Returned to the Peninsula

Singer Doreen Van Bree has returned to the Peninsula after a 16-year absence accomplished and has begun to offer singing lessons from her Umina home.

Ms Van Bree has had a successful musical career appearing on Brian Henderson's Bandstand several times in the 1960s and performing at clubs around NSW.

Born in Holland, Ms Van Bree studied classical piano and the organ and at the age of 10 had her first stage performance where she played Clemente's Sonata.

Ms Van Bree's family moved to Australia when she was 12 and she quickly took an interest in the popular music of the time.

In 1961, she was crowned Miss NSW Charity Queen in the Miss Australia Quest.

Over the next 30 years Ms Van Bree performed around the Central Coast and Sydney as well as teaching singing and music.

In 1990, she left the Peninsula to travel around Australia.

When in Murwillumbah, she was invited to be the musical director in David Johnstone's musical Ghengis featuring a 14-piece orchestra which she conducted.

Ms Van Bree decided to stay in the Tweed Valley and taught singing in Murwillumbah and at the Tweed Music Academy for 10 years.

Ms Van Bree has moved back to the Central Coast to be closer to her family and is now retired but still takes on the occasional singing student.

Letter, 2 Oct 2009 Doreen Van Bree, Umina