THE WERGAIA WOMAN WHO TURNED HER VOICE INTO A LEGACY
Picture: DARREN HOWE
BY ASAD KHAN AND MARLI RYAN
Wergaia woman, Anne Conway, doesn’t enter a room quietly; people gravitate toward her. At the CBAA Awards in Tasmania, she’s greeted with hugs, handshakes and the kind of warmth reserved for someone who has spent decades lifting others up.
When she spoke with Ngaarda, she gestured gently and said matter-of-factly, “It would be obvious, I have speech and voice problems now.”
The words land softly, not with sadness, but with the calm certainty of a woman who has already lived several remarkable chapters.
From Stage Lights to Radio Waves: Anne Conway’s Voice Still Carries
Long before the microphone and the medals, Ms Conway was a Wergaia teenager with a guitar and a nun who loved folk music.
Decades later, that early spark has become a legacy of country music, community radio, and tireless volunteering across Bendigo. The work was recognised in 2019 with a Medal of the Order of Australia.
A Childhood Spark That Never Went Out
She recalls that music came naturally. “It was just something that was always in me,” she said.
A school nun introduced her to folk music, and from there she found her way to guitar, songwriting and eventually country music, the genre that carried her through her teens and into a strong regional performing career.
That journey changed in 2013, when surgery left her with a permanent speech impediment, ending her time on stage. Yet she never stopped finding ways to use her voice.
A Lifelong Mission to ‘Leave the World Better’
Beyond music, she has become known for her deep commitment to community service in Bendigo. When asked why she continues to give so much of herself, she said, “I have a personal mission… to leave the world in a better place for having been here.”
Her work across local events, community groups and radio has followed that mission closely.
Her involvement at Phoenix FM has been central. As a founding committee member and presenter on Koori Shout-Out, previously Koori Grapevine, she has helped secure the station’s full-time licence and CBF funding, while also lending her voice to other regional platforms such as 3CCC and 98.9 FM For the Best Country.
Today, she jokes about being “retired,” but spends most days working from home on Phoenix FM tasks.
“I’m probably working harder than I would in a job,” she laughed.
Community Radio as a Platform for the Unheard
Ms Conway’s passion for community radio is grounded in its power to lift voices that might otherwise go unheard.
“Community radio is a powerful voice, especially for those who perhaps wouldn't have a voice in mainstream media,” she said.
She reflected on the failed 2023 Voice referendum, not with bitterness, but with determination.
“That doesn’t mean we’re quiet. We still have a voice, and a powerful voice. Use it.”
Honoured, Humble, and Still Calling In
Receiving the OAM in 2019 marked her contributions, but for her the work itself remains the real reward.
Her spirit is steady, thoughtful and grounded in community, the same community that shaped her music, her radio work and her personal mission.
Even with the challenges she now faces with speech, she continues to show up. She continues to give. And at the CBAA Awards, among peers and newcomers alike, Anne Conway’s presence quietly reinforces what she has always believed: that every voice matters, and using it can change a place for the better.