You know who I’m talking about.

I have finally started viewing & editing the fantastic footage that Megan Spencer shot during the making of streetsweeper… Nm

“Alan Waddell, 1914-2008
The widower who walked his way into Sydney hearts and history, September 12, 2008

ALAN WADDELL nominated Lethbridge Park, Glendenning and Oakhurst as Sydney’s friendliest suburbs - at least, the friendliest of the 284 suburbs in which he walked every street and lane during the last six years of his long life. People in those suburbs most wanted to meet and greet him and invite him into their homes for a drink.

And the most dangerous place? Well, it was hard for Waddell to judge because in the 5000 kilometres he walked, from Dangar Island in the north to Maianbar in the south and Regentville on the Nepean River in the west, he never felt in danger. Dangar Island was his favourite and Newington the cleanest.

Alan Waddell, who has died at 94, was born at Hurstville. […] The family did not have a car until he was 18 so he walked a lot to visit friends, often four or five kilometres away. […] Rejected for overseas army service because of flat feet, Waddell served in World War II as an ordnance sergeant in Sydney. When he married Marjorie Hume in 1942, his major granted him three nights’ leave for their honeymoon. […] The Waddells had three sons born in the 1940s […] After their sons finished school, the Waddells visited more than 80 countries, walking a good deal.

After Majorie’s death in 2002, when Alan was 88, he began walking up to two hours every day. Doctors had advised him that, with aneurisms in both legs, he faced amputation if he did not exercise.

He did not set out to walk every street in every suburb, but the more he walked, the more strange streets he sought.

A relative would drive him to his starting point and pick him up afterwards. He would cross every street name off a list as he went.

If the walking became obsessive, it was a magnificent obsession. He did it because of his health and because he so enjoyed meeting people.

As news of his endeavours spread, he set up a website, www.walksydneystreets.net, and received thousands of emails, including many from people saying he had inspired them to take up walking.

He overcame his fear of public speaking to appear on TV, radio and in schools, and helped launch the Heart Foundation’s Walk for Life campaign.

He wrote to the Herald: “I would like to encourage others who have been in the senior category for many years to consider a Vietnam holiday. Anyone who can still walk around the block and attempt the Herald’s crossword should feel confident of coping easily.”

His left hip was replaced 16 years ago. After his right hip wore out, he had that replaced only two months ago, and resumed walking. Even a week before he died he was struggling to get out of his bed to walk.

Alan and Marjorie Waddell are survived by their sons, John, Graham and David; grandchildren, Lisa and Justin, and great-grandson, Liam.”

(Ian Pollard and Tony Stephens, SMH 12/09/08)

We think we might try to do several long weekends in different regions: e.g. three nights up North, say Friday in Brisbane, Saturday in Byron & Sunday in Lismore; three nights around Sydney: and, three nights down South, say Berry, Canberra, Braidwood, and then Melbourne… Any thoughts? Anyone? Nm

roadmap for the tour

We’ve had some good feedback from Anchorage Film Festival in Alaska. Although we’re not invited yet, it’s great to get some encouragement from foreign shores…

Hi Toby,

Tony

It may be that our film will have a further life in festivals after all!

All these photos by Paul Henderson, 17th August 2008.

The outdoor screening on a very cool but cloudless night at the Lass was a success… I’ll post more here soon. Just trying to avoid computer-hunching for a while. Nm

Two weeks till the next screening, and there will be merchandise.