Bill Blaikie beyond the classroom: commedia dell'arte to chooks and archery

A man who loved everything from education and the arts, to his veggie garden and chooks.

Life was always "good, good, good," in William 'Bill' Douglas Blaikie's world. A phrase he was known to say often when speaking to his students.

An Order of Australia Medal recipient, Mr Blaikie dedicated his life to nurturing the minds and talent of his theatre media students at Bathurst's Charles Sturt University.

But he was so much more than an educator.

Born on April 21, 1947, Mr Blaikie grew up in Sydney before coming to Bathurst Teachers' College to begin his journey in the education system.

After graduating, he returned to Sydney and worked as a primary school teacher and then a senior school teacher, at Meadowbank Boys High.

Not only did Mr Blaikie love his time at the school because he was able to help mould the minds of the future, but it was at Meadowbank Boys High School where he met the young lady who would become his wife, Lia.

The pair met in 1973 and instantly connected, marrying the following year before beginning their family.

In 1976, Mr Blaikie secured a job at Bathurst's Mitchell College of Advanced Education - now CSU - and the family moved to the region.

The couple had three children; Douglas, Anthea and Lachlan, who enjoyed a fun childhood growing up on a small property in Bathurst.

Mr Blaikie's sons both ended up following in his footsteps, with Douglas graduating Bathurst High and beginning his studies at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) - a highly esteemed performing arts school.

While Lachlan went down the education path, and after graduation ended up returning to Bathurst High as a teacher.

And Mr Blaikie's daughter Anthea, a gifted linguist, went down a different path altogether, working for the government with several postings overseas.

Mr Blaikie's love of performing arts began during his Bathurst Teachers' College years, when he got involved with drama and performing in plays.

From then on, he always incorporated drama into his teaching, so when Mitchell College became Charles Sturt he jumped at the opportunity to move into the communications faculty and work there from its inception.

In addition to Mr Blaikie's Sydney University and Teachers' College education, he also studied a directors course with Welfare State International in London and spent a year in California studying commedia dell'arte - a form of theatre where all the characters wear masks.

He then took his love of masks to the next level, studying mask-making and commedia in Italy, and then incorporated what he learnt into his teachings at uni, organising workshops for students with international mask-makers who would come to Bathurst.

While he was well-known for his contributions to the education system and the arts - so much so he received an Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the field - Mr Blaikie also had a lot of other aspects to his life.

He had a passion for archery, right from his early school years, and would make his own bows and arrows.

Archery was a hobby of Mr Blaikie's right up until he died, and he would often meet up with his group of friends and go out into the field shooting targets.

Being outdoors and in nature was something Mr Blaikie loved.

He also got a lot of enjoyment out of his veggie garden, his chooks and his dog. Often pottering around outside and going for walks in the bush that backed onto his property.

But out of all of the fulfilling aspects of his life, Mr Blaikie was a people's man.

Whether it was his family, friends, students or colleagues, he gave everyone in his life his undivided attention and made them all feel special and loved.

The curtains closed on Mr Blaikie's life on September 29, 2023, with the theatre legend receiving a standing ovation.

News of his unexpected death travelled quickly, with a large number of people taking to social media to express their love and respect for their teacher, lecturer, confidant, mentor, friend and family member.

Mr Blaikie's legacy - particularly in the theatre media industry - will live on for years to come.