Gifted storyteller Tim Borthwick died suddenly in Toowoomba last Thursday, aged 48 years.
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From a young age Tim loved to read the poems of Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson, and was captivated by their ability to tell a story through rhyme and rhythm.
By the time he was aged 30, Tim started putting pen to paper and dabbling in writing poetry and ballads himself, and the rest is history with his recently published works titled Waltzing Australia.
Tim grew up at Whynot Station in the Quilpie district until 2011 when he and with his parents Bill and Jan moved to Toowoomba.
Following Tim’s tragic death last week, his mother Jan, passed away the following day aged 80.
Tim and Jan are survived by father and husband Bill, and brother David, sister-in-law Jo-Ann and their children Isabel Tom and Jack.
- Read more: Modern day Banjo pens his outback ballads
President of the Outback Writers Festival and chairman of the Waltzing Matilda Centre board, Jeff Close, described Tim as a modern Banjo Paterson or Henry Lawson.
“Like Henry and Banjo, all three have in common the bush experience and their authentic writing,” Jeff said.
“Tim spent a lot of time in the bush and was good at his craft.
“We need to record Australian stories and history into verse, and we can’t expect people from other countries to do it for us.”
Australian actor Jack Thompson recorded an six hour audio version of Waltzing Australia.
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