Thank you to everyone for the memories that are collected here.

Feel free to send more.

Copyright in these recollections belongs to the individual contributors

Andrew Huntley was a dear friend of Martin’s in the 1970’s. This poem, from that time, is dedicated to Martin. By the kind of synchronicity they both enjoyed, Andrew died on the day this website was launched.

Antigone Kefala is a Greek-Australian poet who first met Martin in the 1970s.

Chris Latham was the partner of Martin’s stepdaughter, Vivienne. He lived with Vivienne, Roseanne, and Martin in the early 1980’s.

Donna Tier was a friend and SBS colleague of Martin’s during the 1980’s.

Helen Randerson knew Martin from student demonstrations at the University of Sydney in the late 1960’s.

Jennifer Maiden is one of the poets from Martin’s own generation that he most respected. Her recently published 75-page essay, The Cuckold and the Vampires (Quemar Press) includes Jennifer’s recollection of two early encounters with Martin.

Joanne Burns is a poet who knew Martin from various literary events in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Jonathan Shaw knew Martin in the early 1970’s.

Julie House lived with Martin above an op shop in Enmore in 1972. (Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see copies of 4 drawings done by Martin, also provided by Julie.)

Kevin Anderson is a retired magistrate who first met Martin in 1979.

Laurie Duggan is a fellow poet who first met Martin at an inter-university arts festival in Canberra in 1971.

Lex Marinos is an actor, writer, producer and director. He first met Martin at North Sydney Boys High School in 1964 and remained a life long friend.

Mark Mahemoff is a poet and reviewer. He was a student in Patti Miller’s UWS writing class in the 1980’s when Martin gave a guest lecture on poetry.

Meredith Burgmann knew Martin from English tutorials and anti-war rallies at the University of Sydney in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Nadia Wheatley lived with Martin in Sydney and Greece. She is Martin’s literary executor.

Patti Miller invited Martin to be a guest lecturer at her writing class at UWS in the 1980’s.

Paul Bourke was working part-time as a ward assistant in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital when Martin was brought into Emergency In June 1990. His moving account of their conversation shows that, to the very end, Martin had a powerful and engaging effect on people. 

Peter Templeton was an SBS colleague and friend of Martin’s in the 1980’s.

Renée Goossens was an SBS colleague and friend of Martin’s in the 1980’s.

Robyn Ravlich is a writer and broadcaster who knew Martin during the 1960’s and 1970’s.

Sarah Ahern first met Martin at University and remained a lifelong friend.

Stephen Clarke shared a house with Martin and Nadia Wheatley in Camperdown in the early 1970’s.

Terry Larsen was a fellow poet, friend and housemate of Martin’s in the early 1970’s. He did the production work for Martin’s first book, shadowmass.

Vivienne Latham (nee Bonney) is Martin’s stepdaughter. She was in Year 11 when Martin began living with her mother, Roseanne, in Darlinghurst.

Wayne Davies originally knew Martin from North Sydney Boy’s High School. He later lived with Martin and Nadia Wheatley in Camperdown.