Ian McNamara | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1951-12-17)17 December 1951 (age 73)[1] |
| Occupation | Radio broadcaster |
Ian McNamaraAM, commonly known as "Macca", is an Australian radio presenter, singer-songwriter and producer, best known for hosting theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation's long running radio programAustralia All Over on theABC Local Radio network.
McNamara grew up in the southern Sydney suburb ofOatley.[2] He attended Oatley West Public School.[3]
McNamara graduated from theUniversity of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics degree before working as ajackaroo. In 1973 he played the guitar withCol Joye and the Joy Boys.[4]
McNamara first joined the ABC in 1974, in the industrial relations department, but moved to the rural department two years later as a rural reporter. He then spent 12 months in television, working onA Big Country andCountrywide, before returning to rural radio in 1980 as a reporter and, eventually, the presenter ofAustralia All Over. In 1984, he was appointed executive producer of the current affairs programCity Extra (a 2BL current affairs show), but late in 1985 he returned to the Regional Radio Unit as executive producer of programs includingMorning Extra,Australia All Over andResources.[5]
Musically, his CD compilations includeAustralia All Over: Volumes 1, 2 & 3 (1987; 1988; 1989),Over The Top With Macca (1991),Macca Tracks (1993),Macca On Air (1996),Macca by Request (two issues: 2002, 2004), andThe Last Ten Years (2007).[6]
As an author, his work publications includeAustralia All Over (1992),Australia All Over 2 (1994),Macca's Australia: Australia All Over (1997),[7]On the Road with Macca (2003),Why I Live Where I Live (2005),[6] andAustralia All Over: Celebrating Twenty-Five Years (2007).[8] More recent publications includeSay G'day: 'Australia All Over' Takes to the Road (2010) andAustralia All Over: Song of the Thong and other Legendary Verses (2011). He also co-authored two cookbooks withMaggie Beer and Valli Little in 2006 and 2008.
In the1994 Australia Day Honours, McNamara was made aMember of the Order of Australia (AM) for "service to the presentation and promotion of Australia's non-urban culture, through the radio programmeAustralia All Over".[9]
