CHESS was saddened by the deaths of Brian and Moiree Naylor, who both perished in the devastating February 2009 (Black Saturday) Victorian bushfires.

Brian was an extremely popular former student of Camberwell High School and he was highly supportive of the school, visiting on occasions and addressing students and he supported CHESS in our endeavours.

This is the biography, penned by Brian a few years ago.

 

 

Brian Naylor

National Nine News Chief Newsreader

 

A young Brian Naylor was promoting wood-weave blinds when a twist of fate saw him begin his career as a radio announcer with a local radio station in Melbourne. Brian believes that luck plays an enormous part in his life.

Considered the doyen of Melbourne newsreaders, Naylor's catch phrase "may your news be good news" has been part of National Nine News viewers' lives, week nights for 20 years. His outstanding broadcasting career has spanned 42 years, beginning in 1956 at radio station 3DB as an announcer and host of a children's talent program, "Swallows Juniors".

In 1958, he moved to HSV Channel 7, transferring "Swallows Juniors" to television, which became "Brian and the Juniors". The program, which was nationally telecast on more than 20 stations, lasted 12 years. In 1970, Naylor became HSV 7's chief newsreader and in a move that made headlines, switched to GTV Channel 9 in 1978 at the instigation of Nine's news director, John Sorell.

On 10 occasions, Brian hosted the annual Carols By Candlelight spectacular from the Myer Music Bowl and in 1988, the father of five was voted Father of the Year by the Victorian Father's Day Council.

Brian loves the great outdoors and takes viewers into his world with his series of documentaries, Brian Naylor's Australia, produced and filmed by his son, Greg. Brian and his wife, Moiree, have sailed their 50 foot catamaran around much of Australia's coastline and across Bass Strait.

The tyranny of distance has forced the Naylors to take to the air to explore the more remote regions of the country. Brian first learnt to fly 39 years ago and Moiree has also gained her pilot's licence.

There is little time for this exuberant couple to sit down and grow bored. When they are not producing documentaries, flying around the country side or sailing the oceans, Brian and Moiree are hands-on at the family beef cattle properties.

Brian is patron of the Variety Club in Victoria, the Dialysis and Transplant Association of Victoria, the Jack Brockhoff Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Research Unit of Royal Melbourne Hospital, and assists with fundraising for the MacFarlane Burnet Appeal and Windana Society Drug Rehabilitation.

Brian retired from his role as chief newsreader of National Nine News on November 27, 1998.

(Many thanks to Channel 9 Publicity and Brian Naylor for this article and the photos)