A piano rescued from the 1990s Nyngan floods is striking a chord in a mining town in outback New South Wales.
The upright piano has been installed in an open arcade next to the town library in Cobar for locals and travellers to stop, play and connect through music.
It is part of the ABC’s Pop-Up Piano project — a national initiative in collaboration with musical composer and artist Yantra de Vilder and Piano Plus Australia — to bring creativity into public spaces and celebrate the ABC series The Piano.
Out of 400 nominations across the country, Cobar is one of 20 towns selected to receive a donated piano.
The piano was donated by a resident in Nyngan after it survived the 1990s floods. (ABC Western Plains: Zaarkacha Marlan)
Dr de Vilder, who has installed pianos in public places for more than a decade, said Cobar’s community spirit and regional location made it a stand-out.
“When you think of a library, you think: ‘Shhh, be quiet’, but the library said: ‘No, we want a piano, the community wants this,'” she said.
“There was also a lot of grassroots community support for Cobar, and we also wanted to do something in a regional location that’s a little far flung than the Blue Mountains or Darling Harbour.”
Community rallies behind piano bid
The piano’s presence in the remote mining town with a population of about 4,000 people began when local music teacher Judy Toomey shared the nomination link online on a community social media page, sparking a wave of community support.
“Apparently, the nominations said such nice things about Cobar, they couldn’t possibly pass it up,” Ms Toomey said.
Judy Toomey was the driving force behind bringing the piano to Cobar. (ABC Western Plains: Zaarkacha Marlan)
Ms Toomey said the project was already sparking connections in the community.
“One Saturday, I was playing and a lady walking past asked me if I knew a song,” she said.
“I started playing, she joined in singing, and she was amazing.
“I started crying, and I looked at her and she had tears in her eyes too.
“I’d never met her in my life, but that’s what music does — it brings people together, it mends broken hearts, it gives you a lift when you aren’t feeling the best.”Old keys, new connections
For library manager Jane Siermans, the piano’s journey from the 1990 Nyngan floods to its new home 130 kilometres west in Cobar gave it a unique local resonance.
On April 23, 1990, the Bogan River peaked at 5.3 metres, breaching Nyngan’s levee and submerging the entire community in a flood that was later deemed a one-in-250-year event.
More than 15 helicopters were used to evacuate residents from Nyngan in 1990. (Supplied: Nyngan community)
Despite residents’ efforts to place 150,000 sandbags to reinforce the levee, the disaster forced the evacuation of 2,500 people in one of the largest airlifts in Australian history.
“The expert who came and tuned the piano said it was not in the floodwater, and must have been lifted up somehow because it wasn’t water damaged,” Ms Siermans said.
“It’s fitting; it does mean we’ve ended up with a piano that has a local connection.”
Piano’s new home
The piano was officially launched in Cobar on Sunday.
Cobar local Anthony Mitchell played a five-minute medley from Pirates of the Caribbean at the piano’s launch concert.
“You see pianos in airports and hotels, but to have one here in Cobar is something else,” he said.
Anthony Mitchell says he will play the piano every time he is down the main street of Cobar. (ABC Western Plains: Zaarkacha Marlan)
The self-taught pianist continues to make the piano a regular stop.
“I don’t use sheet music, I can’t play with it at all. I just either hear it and play it or look it up on YouTube,” Mr Mitchell said.
Don’t miss your local Pop Up Piano community concert
“Every week I’ll be using this piano. It’s just a beautiful instrument, 88 keys, there’s nothing like it.”
Fellow Cobar resident and singer Lillian Simpson said the project had struck a chord with residents and visitors alike.
“It’s being played every day, not just by locals but by travellers too,” she said.
Rediscovering the notes
Local mum and pianist Cathy Francisco said the piano had given her a reason to reconnect with music.
“I’ve been playing for 20 years, but obviously life, growing up and having kids, put it on the backburner for a while,” she said.
“But now the kids are older and I’m spending more time getting back into music again.”
Cathy Francisco says the piano is great for the Cobar community, regardless of age or ability. (ABC Western Plains: Zaarkacha Marlan)
At the piano’s launch, she played the 1982 theme from The Man from Snowy River.
“The town just needs more musical opportunities,” Ms Francisco said.
“To have this, you’re encouraging people of any age to come up and play whenever they want, and it doesn’t matter what you sound like.”