Chris Baxter, the founder of Wild and Rock magazines, has died at the age of 64 after a long struggle with cancer.
Chris’s father, Raymond Baxter, ran a successful financial consultancy business. His mother Diana (nee Armit) was brought up in Gippsland, and retained a strong love of its broad spaces.
The eldest of four boys, Chris had a keen interest in the bush and mountains since childhood. His family had often stayed at the property which Chris’s uncle still owns at Bindi near Omeo, and made many forays into the Victorian alps.
He attended Geelong Grammar, and revelled in the experiences offered at Timbertop. While still a schoolboy, he was introduced to climbing by teacher John Béchervaise, a tireless adventurer, and former editor of “Walkabout” magazine. On that initial expedition, Chris participated in the first ascent of Tower Hill in the Grampians.
The love of rock climbing took hold, and Chris, with a variety of climbing partners, put up countless new routes throughout Australia and many significant first Australian ascents in Europe. In 1969 he and Chris Dewhirst achieved national prominence with their ascent of the imposing north wall of Victoria’s Buffalo Gorge, on a climb which they named Ozymandias, invoking the lines from Shelley’s poem: “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Chris was a colourful raconteur who developed a reputation for his feisty defence of the things he held dear.
Uncertain what to do, Chris worked for several years with his father, and gained an invaluable training in careful business management. During this time, he began to contemplate establishing a magazine which would celebrate his love of wild places and the rucksack sports.
In 1980 Chris was skiing on the Bogong High Plains when he met Michael Collie and Brian Walters. As their friendship grew, Chris shared his dream. After a period of enthusiastic and intensive planning, 1981 saw the first issue of Chris’s most important publication: Wild magazine. He gathered a small team of like-minded people around him and over the next 25 years built the magazine into an indispensable part of bushwalking life in this country.
Wild was an important innovation. For most of its existence it has been the only full colour, independently-owned magazine in Australia – in any field. It was the first commercial magazine in Australia printed on recycled paper. It has been a consistent voice for the protection of our wild places from the ravages of those who would spoil it for the sake of a dollar.
In 1989 Chris was honoured with the Australian Geographic “Spirit of Adventure” Silver Medallion “in recognition of the inspiration you provide to the adventurous through Wild magazine”.
Chris conducted his business with meticulous attention to detail and integrity. He scrupulously insisted on advising the Post Office whenever they undercharged the business. On one occasion an advertisement was submitted on condition that the magazine would also publish a press release. Outraged, Chris published the press release but binned the ad. The magazine was often offered, but never accepted, ads from sources regarded as ethically doubtful or in conflict with the ethos of the publication.
Chris approached his business with the same methodical discipline he employed to plan trips to remote places, and his success was recognized when Wild received the Victorian Government Small Business Award in 1993.
Chris inspired many people for decades. In 2002 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for “service to environmental journalism, through the promotion of wilderness activities and the protection of the environment”.
In 1983 Chris married Sue (nee Tweed). They were a powerful partnership, and Sue was a stalwart support in the long period of Chris’s ill health.
Chris and Sue, not having children of their own, became foster parents of Marie and later Alyce. Chris wrote of the emotionally charged experience of caring for Marie in his book A Child at Heart.
Chris never lost his love of the bush, undertaking overnight hikes and climbs until late in his illness.
He is survived by his wife Sue, by his three brothers, and by his foster children Marie and Alyce.
Brian Walters
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment