If ever there was an example of somebody fighting the hands of time and not slowing down with age, it’s Barry Arnold.
At 96, Barry is proving that age is no barrier to staying engaged with his local community, pursuing passions and trying new experiences. The active nonagenarian regularly DJs for his senior community group, curating playlists on Spotify and sharing a lifelong love of music with fellow members. He only recently gave up driving – a transition he admits he is still adjusting to – but continues to embrace opportunities that keep him socially and mentally active.
Barry traces his connection to music back more than 80 years to his school days.
“My DJ’ing began in a very unusual way,” he told Starts at 60.
“It really goes right back to Essendon High School in 1944.”
Assigned to lead a debate arguing that “in the interests of good music, jazz bands and crooners should be prohibited,” Barry found himself unexpectedly captivated by the subject.
“My preparation and research stirred up a love and passion for all sorts of music,” Barry recalls.
“Classics, pops, swing, everything with harmony and rhythm. I discovered that ‘Music Hath Charms.’”
That discovery sparked a hobby of organising music events for charitable causes, something he balanced alongside a long engineering career in local government that included roles in Sandringham, Essendon, Dandenong and Camberwell, as well as work on the Patterson Lakes Project.
Retirement was anything but the end however and marked the beginning of a new chapter for Barry as the self-described “Music Man” for the Cerberus Probus Club, where he presented themed concerts such as “The Swinging 60’s,” “The Sounds of Australia,” and “Beethoven to Broadway.”
“I think I succeeded in selecting music which brought back memories as well as current hits,” he said.
Recently, Barry fulfilled one of his ambitions by staging a farewell “super concert,” combining music with high-quality sound and visual presentation.
“Thanks to a friend and to the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron’s excellent venue, they helped me achieve this just a few weeks ago.”
Among the pieces featured were “Gabriel’s Oboe,” performances by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, “Rhapsody in Blue,” and “Land of Hope and Glory.” Barry said the response from attendees was overwhelmingly positive.
In another milestone moment, Barry commemorated his days as a volunteer airfield operator with a flight in a World War II-era aircraft, departing from Moorabbin – an experience he won through a competition held by Prestige Inhome Care, which has supported him in remaining at home for many years.
“It was not just a thrill for a senior citizen, but it also brought back a vivid memory of the old Essendon Aerodrome,” he said.
He recalled witnessing a dramatic wartime as a teenager in 1942, when a four-engined American bomber flew overhead engulfed in flames while attempting to return to the airfield.
“I was one of many youngsters who, shortly afterwards, cycled to the crash site to see the wreckage where men had just died,” Barry said.
“Strange, but the song and words of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ by Judy Garland remains one of my favourites.”
Reflecting on longevity and unfulfilled ambitions, Barry encourages others not to abandon their goals.
“If you have some bucket list items not yet happening, don’t stop enjoying your hobbies. The opportunity to do something good for others might still come along, even if the years are going by faster. Patience is a virtue,” Barry urged.
For Barry, remaining active is about more than personal wellbeing – it is also about contributing positively to those around him.
“Staying active, both physically and mentally, will bring strong positive influences into the community,” he said.
“We see so much selfishness in the world today, so try and be the positive influence instead.”
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