Article provided by Rick Stoker

Originally from Sydney’s Upper North Shore, Oriel Wild attended Hornsby Girls High School.  

With an aptitude for music, from the age of 15 she finished high school at the Conservatorium of Music wherein she studied the violin, plus theory, harmony, counterpoint, history of music and orchestra.  

“My violin teacher was a huge Austrian, Florent Hoogstoel, and in preparing me to be a soloist with the orchestra playing ‘Beethoven’s Romance in F’ he stood up from the piano, brought his huge arm down on my shoulder, causing me to buckle at the knees, and said ‘Orrriel, Orrriel, Orrriel . . . this is a rrrromance, not a boy scouts march!'," Oriel recalled with nostalgia. 

"So, scared out of my wits, ‘romantic’ it was from that moment on!”  

Annually at the Sydney Town Hall, she took part in the ‘1,000 voice choir’.

Later, Ms Wild met her husband John, when they both worked for the Commonwealth Bank. They married and had four children, one girl and three boys, two born in Sydney and two born in Melbourne.

In 1984, with the kids grown up, they retired to Port Douglas where Oriel’s artistic interests came to the fore. 

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In 1985-6, working with a Sydney entrepreneur, Oriel designed and project managed the building and renovating of five homes in Port Douglas, the most notable of which is the “Old Schoolhouse” in Murphy St, the original school, built in 1878.  

“I designed and built the first ‘pavilion’ house in Port Douglas, a style that has now become the building vernacular here,” Oriel boasted.

She opened ‘Calico Patch Children’s Boutique’ in Macrossan St where she designed, sewed and sold haute couture garments for children, winning many accolades at the Retail Association’s, Queensland Fashion Design Awards in Brisbane. 

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DTAG was then located in the Shire Hall in Macrossan Street. 

Oriel and John became the joint Treasurers and remained so for several years.

The Group purchased the old Mossman police station/courthouse and converted it into the wonderful “Clink Theatre”. 

Oriel served a couple of terms as President where she achieved both artistically and practically.

“They were wonderful and memorable years,” she said fondly.  

She taught adult tap dancing, culminating in the production of ‘Stepping Out,’ a resounding success.  

She produced, directed, choreographed, and made costumes and sets for the show. 

Opening night saw a formal, four course dinner (provided by her chef son, Matt), which was served on the verandah of the new Community Hall opposite The Clink.  

The hall was all dressed up for the occasion.  

“Who knows, I might pop up and do another one before I go," she jests.       

With an eye for colour, nine years ago Ms Wild taught herself to paint. 

She placed her first canvas in the Candlenut Gallery and it was snapped up by an American collector for $2,500. 

This writer was privileged to see more of her work tastefully displayed around her home, along with the works of other local artists.

Oriel concluded 2014 by entering eight paintings in the Douglas Arts Base’ end of year exhibition.