Australia Day Ambassador
Bunny Gibson
Ambassador for Coonamble Shire Council - Gulargambone
Bunny Gibson was born in Liverpool, England and worked in theatre after acting classes at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art brought her a silver medal.
After a season of summer shows and pantomimes she moved into the West End to play the lead in Annie Get Your Gun, a role she repeated in 1978 at the South Sydney Leagues Club with enormous success.
An extensive career in the UK was followed by Australian starring roles in Your Own Thing, A Phoenix Too Frequent, Salad Days, Cabaret, Irma La Douche, I Do I Do, Edith Piaf, and See Saw.
Bunny received two critics awards and two musical comedy actress of the year awards during her work in theatre.
Bunny's recognition as Rita the Eta Eater over the years has created opportunities for appearances at charity functions, children's hospitals, underprivileged children's homes, sports ground openings, fetes, etc.
Bunny also has a fancy dress hire business called North Shore Costumes in Sydney. Her relaxation hobbies are ice skating, swimming and walking at Balmoral Beach. She still works in theatre restaurants and clubs and has a theatrical agency with her partner of 11 years Paul Maybury.
Theatre engagements on cruises have kept Bunny busy as well, with several trips in recent years, including a 6-week stint to the East in 1995. After the death of her husband John Meillon, Bunny became John Meillon Enterprises, buying into a Theatre Restaurant and running it for two years. During this time she still traveled to England and back regularly performing pantomimes and the Summer Seasons and visiting her family.
Losing money in a show called Great Expectations sent Bunny back to work cruising for six months around the world - as she says, it was hard to take!
In 1995 she was back into her favourite work with John's company creating another play in New Zealand called Aladdin Goes Up The Nile. Bunny is the Director of John Meillon Enterprises and in this capacity, produces and directs theatrical shows as well as performs in Australia and overseas.
Bunny now owns a Costume Shop in North Sydney, which she enjoys. She still works through restaurants with her partner Paul Maybury. She is also writing a book on her late husband John Meillon OBE, with the promise from Bryce Courtney to do the foreword.
Bunny keeps herself very busy but still has time to walk and swim Balmoral Beach in Sydney.
