Phill Murray and Chris Seabrook are among the 200 names included on the list of Living Legends, revealed today as Bathurst celebrates its bicentenary.

The legends were nominated by the community for their contribution to the Bathurst we know today and come from a wide field of endeavours.

Along with media representatives there are also sports stars, people from the arts and heritage fields, educators, business people and civic and Aboriginal leaders.

Many of them are volunteers who have contributed countless hours to supporting local service clubs and charities, helping create the fabric of our community.

Mr Murray and Mr Seabrook were nominated for their decades of service to the Western Advocate and Bathurst community, capturing the images that have defined our city in recent years.

Mr Murray started at the Advocate in 1961 as an advertising clerk before becoming the newspaper’s first full-time photographer just a few years later.

He was joined by Mr Seabrook in 1976 and, since then, the pair has worked side-by-side covering the region’s triumphs, tragedies and disasters. 

Mr Murray yesterday said he was extremely proud to receive this honour.

Over the years he was there for many of Bathurst’s biggest events including covering the 1974 jail riots from within the prison walls, three of Bathurst’s big floods in 1986, 1990 and 1998, the royal visit by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the fatal shooting of police officer Paul Quinn, visits by prime ministers and celebrities, plus a great deal of motor racing over the years.

He was also there for the opening of Devro and Mitchell College of Advanced Education (now Charles Sturt University), which he sees as one of the most significant events to happen in Bathurst. 

Mr Seabrook said his nomination was very unexpected.

“I think there are people in our community who have done a lot more than I have. I was just doing my job,” he said. “But having said that, I feel honoured and humbled by it.”

He remembers covering the motorcycle riots of 1985, the Olympic torch relay, photographing King of the Mountain Peter Brock, taking aerial photos of the aftermath of the Kelso High School fire and the Bathurst floods. 

One of the highlights of his career was being part of an exhibition with Mr Murray and former Western Advocate photographer Zenio Lapka at the Chifley Home and Education Centre. 

But Mr Seabrook said one of his favourite tasks over the years had been shooting junior sport, seeing the expressions on children’s faces and watching many of them go on to become champions. 

Another well-known local identity to be recognised was Sam Malloy, who has given many years to the care and promotion of two of Bathurst’s most significant house museums – Miss Traill’s House and the home of Ben and Elizabeth Chifley.

Mr Malloy said he was delighted to receive the honour which he sees as recognising his long association with bringing history to life in Bathurst.

Another Bathurst local to named a living legend was Margie Gaal, who has devoted her life to animals, including fundraising work for the RSPCA.

“I think it’s marvellous. I just can’t believe it. I feel very humbled,” she said.

Bathurst Regional Council plans to honour all the Living Legends at a special ceremony later in the year. A permanent tribute to the legends will be installed beside Bradwardine Drive.

The final 200 legends were decided by a judging panel of mayor Gary Rush, Councillor Graeme Hanger, 2BS general manager Phil Cole and Western Advocate editor Murray Nicholls.