing promotional tour of Victoria for her new book.
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The book, Sir Bruce Small from Malvern Star to Mr Gold Coast, is a biography about how Sir Small popularised Malvern Star, a manufacturer of bicycles and became the Mayor of the Gold Coast later in life.
When asked about her reason for writing the biography, particularly about a figure who isn’t widely known today, Ms Syers said a family member of Sir Small’s reached out to her to preserve his legacy.
“I was approached by his granddaughter, Dr Anne Small, a GP from Melbourne who wanted her grandfather’s history to be captured and remembered in the National Library of Australia,” she said.
“It took nine years to write, one day a week for five years, then four years full time.”
Ms Syers, who is also a journalist, admitted that creating the biography was an enormous undertaking, yet it became an achievement she deemed the pinnacle of her career.
“As a journalist, I found writing the book really interesting because I used a lot of my journalism skills for doing all of the necessary research, interviewing 100 people and sorting through 110 different historic newspapers and thousands of articles,” she said.
“Writing the book was a huge task, but luckily, I had the skills to get through it and bring it all together as the complete book it is today, which is a massive book because it’s an extensive history.
“Piecing it all together was the task, and it took a lot longer than I thought it would, but it was well worth the journey; it’s been the highlight of my career.”
Sharing the story: Author Rachel Syers shared insight into her new book at a meet and greet at Echuca Library.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Ms Syers believed there is something everyone can take from the biography, admitting that she has learnt a lot about herself from Sir Small’s example.
“This story has really impacted me; it taught me a lot about what someone can do when they dedicate their life to other people,” she said.
“I think there’s enough in there to interest people of all ages, people who are interested in biographies, people who are interested in cycling, and people interested in a really intriguing famous Australian who did so much for the community.
“He did so much for people. Even though he was rich and famous, he still gave back to the community his whole life, which is why he’s a treasured icon.”
Sir Small visited Echuca late in his life as part of a promotional tour to increase tourism for the Gold Coast in 1979, where he would travel with bikini-clad women known as ‘meter maids’.
“He came to Echuca with the meter maids and Miss Beautiful Beach Girl, they did a whirlwind eight-day trip to Victoria; that included Echuca, Karang, Bendigo, Seymour, Colac, up to Swan Hill and Mildura,” he said.
“He would put on this slipper for the ladies of the towns, and the ones who had their feet fit then went into a draw, and the winner would win a Gold Coast holiday.”
Ms Syers was eager to visit Echuca as she has a heritage dating back to the town’s early years.
“I have a special family history in Echuca and have always wanted to visit here with my children so they can connect with our proud heritage here,” she said.
“My great, great grandfather was Charles Earnshaw, who built two paddle steamers here in the 1800s and the first car in Echuca.
“The Earnshaw Walkway is named after him at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre.”
Ms Syers’ book will be available to borrow at the Echuca Library and for purchase at major booksellers online.
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