SA music stalwart Robert ‘Bertie’ Dunstan dies

‘Bertie’ Dunstan – who worked tirelessly to promote local bands and musicians – has died.

Robert Dunstan. .

Legendary South Australian music writer Robert “Bertie” Dunstan has died at his southern suburbs home.

Dunstan, 68, was a stalwart of the Adelaide street press, editing beloved rock mag Rip It Up for more than a decade, and maintaining a presence as a reviewer, writer and columnist in the publication’s final years.

He went on to establish his own magazine – BSide – as well as working as a DJ and presenter on 5 Triple Z radio.

Dunstan’s tireless work promoting local bands and musicians saw him inducted into the Adelaide Music Collective Hall of Fame.

Robert Dunstan was an avid supporter of live music in SA.

His passing has been marked by an outpouring of grief from the South Australian music community, with many acknowledging the support the writer gave them as they were embarking on their career.

Famous Adelaide music pub The Governor Hindmarsh named a bar in his honour several years ago, and a spokesperson said The Gov’s staff took comfort in the fact Dunstan was there on Saturday night watching another South Australian legend in Dave Graney.

“Rob was a man who dedicated his life to live music here in South Australia,” The Gov posted.

“From our very early days at The Gov, Rob shared with us his encyclopaedic knowledge of live music, advising us on bands to book and having enormous input into the development of our venue.

“He recalled tour dates, line ups, audience attendance and set lists of seemingly every band to tour to Adelaide, his in depth interviews and reviews as editor of Rip It Up educated us all.”