Reg Lindsay’s legacy will forever live in Cessnock in the form of bronze, but his wife Ros has decided it’s time to move on from the town after 26 years.
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The pair bought a block in Kearsley in November of 1988, and moved a house up from Wangi in 1989 to be renovated for them to live in.
They were living in Geelong at the time; Ros had six horses and wanted a place for them, while Reg, being in the entertainment industry, was hoping to live in Sydney.
They visited Kearsley, saw the block and liked the proximity to Sydney and closeness to town as well as the country setting, and decided it worked for the both of them.
“The area itself, you’d think you’re in the country and yet you’re five kilometres from town,” she said.
Not long after they were settled, Ros took over the management of Reg’s career, and around 40 songs were written by Reg in the Kearsley home, inspired by the quietness and surroundings and with a little help from Ros.
In 1994 the idea to start a rodeo came about, and Reg performed at the inaugural Cessnock Showground event in 1995 and again 1996, but his battle with a brain haemorrhage prevented him from continuing.
The pair always planned to eventually move up north onto bigger land and bought a property at Spring Ridge outside of Tamworth 10 years ago, but Reg’s illness made it hard to relocate.
Reg passed away in 2008, and now Ros has decided to fulfil Reg’s plan to “ride off into the sunset”.
“I thought maybe it’s time for the next chapter in my life and to move up to the ranch,” she said.
“It was something that Reg always wanted.
“I know if Reg was still with us we’d be living up there.”
She was commuting between the two places, but has decided to commit to the property and is looking forward to being able to ride her horses whenever she pleases.
“You don’t get enough time in one life, so you’ve got to do it while you can,” she said.
And while Ros will miss the people she has met in Cessnock, and has put her home on the market, she is not planning on saying goodbye to Cessnock entirely and cherishes the wonderful moments she has had here.
“There’s been lots of highlights right through,” she said.
“The first rodeo was huge, that was a standout.
“The unveiling of the statue was a surreal feeling.
“I’ve met some wonderful people.
“Some very special ones have turned into lifelong friends and it’s just been a pleasure living in the area.”
“I’ll still be down to Cessnock to catch up.”
After Reg passed, he was buried in Aberdare cemetery, and a bronze statue was unveiled at East Cessnock Bowling Club in March this year.
Just last month Ros was presented with Reg’s Mo Hall of Fame Award by Michael Hope of Hope Estate.
Ros is planning to take Reg’s memorabilia up to Spring Ridge to open a mini-museum for people to be able to experience his life and music.
She is also going to continue managing his music, with plans to re-release Reg’s festival recordings on CD sometime next year and a concert planned for Tamworth in January called Remembering Reg.
“He was a superstar and I’m so please to have had the time with Reg that I did have, it was just too short,” she said.
While she is not planning to continue running the rodeo, she is happy for to be contacted if someone wishes to carry on the event that she and Reg created.
“I’m not retiring, I’m just changing,” she said.
“Reg used to hate the word retiring.”