Hugo Armstrong
Hugo Armstrong is a versatile arts entrepreneur known for his development of the ever popular
'Blues Train' which has operated out of Queenscliff since 1994. Hugo was also renowned as the artistic director and promoter of the Queenscliff Music Festival from 1998 to 2005 during which time the festival won a variety of awards including a National Tourism Award and induction into the Victorian Tourism Hall of Fame.
He has also been a DJ on the radio station PBS 106.7 FM and, since 1987, presenter of his own show
'Now Dig This' . For three years he was Program Manager at PBS 106.7 FM from about 2006 to 2008. In 2009, he became President of Bellarine Tourism.
In 2009, he was also featured as a
‘Small Business Regional Hero’ in a photographic exhibition as part of Victoria’s Small Business Festival. Hugo has been a party DJ, including for the likes of Elle Macpherson and Joe Cocker. As a musician he has specialised in R&B, soul, funk and blues and performed in support of B B King at Crown Casino in 1997. His
'service to the community through the Queenscliff Music Festival' was recognised by the award of a Centenary Medal in 2001.
Among his many other accomplishments he has run a kite shop in Pt Lonsdale, commentated at Kite Festivals and, in 1990, won the Australian stunt kite championship.
Born at Point Lonsdale, Hugo was educated as a day student at the College from 1977 to 1984, not surprisingly, winning School Colours in Drama. He also earned House Colours in Rowing and became a House Prefect in 1984. He had earlier attended Point Lonsdale State School. His father, Eric Armstrong (1901-1983) was the owner of the Armstrong Cycle and Motor Agency and a West Australian motor racing Grand Prix champion in 1931. Eric was the son of Percival William Armstrong (1866-1942) and his wife, Grace Ethel Throssell (1876-1948). Grace was the daughter of George Throssell (1840-1910) second Premier of Western Australia in 1901.
Hugo Throssell Armstrong, in a
Geelong Advertiser interview in 2012, said that he was named in honour of his uncle, also Hugo Throssell Armstrong (1916-1943), who was killed over the English Channel during World War II.
His great-uncle, Hugo Vivian Hope Throssell (1884-1933), after surviving the horrific charge at the Nek, Gallipoli, was later awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during action at Hill 60 on Gallipoli, becoming the first West Australian and only light horseman to do so. He married novelist, Katharine Susannah Pritchard (1883-1969) in Melbourne on 28 January 1919.
Sources: Ad Astra Sept 1997 p22; Surf Coast Times 4 August 2009; Geelong Echo 3 Sept 2009 p2; thebluestrain.com.au (news 24 June 2011), the bluestrain.com.au/hugo (Who is Hugo T Armstrong); Australian War Memorial including awm.gov.au/people; Geelong Advertiser 1 September 2012. OGC 1984.