At an unusually loud boat christening on Friday, August 7, the Essendon Rowing Club paid tribute to its most popular live act by naming
a new racing scull after the band. The Beavers – the boat and the band – were on display as loyal fans and club members danced to 1970s classics at yet another packed-out gig starring the local rockers, who once rehearsed in the halls of Essendon High School. “It’s a lovely surprise to see our name on that beautiful boat … it’s so sleek and slender, not like us,” guitarist and singer Keith Campbell said with a laugh. Time trials may not be The Beavers’ idea of fun, but rowers could certainly relate to the band’s tale of pulling through as a team. In 1978, the five members went their separate ways to pursue different careers, but they have stayed in touch ever since. “In your early 20s, the next corner always seems more exciting,” Campbell reflects. The band reunited in 2007 after Inglis’ wife, who was suffering from depression, committed suicide.
The group rallied around Inglis and urged him to join them in a charity event for national depression initiative beyondblue.