Remembering Barry ‘Baz’ Richards...
Last week, ex-Mail cartoonist Barry ‘Baz’ Richards passed away at Margaret River Hospital.
Baz provided his unique, irreverent and unyieldingly local take on the week’s news and events for over two decades, and many readers still remember their favourite cartoons with pinned cut outs on fridges and office walls around the whole region.
No one was safe from Baz’s wit and wisdom, and many felt the gentle sting of his pen as he provided comment on everything from the Shire council, environmental matters, State politics, local identities, events and controversies.
In 2016, due to a nationwide change in publishing process and layout of the Mail newspapers, all mastheads lost the ability to include cartoons in their editions.
It was a shock to the town and our readers to open the ‘new look’ Mail and not see Baz’s fantastic humour, and at the time it was not explained as well as it could have been.
The Mail will always be grateful for Baz’s wonderful commentaries and contributions to our community and the newspaper and send our condolences to his family, friends and fans of his work who will mourn the loss of one of Margaret River’s icons.
- Nicky Lefebvre
