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Scott McGregor (television presenter)

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Spouse(s)
  
Wendy Gray

Website
  
Off The Rails

Name
  
Scott McGregor


Scott McGregor (television presenter)

Born
  
22 October 1957 (age 66) (
1957-10-22
)
Orange, New South Wales, Australia

Occupation
  
Actor, television presenter

Scott McGregor (born 22 October 1957) is an Australian actor, television presenter and railway enthusiast.

Contents

Early life

Scott McGregor was born in Orange, New South Wales where his parents had a farm and his father managed the The Central Western Daily newspaper. In 1969 the family moved to Mudgee when his parents Doug and Poss McGregor purchased the Mudgee Guardian.

Scott was educated at Mudgee High School and The Scots College in Sydney. He commenced studying communications at the then Mitchell College of Advanced Education, now part of Charles Sturt University, before being accepted into the National Institute of Dramatic Art where he graduated in 1979.

Acting career

In the 1980s McGregor had leading stage acting roles in productions of the Perth Playhouse, Queensland Theatre Company, Marion St Theatre and Nimrod Company. From 1980 to early 2000s he had acting roles in many Australian television series including The Young Doctors, Skyways, The Sullivans, Cop Shop, A Country Practice, Sons and Daughters, Police Rescue, Home and Away, Water Rats and All Saints.

During the 1980s he had lead roles in the epic ABC mini-series 1915, the Coral Island and Chase Through The Night and was nominated for the best actor award in the 1983 logies for his role as Walter Gilchrist in 1915. He had numerous film and radio appearances and was one of the Bouncers in the highly successful national tour of the play of the same name in 1985/86.

From the 1997 he started turning to presenting lifestyle television as a travel and collectables presenter on The Lifestyle Channel programs Out and About, Australian Living and Australian Collections. From 2000 to 2003 he was a DIY presenter on Better Homes and Gardens and from 2002 to 2004 hosted the home renovation series Room for Improvement on the Seven Network.

In 1999 he combined television presenting with his interest in railways by hosting the travel series Railway Adventures Across Australia for Channel 10. In 2004 he followed up with the series Down The Line with Scott McGregor covering railway journeys in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam. Both series have sold extensively in markets around the world and have had enormously successful video and DVD releases.

In 2005 McGregor presented Australian Icon Towns made for The History Channel. A second series was broadcast from January 2007. In 2009 he presented The Stamp Of Australia also for the History Channel which detailed the 200-year history of Post Office in Australia.

Interest in railways

McGregor had a keen interest in railways since childhood. From the 1980s he started collecting railway memorabilia, including several vintage railway carriages which he restored on his property, "Ruwenzori", near Mudgee NSW. By 1989 he had collected so much he decided to sell some and opened a stall called Off The Rails at the now closed Chelsea House antiques emporium in Camperdown, New South Wales. Branches were later opened at Sydney's Central Railway Station and in Balmain. In 1992 a new Off The Rails shop was opened in Newtown. It moved again to a larger shop and restoration workshop at Camperdown. The shop closed in 1999 and Off The Rails Collectables now operates as a mail order business and from his Mudgee property.

In 2005 McGregor opened his country property as tourist accommodation. Ruwenzori Retreat is perched on the Great Dividing Range north of Mudgee and is made up of a collection of 9 vintage carriages, a number of which date back to the 1890s and the 3 main carriages are restored as the luxury guest accommodation. The 50 acre property also has station buildings, track, signals, a plethora of memorabilia and a network of bush tracks. Ruwenzori Retreat has featured on TV programs such Getaway, Today, World's Most Extreme Homes, and many others. Scott and his Ruwenzori railway collection have also appeared on the ABC TV program Collectors.

Since 2007 Scott has been hosting Railway Adventure tours in conjunction with Sydney-based travel company Renaissance Tours to a variety of destinations in Australia and overseas including Vietnam, Eastern Europe, Japan, India, New Zealand and North Queensland.

Filmography

Actor
2005
Blue Water High (TV Series) as
Harvey
- Episode #2.6 (2006) - Harvey
- Behind the Scenes (2005) - Harvey
2002
The Nugget as
Derek McLeod
2002
All Saints (TV Series) as
Steve Brooker
- All the Right Reasons (2002) - Steve Brooker
1998
Search for Treasure Island (TV Series) as
Paul Raymond
- Eye of the Storm (2000) - Paul Raymond
- Flint's Curse (2000) - Paul Raymond
- Dead Man's Chest (2000) - Paul Raymond
- A Snake in the Grass (2000) - Paul Raymond
- Ghosts and Demons (2000) - Paul Raymond
- Secret of the Stone Circle (1998) - Paul Raymond
- Dante's Lair (1998) - Paul Raymond
- The Empty Ocean (1998) - Paul Raymond
1998
Water Rats (TV Series) as
Rob Jennings
- The Long Haul (1998) - Rob Jennings
- Behind Closed Doors (1998) - Rob Jennings
1998
Children's Hospital (TV Series) as
Ray Reynolds
- Home Truths (1998) - Ray Reynolds
1997
The Adventures of Sam (TV Series)
- Moon Daughter (1997) - (voice)
- Begin Again (1997) - (voice)
1997
Big Sky (TV Series) as
Owner
- Paradise (1997) - Owner
1996
Home and Away (TV Series) as
Keith Williams
- Episode #1.1954 (1996) - Keith Williams
- Episode #1.1953 (1996) - Keith Williams
- Episode #1.1952 (1996) - Keith Williams
- Episode #1.1951 (1996) - Keith Williams
1993
G.P. (TV Series) as
Ron King / Colin Hodges
- Hardwired (1996) - Ron King
- All in the Eyes (1993) - Colin Hodges
1995
Eat My Shorts (TV Series) as
Head
1995
Echo Point (TV Series) as
Clive McInery
- Episode #1.77 (1995) - Clive McInery
- Episode #1.75 (1995) - Clive McInery
- Episode #1.76 (1995) - Clive McInery
- Episode #1.74 (1995) - Clive McInery
- Episode #1.73 (1995) - Clive McInery
- Episode #1.68 (1995) - Clive McInery
1995
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as
Security Guard
1994
The Ferals (TV Series) as
Fireman
- April Fools (1994) - Fireman
1993
Police Rescue (TV Series) as
Det Sgt Tony Wilson
- Double Illusion (1993) - Det Sgt Tony Wilson
1981
A Country Practice (TV Series) as
Brett Hill / Paul Higgins / Ray Wallace / ...
- Nothing But the Truth: Part 1 (1992) - Brett Hill
- Out of Wedlock: Part 2 (1992) - Brett Hill
- Out of Wedlock: Part 1 (1992) - Brett Hill
- Illusions: Part 2 (1986) - Paul Higgins
- Illusions: Part 1 (1986) - Paul Higgins
- A Sign of Affection: Part 2 (1982) - Ray Wallace
- A Sign of Affection: Part 1 (1982) - Ray Wallace
- Town Tragedy: Part 2 (1981) - Peter Gleeson
- Town Tragedy: Part 1 (1981) - Peter Gleeson
1991
Heroes II: The Return (TV Mini Series) as
Cpl. Claire Stewart (Rimau member)
- Episode #1.2 (1991) - Cpl. Claire Stewart (Rimau member)
- Episode #1.1 (1991) - Cpl. Claire Stewart (Rimau member)
1988
True Believers (TV Mini Series) as
Jim Comerford
- Episode #1.5 (1988) - Jim Comerford
- Episode #1.4 (1988) - Jim Comerford
- Episode #1.3 (1988) - Jim Comerford
- Episode #1.1 (1988) - Jim Comerford
1984
Sons and Daughters (TV Series) as
Robin Elliott
1985
Five Mile Creek (TV Series) as
Edward Armstrong
- A Death in the Family (1985) - Edward Armstrong
- A Dog Called Johnson (1985) - Edward Armstrong
- The Gold Cup (1985) - Edward Armstrong
- Possum (1985) - Edward Armstrong
- Real Cowboys Play Fair (1985) - Edward Armstrong
- The Gauntlet (1985) - Edward Armstrong
1983
Chase Through the Night (TV Movie) as
Yorkie
1983
Carson's Law (TV Series) as
Ron
- Butcher's Picnic (1983) - Ron
- The Catch (1983) - Ron
1983
The Coral Island (TV Mini Series) as
Jack
- Episode #1.9 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.8 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.7 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.6 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.5 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.4 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.3 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.2 (1983) - Jack
- Episode #1.1 (1983) - Jack
1982
1915 (TV Mini Series) as
Walter Gilchrist
- The Last Day of the Year (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- Hands Across the Sea (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- Soldiers of the King (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- Your Country Needs You (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- The Day the Lights Went Out (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- The Girl on the Night Mail (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
- Best of Friends (1982) - Walter Gilchrist
1981
The Sullivans (TV Series) as
Jerry Halpern
- Episode #1.776 (1981) - Jerry Halpern
- Episode #1.775 (1981) - Jerry Halpern
1980
Cop Shop (TV Series) as
Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.284 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.283 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.282 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.281 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.280 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.279 (1981) - Constable Stephen Waters
- Episode #1.278 (1980) - Constable Stephen Waters
Producer
2005
Australian Icon Towns (TV Series documentary) (associate producer - 1 episode)
- Coober Pedy, Launceston, Ballarat, Tenterfield, Tanunda (2005) - (associate producer)
Writer
2000
Railway Adventures Across Australia (TV Series documentary)
Soundtrack
2007
World's Most Extreme Homes (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- South Africa Fantasy Home (2007) - (performer: "I've Been Working on the Railroad" - uncredited)
Self
2007
World's Most Extreme Homes (TV Series) as
Self
- South Africa Fantasy Home (2007) - Self
2005
Australian Icon Towns (TV Series documentary) as
Self - Presenter
- Coober Pedy, Launceston, Ballarat, Tenterfield, Tanunda (2005) - Self - Presenter
2004
Play School (TV Series) as
Self
- Friends and Family - Visitors (2004) - Self
2001
Room for Improvement (TV Series) as
Self - Presenter
2000
Railway Adventures Across Australia (TV Series documentary) as
Self - Host

References

Scott McGregor (television presenter) Wikipedia