The Peter "Wally" Bamford Memorial Concert

The Peter "Wally" Bamford Memorial Concert A night of music, charity & family In 2004 the Bamford family & friends lost a much loved son. A fit, healthy, driven young man. A bright future ahead.

A music lover. A family man. Wally went to sleep one night & mysteriously never woke up, the best explanation to be found (in layman's terms) was that he was a victim of something akin to an adult-version of SIDS- SADS, if you will. And, as we were to discover, this tragedy has happened to many other families. As a musical family, with an even wider network of musician friends, we decided to hold

an annual concert- with the aim to not only remember Wal & celebrate his life but also to raise much needed funds for The Centenary Institute. We've now moved the concert from the Old Canberra Inn to the Bushranger Hotel in Collector (Wal's home town), things keep rocking on bigger and better every year. It's a great chance for family, friends and music-lovers to come together and celebrate the only way we know how- pluggin' in a PA, firing up some guitars & sharing the music we love, possibly with a drink in the other hand! As with any charitable cause, there is a multitude of people that donate a huge amount of time and effort to make this night not only a success, but also raise a lot of money/awareness for The Centenary Institute & SADS. To one & all, our most heartfelt thanks. In particular, a big shout out to the sponsors who continue to generously support the night with donations & raffle/auction items, The Old Canberra Inn, FM 104.7, all the entertainers that have (& will) donated their time and talents & most importantly, anyone who has come along & supported the event- we hope to see you all again at the next one! Feel free to share this page with your friends- the more, the merrier!

05/09/2026

On 21 December 2004 “Wally” suddenly passed away from Sudden Arrhythmia Deaths Syndrome (SADS). Long QT Syndrome is directly linked to SADS and can be detected. If you notice anything different such as a change in heart rate, get checked.

02/09/2026

We are very excited to share this year’s auction piece from our long time supporter Marcia Moon!

From the artist:
“Here is the blurb, photos to follow

Here is my art work for the auction at The 2026 Peter “Wally” Bamford Memorial Concert, on 26th September. It is called “Dust Run!”
It was created from a Kerri Dixon Art Tutorial and is done in Soft Pastels and Pastel Pencils.
While painting Dust Run, I wasn’t trying to just paint an elephant as much as I was trying to capture a feeling. I feel the viewer experiences that split second when a powerful animal bursts through a cloud of dust, filling the air with energy and anticipation.
Working in pastels allowed me to build layers of warm earth colours and soft textures that echo the landscape itself. The dust becomes more than a backdrop—it becomes part of the movement, blurring the boundary between the elephant and its environment.”

We can’t wait to see the bids fly on this one!

Last night this guy released his new album, “High Range”, to a sold out room in Bowral. There was more energy in the roo...
30/08/2026

Last night this guy released his new album, “High Range”, to a sold out room in Bowral. There was more energy in the room than the Power Rangers Morphin Grid.

We are so lucky to have him bring some of his magic to this years concert. Grab your tickets online to save a few bucks and hear Angus Murray in person.

25/08/2026

The Bends are coming! All the feels, tonnes of talent, unmissable moments.

Last year was huge. By far the most we’ve raised in one night. YOU made this happen. We are so fortunate to have such gr...
24/08/2026

Last year was huge. By far the most we’ve raised in one night. YOU made this happen. We are so fortunate to have such great support each year. Every cent we raise goes to The Centenary Institute.

Hope to see you all again this year at The Harmonie German Club on 26 September for another fantastic night.

Thank you.

What a night. What a year. What a milestone.

Wrapping up the 20th Anniversary Peter “Wally” Bamford Memorial Concert, and we are absolutely blown away to share that together we raised $22,805.21 — our biggest total ever.

This year’s event was enormous in every way: the crowd, the energy, the atmosphere, the music… the vibes were off the charts. It was one of those nights where you look around and think, “Yep… Wally would’ve loved this.”

There are far too many people to thank individually — and that’s exactly why this concert works. It takes a small army of generous, talented, big-hearted humans to bring it to life every year, and we are constantly humbled by the support we receive. From volunteers to performers, techs to sponsors, and the incredible punters who show up ready to celebrate — thank you. Every single one of you makes this tradition what it is.

All funds from this year’s event have been proudly donated to the Centenary Institute, helping support their vital medical research.

If you missed the night (or just feel inspired to chip in again), our online fundraising link is still open for a little while longer:

https://www.facebook.com/donate/1540698700707766/?fundraiser_source=external_url

As a family, we couldn’t be prouder of this achievement — and we remain deeply grateful for the love, generosity, and community spirit that keeps this concert going after two decades.

Stay tuned… year 21 is already whispering ideas at us.

Night Train are always hugely popular at our concerts. ABP Photography captured them living in the moment. We can't wait...
20/08/2026

Night Train are always hugely popular at our concerts. ABP Photography captured them living in the moment. We can't wait to see them grace the stage at this years concert at The Harmonie German Club on 26 September 2026.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1548310820629533&id=100063518890293
17/04/2026

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1548310820629533&id=100063518890293

❤️‍🩹 A new genetic discovery has revealed a previously hidden cause of sudden cardiac death in young people — a tragedy that affects up to three Australians each week ❤️‍🩹

“This is an important new piece of the puzzle… bringing clarity to families who have lost someone far too soon,” said Centenary's A/Prof Richard Bagnall (pictured left with Dr Charlotte Burns, co-authors on the study).

This research was supported in part by Alexandra's Mission, created in memory of Alexandra Thoms, who died suddenly at just 23 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

The findings strengthen the call for legislative change and funding to make postmortem genetic testing a routine part of coronial investigations, giving families the best chance of answers after unexpected loss.

🔗 Read more: https://www.centenary.org.au/news/new-genetic-discovery-on-sudden-cardiac-death-in-the-young/

Big one incoming.We’re stoked to finally announce the lineup for this year — and it’s an absolute belter.Massive thanks ...
12/04/2026

Big one incoming.

We’re stoked to finally announce the lineup for this year — and it’s an absolute belter.
Massive thanks to this crew of legends for jumping on board… do yourselves a favour and get around them 👇

Angus Murray
The Bends
The Family Band
Lumpy Underdaks
Night Train
The Rubiks Dudes
The Winning Hand - Blues Band

It’s shaping up to be something pretty special.
More details coming soon 🎶

Harmonie German Club
Centenary Institute

Address

49 Jerrabomberra Avenue
Canberra, ACT
2604

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