Bernie Bragg — “brickie” extraordinaire

Bernie Bragg was an artist, builder, equestrian and father. He was talented in many different fields, but the mud brick, which Bragg left his track, was in the building. (Photo, 1978.)

Simply put, Bernie Bragg was a mud brick man. He could do them, put them and make them with exquisite passion. At any opportunity, he would make a philosophical wax about the mud bricks, and even though I couldn’t prove it, I’m sure Bernie dreamed of mud bricks!

This cowboy hat was a real eccentric, stylish and showy character.

First, we became friends after photographing his horse on a dirt road near Eltham, a picture published in Eltham’s local newspaper of the day. Valley sound.

**This photo is part of a iA Award -winning photojournalist Bill Mcauley’s lens. **

Editor’s note – features in this photo collection, ‘Valley sound: Eltham’s 1978-1979 Times newspaper.

More than 40 years of Bill Mcauley’s news career began in 1969 as a student photographer in ‘Age’ in Melbourne. ‘Portraits of the Spirit: Bill Mcauley with a lifetime images’ has a few collections published. Click to see more than Bill Here.