In September 1973 I met an old bushman from Tumut NSW who had been invited down to the local village, Murringo, to show the local school kids about plaiting and leather work. I was 13 years old. The bushman and WWI vet was Syd Bayliss. Little did I know that first meeting with this iconic Australian Bushman was to set the rest of my life on course to tell his story, learn and keep his trade(s) alive, and ultimately have his exploits, trade and skills recorded and exhibited in as many places as I possibly could. I am still doing this relentlessly today 40 years later. This email is testimony to that.

With my best mate Craig Webb, with whom I was at school with at the time, we started learning to plait together and then progressed in to forming a business partnership "Taubman & Webb", a leather and whip making business which we ran for many years together continuing what we had, and were learning from Syd. Even though after many years together we divided the business and went our own ways we both still promote Syd at any opportunity.

Over the years Craig has travelled extensively throughout the country with a country band as well as general travel and I know he is still promoting Syd’s story and memory today. I have helped in having a song recorded about him, written a song about him, a portrait painted of him by Howard Barron F.I.A.L, I had him inducted into the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in QLD in the unsung hero’s section along with a name plaited whip "Syd Bayliss" which is on display there, and I have written a book about him, "One Of The Last" which is still selling well and is in 7th edition.

Everywhere I go and everyone to whom I speak to about leather work etc, I promote and keep Syd’s memory and stories alive. I do this out of sheer gratitude for what this bushman has done for me and my family — and is still doing for us even though he passed on over 30 years ago and also for the fact that this man is part of Australia’s heritage and these people must never be forgotten.

One day in conversation with my wife, Leah, several years ago, I casually remarked I wouldn’t mind having a leather shop like Syd’s, the well known "Valley Of The Whites Trading Post" in Russell St Tumut NSW.

While I was in the NT on a hawking trip selling leather gear on cattle stations Leah purchased the little old run down "Hancock’s Store" building in the middle of Murringo. It is over 150 years old, listed as Heritage Significant with local council and she embarked on a personal and massive project of bringing this building back to life as it would have been in its early days with the sole idea of making it into a Leather Store/Museum/Tribute Centre to Syd and my work in trying to keep his story alive. She has painstakingly restored this building and the project is still going on and will be for some years to come.

The big day has come for the next huge step to be taken and that is to dedicate/open the store for public to see and be part of the story. Although the displays and the final picture Leah has in mind is still a long way off we look forward to having the doors open on this dream and see the "Taubman & Webb Trading Post" pull into gear.

This is a culmination of 40 years of trying to follow in Syd’s footsteps and now seeing it finally come together in this project.

We hope to see many people at the dedication on the 20th October 2013.

No matter where we have travelled throughout the country we regularly meet people who knew and admired Syd Bayliss.

This project will ensure that his memory is recorded and preserved for generations to come thanks to Leah’s dedication and unselfish foresight.

Joy McKean, and her late husband Slim Dusty have always taken a great interest in Syd’s story and Joy has kindly agreed to be with us on the day to do the honours of dedicating the Taubman & Webb Trading Post.

Richard Taubman