By Dennis Amor

THOUSANDS of roving grey nomads have enjoyed caravan park owner and singer-songwriter Dick Martin's gigs around the campfire.

Dick Martin outside his Dalby Tourist Park

It's the highlight of their winter sojourn to the Dalby Tourist Park on the Darling Downs west of Brisbane.

But now Dick's fame is about to spread ... after an impromptu meeting with Australia All Over's Ian McNamara.

The pair met in a carpark outside the town's Shopping World where Macca quickly produced his old reel-to-reel tape machine to record a 10-minute interview with 58-year-old Dick.

And never slow to seize an opportunity, Dick even slipped the well known broadcaster a copy of his own CD, As I Am. "We chatted about the CD and the kind of tourists who come to my caravan park," a thrilled Dick told Caravanning News.

"I told him we get lots of different people and that the industry was thriving. He seemed absorbed in what I had to say. I found him to be a very interesting fellow and I'm very glad to have met him."

Dick, who has owned the three-and-a-half star caravan park for four years, did not know when the interview would be broadcast.

The CD reflects many of the songs and music performed by Dick during his twice weekly winter campfire gatherings at his 47-site park, which swells to overflowing with southerners seeking Queensland's sunshine.

"I'm a bit of a performer," he explained. "I sing a few songs, many which I have written myself, and play the guitar and harmonica. We can get 60 people a night huddled round the campfire ... they love it. We have some great nights."

When caravanners suggested he produce a CD as a souvenir of their country travels, Dick recorded some of his old favourites plus a few of his own songs.
 

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