WARWICK  MARSH  FACT  SHEET

Warwick Marsh is a family man who believes that good relationships are the key to a happy life.  He was born in Sydney in 1954. Friction in the family caused him to spend half of his early childhood away from his father. At age 10 he was almost put in a protective institution because of continual parental war at home.  At 17 years he left home with a determination to make a difference in the world and a dream that if ever he got married he would strive for harmony.  Warwick and his wife Alison, live in Wollongong, NSW, Australia with their five children. They celebrated 27 years of marriage in 2002.  He gives all the credit to his wife for putting up with him for 27 years. He received the FOL Award for Fatherhood of the Year in Sydney at the NSW State Parliament in 1998.  This award has delighted Warwick as he believes families should have priority in the work place.

Warwick Marsh has a strong background in business having worked for himself for most of his life.  He has seen both good and bad times in the building construction industry.  At one stage in the early eighties his company, Warwick Marsh Family Homes, was one of the largest, most progressive homebuilders in Wollongong.  Warwick, with his staff and dedicated sales team, turned over millions of dollars worth of projects each year.  In 1985 Warwick’s business was wiped out in the recession ‘we had to have’, and he started all over again in commercial construction.

In 1990 Warwick left a good career in the commercial construction industry to develop Australian Heart Music, an independent record label dedicated to supporting talented Aussie artists neglected by the majors.

Warwick has a love for music that spans thirty years.  He has been able to share that love with his musical family.  His family all play music and the elder boys write and produce their own music which has been heard on radio and TV.  In 1997 Warwick’s two eldest sons who played in a band called ‘Unusual Addiction’ had national airplay on Triple J.  Warwick has supported his sons in their musical expression.  Currently, the two eldest sons play in a rap core band called ‘Bent’.  

Warwick’s family band called ‘The Marshes’ has also been on commercial TV/radio in 1993 and 1995.  ‘The Marshes’ line up is Warwick: guitar and vocals, Alison: keyboards and vocals, Nathaniel 21 yrs: drums and vocals, Jonathan 19 yrs: bass guitar and vocals, Levi 17 yrs: saxophone, tin whistle and didgeridoo, Israel 15yrs: guitar and Melodie 9 yrs: vocals and flute.  ‘The Marshes’ have conducted musical tours all over Australia over the last ten years and also many countries around the world including USA, United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Fiji, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China and the Philippines.  Warwick represented Australian Heart Music at POPKOM, Germany in 1998 as a member of the Australian Independent Record Association.

From 1996 – 1998 Warwick Marsh was one of the key organisers for the Praise Corroboree at Parliament House in Canberra, the nation’s capital.  The Praise Corroboree is an important part of the grass roots reconciliation movement formed in the late nineties.  Warwick, along with other Aboriginal leaders, met with the Prime Minister, John Howard, the Governor General, Sir William Dean and other key national leaders.

Last year Warwick, along with other Wollongong music industry people, formed ‘Musoz’, a non-profit association to help unemployed people and the local and national music industry take their music to the world.  ‘Musoz’ has a ten-year plan to create jobs, give hope to young people and create a strong Wollongong music industry support base.  Warwick has a dream to raise aid support for Africa through ‘Blues for Africa’.  In 1999 Warwick and his family visited the child they had sponsored in Uganda for ten years through World Vision.  Currently the family sponsors children in Kenya and Uganda through ‘Compassion Australia’.  Over the last 12 months Warwick and his friends have given over a dozen guitars and other instruments to penniless African musicians.  Warwick believes this trickle of instruments could become a flood and ultimately ‘Blues for Africa’ could raise millions of dollars in extra aid and training for Christian leadership of Africa’s poor.

Recently Warwick registered ‘fathersonline.org’ to give encouragement to men in the important role of fathering their children. ‘fathersonline.org’ will use the world wide web to encourage busy men to put a priority on their children and their families.  The simple goal of ‘fathersonline.org’ is to “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers”.  Australian Heart Music, Blues for Africa and Fathersonline.org are part of a non-profit Christian association called ‘Australian Heart Ministries’ with an independent Board of Directors.  Australian Heart Ministries was founded by Warwick & Alison Marsh to make a difference in this world for good through music, TV, media, teaching, training and giving practical support. 

Warwick has written well over 50 songs, produced over a dozen albums, written music for films, produced several TV programmes and is currently finishing production on a 13 week, ½ hour series called ‘Australian Heart with the Marshes’ which is a musical journey across Australia for international TV.  Warwick is also known as a speaker in churches, business seminars, government institutions and community based events.  Whenever he speaks, Warwick shares stories from his own life experience.  Warwick’s approach is open and upfront.  His stories are laced with hope and humour.  Warwick is no stranger to the cut and thrust of life and believes that having a positive outlook, value driven goals and a strong love for God are important keys for success in the new millennium.  Warwick has been greatly inspired by Mother Theresa’s practical example of God’s love for a hurting world.  Warwick believes that through love we can build good relationships, enjoy a happy life and make a positive difference in the world.

For more information  contact:    
Warwick Marsh
Fatherhood Foundation    
PO  Box 440   WOLLONGONG  NSW   2520
Ph: 02 4272 6677
Fax: 61-2-4272 9100    
Mobile: 041-822-5212    
Email: info@fathersonline.org

Media Liaison for the Fatherhood Foundation: 02 4272 6677  Mobile: 0418 225212
Email: info@fathersonline.org
PO Box 440
Wollongong NSW 2520