O'Brien Barry
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of arrival | 1971 |
| Principal occupation | Photographer |
Barry O'Brien was a photographer for The Advertiser from 1957. Multi award winning photographer and journalist Barry O’Brien worked at The Advertiser for over 46 years as a photographer, chief photographer, pictorial editor, pictorial manager and journalist. After retiring, he was asked to return to produce a book for The Advertiser - Moments in Time. It was the best-selling book The Advertiser ever produced. Four years later he was asked to produce a second book Moments in Sport, another best seller. Barry also has written his own book on his life story, Take Me Pitcha Mister.
He is now a freelance travel writer and photographer with work published in NewsLtd publications around Australia; The West Australian; Senior Traveller and various travel magazines. In 2012, Barry was Australian Society of Travel Writers Photographer of the Year. In 2007 was inaugural International Cruise Council of Australasia, Travel Writer of the Year and finalist on two other occasions. Other world-wide awards include best photograph at the Adelaide Grand Prix four out of first five years and second in the world for a spectacular horse fall taken at the Adelaide Three Day Event.
A keen follower of all sports, Barry founded the Gawler Rangers Baseball club in 2007. He is a Life Member of this club, the Golden Grove Central Districts Baseball Club and also a Life Member of SA Baseball.
Barry was inducted into the Adelaide Oval Media Hall of Fame in 2016.
A quote from a youngster several decades ago ‘Take Me Pitcha Mister’ to Barry O’Brien, became the title of a book on his 46-years as a photographer with The Advertiser. The life of a photographer is never boring said Barry with numerous incidents from his career. including meetingt and photographing many famous Australians, from Prime Minsters like Bob Hawks and sporting greats such as Don Bradman. There have been some interesting entanglements, like when he was sent to Sri Lanka at a moment’s notice to identify Commonwealth Games athlete Reg Spiers, who was about to be given the death penalty, or when he was detained by the KGB in Russia for going into a closed city. One of Barry’s most interesting stories is from when he covered the Lindy Chamberlain case, with a strong bond formed from his involvement with the family. And, of course, the Gawler Three-Day event . Barry moved to Evanston South, where he raised a family and still lives in the mud-brick house they built in the early 1980s.
Although ‘retired’ (2020) Barry continues to work as a freelance travel writer and photographer, while he has also produced two best-selling books for The Advertiser, ‘Moments in Time’ and ‘Moments in Sport’, both featuring some of his best work.
Barry is also heavily involved in sport, as is his two children and four grandchildren, with the establishment of Gawler Rangers Baseball Club a dream come true – he was a division one coach and a life member of two clubs and of the baseball league
Barry founded the Gawler Rangers Baseball Club of which he says: "As far as a positive contribution to Gawler, I think being the founder of the Gawler Rangers Baseball Club is my greatest achievement. This club has allowed many people, probably a couple of thousand with TeeBall, Little League and seniors, to enjoy an active sport."
Please click here for photos of Barry O'Brien.
Please <click here> to read Barry's book Take Me Pitcha Mister.
We thank Barry O'Brien for him giving Gawler History Team his written permission for his book to be available here for all to read.
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