Surprisingly, Australian singer Peter Allen doesn’t have a blue plaque to mark his place in history – until now.
The late singer is one of 16 new blue plaque recipients announced by the State Government.
Born Peter Woolnough in Tenterfield, Peter’s ambition and talent took him all around the world.
He wrote the quintessential Australian songs Tenterfield Saddler and I Still Call Australia Home.
He was a gay icon and courageous trailblazer who was outspoken during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.
You’d expect the plaque to be in Tenterfield where Peter was born but instead it will be 190km away in Armidale.
Known as The Boy From Oz, Peter’s early performances at the New England Hotel in Armidale will be honoured with the blue plaque.
Chosen from 184 public nominations, these 16 new plaques join 49 blue plaques already announced.
All nominations are assessed by Heritage NSW and independent historians. More information on the blue plaques is here.
Minister for the North Coast and State MP Janelle Saffin said she was thrilled Peter’s contributions to Australia’s cultural landscape would be honoured.
“We’re claiming Peter Allen as a proud son of Tenterfield but we’re happy to share him with Armidale, where he gave his early performances at the New England Hotel,” Ms Saffin said.
Can a person have two blue plaques? The Tenterfield Saddler seems like the perfect spot to honour the musician.
The information in this report was provided by the office of Janelle Saffin MP.