Bernie Bragg was an artist, builder, horseman and father. He was talented in many different areas, but it was in the mud-brick building business that Bragg left his mark. (Photo, 1978.)
Simply put, Bernie Bragg was a mud-brick man through and through. He could make them, lay them and render them with exquisite passion. He would wax philosophical about mud bricks at any given opportunity and although I can’t prove it, I’m sure Bernie dreamt about mud-bricks too!
This cowboy-hatted horseman was a genuine eccentric, a stylish and flamboyant character.
We first became friends after I photographed him riding his horse down a dirt road near Eltham — a picture subsequently published in Eltham's local newspaper of the day, The Valley Voice.
**This photograph is part of an IA series that looks at Australia through the lens of award-winning photojournalist Bill McAuley.**
Editor's note — This photo features in the collection, 'The Valley Voice: Eltham's Newspaper of the times 1978-1979'.
Bill McAuley's 40-plus-year news career began in 1969 as a cadet photographer at 'The Age' in Melbourne. He has several published collections, including 'Portraits of the Soul: A lifetime of images with Bill McAuley'. To see more from Bill, click here.
