Cassy Bailey and Jeremy Fischer wed, it’s opening night for Darwin Chorale’s Disney show and we take a ride back to the 50s with the Izods

Newlyweds Cassy Bailey and Jeremy Fischer take a dive and a wild photograph of a young Marcia Izod grab our attention, in the first of a new weekly column Cooee From The NT

A unique way to capture a love story ... When Cassy Bailey and her groom Jeremy Fischer wed they opted for a magical underwater wedding shoot in Darwin photographer Toni Walsh’s backyard pool. Pics: Toni Walsh inspirephotographydarwin.com

What makes a bride, exquisitely dressed and coiffed, choose to take a dip in a Darwin pool with her freshly-minted hubby?

Ask newlywed Cassy Bailey-Fischer and she’ll laugh and tell you it’s all about the adventure. She’s lived and loved the experience and she’s urging other couples to embrace the concept of underwater wedding portraits.

“It was a white satin dress, with a train,” she explains. “It was quite heavy out of the water so I was a bit worried about that!”

Cassy and hubby Jeremy Fischer wanted unique photos to mark their wedding. After opting for a relaxed backyard ceremony with family in Humpty Doo, they took the plunge with an underwater wedding shoot the following day. And they couldn’t be happier with their non-traditional choice.

“The experience was just more intimate. It was just the best,” Cassy says.

Cassy reckons water photos are a natural fit. She’s a self-confessed water baby, one of Jeremy’s nicknames is Fish and the bride got to wear her gorgeous wedding gown for another day.

“It was so much fun. That’s what we wanted – to keep the photos lighthearted and memorable,” she says.

Darwin’s Jeremy Fischer and his bride Cassy Bailey asked photographer Toni Walsh for a wedding shoot with a difference. The result was a stunning set of underwater photographs. inspirephotgraphydarwin.com

It was a new experience for Inspire Photography’s Toni Walsh too. While she’s known for her underwater maternity and portrait photography, it’s the first time Toni’s had a bride and groom underwater, in front of her lens. In their wedding finery, complete with bridal bouquet.

“We had so much fun, with lots of laughter, while creating beautiful, extraordinary and emotional images beneath the water, that tell a unique story of their love for each other,” Toni says.

Cassy and Jeremy have a big print from that special day hanging in their home. It makes them happy. It’s a simple as that.

The couple has been together for a decade. Mutual friends gave Jeremy Cassy’s phone number, herang and they clicked.

They talked on the phone every night for months before he flew from Darwin to Bundaberg for their first date.

“We’d spent 11 days together in each other’s presence over about six months before he moved toBundaberg to live with me,” Cassy says.

Toni’s captured an important part of that journey. A photographer for 13 years, she added underwater photography to her repertoire about three years ago and hasn’t looked back.

“It’s hot up here and I wanted to do something no-one else was doing,” Toni says.

Disney magic comes to Darwin

It’ll be a family affair on and off the stage, when production Disney in Concert kicks off at Charles Darwin University tomorrow night.

Parents, kids and grandparents will perform together as the Darwin Chorale joins forces with junior choir Growing Pains for three fun-filled shows of Disney hits.

Sophie Thompson (left), Violet Wharam (right) and Nathan Thompson are all set for the Darwin Chorale's Disney in Concert which opens tomorrow night.

Darwin Chorale’s Annette Gore says the “buzz” is out there. She’s relishing the family feel. It’s the first time the chorale has targeted a family audience and performed a matinee. And the new approach has got people talking.

“But I think it might be the first of many, with the response we’ve got so far,” says the chorale performance manager.

“The show’s all about the fun of Disney, for the audience to enjoy themselves and the singers to have fun on stage.”

More than 50 members of the chorale are taking part in the shows tomorrow and Saturday.

It’ll be colourful, with soloists and the children in costumes and the chorale in uniform.

They want concert goers to take an active role in the performance during Saturday’s matinee. That means digging out favourite Disney outfits and singing along as the choirs perform numbers from Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and other hit shows.

Guest music director Paolo Fabris will lead the Darwin Chorale and Growing Pains, which is part of the university-based Centre for Youth and Community Music.

Darwin Chorale, which formed in 1985, puts on concerts and performs at community events.

“You name it, we sing it,” Annette laughs.

The chorale’s next performance is Beethoven’s Ode to Joy with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra on November 25.

Colour our world

Draped in snakes Marcia Izod and friends Jim, Ted, and Lyn Dennis enjoy the Darwin Show in 1958. Source: the Izod collection, Library & Archives NT and Darwin Colourising Yesteryear FB site.

Don McKenzie is fascinated with the way Darwin was, so much so he has collected more than 700 historical photographs and transformed them from black and white to vivid colour.

“I have a passion for bringing history to life through the art of colourisation,” he says.

“I believe that adding colour to historical black and white photographs provides a fresh perspective, conveying the emotions and atmosphere of the time period and making the images more relatable, dynamic, and interesting.”

Don now has 1600 fellow history fans on his Darwin Colourising Yesteryear site; and it was here that we discovered an amazing photograph of a young Marcia Izod, with a snake draped around her neck, enjoying a day out with friends at the Royal Darwin Show in 1958.

“My first memory of the show was that we were actually going to have one!” Marcia Izod Davis, now 80, told the Off the Leash publication.

“My father was to have a display stand and my mother potted plants in oil drums as part of the decoration.

“My brother and I snuck into the boxing tent and watched people fighting. When we told our mum we’d done that, she was horrified! As a teenager it was an entirely different experience, all about getting dressed up and having a fun time with friends.”

Marcia has donated a collection of historic family photos to the NT Library and Archives. Another image in her collection depicts her father Eric at his Izod Motors stand at the inaugural Darwin Show. Eric is credited with driving the first Holden to Darwin in 1948, picking up the shiny new car in Melbourne before starting the epic trek north with wife Ellen at his side.

If you have a historical pic that you would like to see colourised, you can contact post it on the Darwin Colourising History FB site and Don will work his magic – for free.

Eric and Ellen Izod of Izod Motors brought the first Holden to Darwin. in 1948. The couple picked it up at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne and then drove it up to Darwin. Source: Library & Archives NT. (1948).

Shout out to young business people

Territory Proud recently celebrated 20 years of promoting NT business at Saltwater@Bundilla. It was a colourful evening full of delighted meets and greets and clinking of glasses, but amid the celebrations (captured by photographer Oliver Thompson) there was a serious note.

The 400-member organisation needs young business people to come aboard and join the committee.

Acting secretary Rebecca `Bec’ Forrest, who was joined at the event by founding chairperson and association ambassador Geoff Goodrich, has issued a call to young people to soak up the valuable mentorship on offer.

Territory Proud's 2023 committee members enjoy the 20th birthday celebrations. From left: Dante St James, Dennis On, Bec Forrest, Willem van Holthe and Don Cole. Pic: Oliver Thompson. Darwin Photographer Services Thompson Photography.

“This is a shout-out, especially to young people who want to upskill and learn committee skills, event management, treasury, governance and business connections,” she says.

“We want to build business, build skills sets and support Territorians.”

Bec joined the committee this year and likes what she sees. It’s a supportive organisation, she says, and one that helps nurture young business people so they can thrive.

Territory Proud will hold its AGM at Lizards Restaurant in Darwin CBD on November 24. It will also launch its new business directory system, called Brilliant Directories, at the event.

Founding members of Territory Proud: Doug Phillips, Minister Paul Kirby and original chair Geoff Goodrich. Pic: Oliver Thompson. Darwin Photographer Services Thompson Photography.

Cooee From The NT is a column that celebrates life here in the Territory. We would love to hear about your milestones, from weddings, anniversaries, births and graduations to business and school awards. Simply email us at [e-mail] and we will be in touch.