General News
18 August, 2025
From bush battler to rally leader: Danny Johnson at 80
Warracknabeal's Danny Johnson has just turned 80 and remembers January 4, 35 years ago, as if it were yesterday.
On that day, Danny had planned to march on Parliament House in Melbourne with his wife and six children to let the government know he thought Victoria was in trouble.
But the news got out, and suddenly, he became a household name across the nation, and the Save Australia Rally was born.
By trade, a demolition contractor, he became known as a bushy, a messiah, a bandit, and some said a nutcase.
How could a guy from the bush organise a rally in three weeks and hope to inspire 100,000 people across the state, let alone the nation?
But he did, and he also addressed the claims that he might be a nutcase.
In 1991, in one of the Eastern newspapers, he shared his story.
"I am not some nutcase that has gone around the bend," he was quoted.
"My name is Danny Johnson. I have lived all my life in Warracknabeal. It is tearing my heart out to see what this government has done and the fact that no one is doing anything about it."
Driving his mission was his frustration about a government not listening to its people; about taxes, unions, debt, and poor government policy.
Similarly, in 2025, people are sending the same message to the current government over land rights, mining, and renewables, and poor government policy.
Does he think they are doing a good job?
"I think they are," he said, referring to the rallies, CFA parades, and tractorcades at Parliament House opposing the new Emergency Services Levy, mining and renewables on agricultural land in recent months.
But looking back to the heady days when journalists called daily, television programs clamoured for his appearance, and letters filled mailbags too many to answer individually, he said it all seemed like yesterday.
"It's still vivid in my mind," he said.
"People called me, wrote to me, sent letters to the editor of newspapers, and even wrote poetry and songs.
"Slim Dusty wrote a song, how about that?"
As he leafs through the scrapbook of articles assembled by a friend, he noted he hadn't looked at them in years.
"It was an amazing time," he said.
"The police said there were 100,000 to 150,000 people at the rally.
"Some of the estimates in papers were different, but the crowd stretched as far as you could see."
The collection of articles tells the story of a family man who wanted to make a difference and stood up for what he believed.
He urged city and country people alike to unite because "we all live in this state".
"I wasn't a protester, I just wanted a united Australia to rebuild the Anzac spirit amongst us all," he said.
People travelled by bus from the bush, some taking a day without pay to attend; the Mallee and the Wimmera had a strong presence.
Danny Johnson's optimism was contagious, one journalist wrote.
Everyone wanted to meet him, clap him on the back, and cheer him on, but it had to come to an end.
"Well, the Gulf War happened, and a lot was going on, plus my wife said to me one day, 'Danny, this has to stop, we have to get back to work and make some money," he said.
"I never took a dollar from anyone for interviews or rallies or anything. I was just a volunteer, a member of the community who wanted to make a difference."
Danny went on to demolish and collect, and from much of that he turned what was 'one man's trash into another man's treasure'.
He and his wife, along with six children, lived in a large shed while he built the house they'd later move into.
He built Danny's Rusty Nail restaurant and B'nB, which is booked out most weekends still, complete with outdoor twin baths to watch the moonlight while being serenaded by birdsong in the trees.
The restaurant was fully booked on weekends for decades and opened its doors again recently for Danny's eightieth birthday, balloons still intact.
It's rustic, charming, and is something of a museum of collectibles that would have otherwise been dumped.
He still has plans to continue his demolition business and share his opinions on how the state is faring.
Keen to have a say while the opportunity presented itself, he wanted to mention the Western Highway duplication.
"We need the [Western] highway built, immigration is out of control; we need skilled immigrants so they can fill jobs," he said.
"Wind farms, well, it's a lot of money for 20 years' service, and what do we do with them when they no longer work?
"Youth crime - well, no matter what age someone is, do the crime, do the time, I say.
"Teachers need to be respected and have power back in the classroom, and the police need more power too."
Danny also has an opinion on the court system.
"We are too soft on crime; we need tougher magistrates," he said.
"In my lifetime, I am 80 now, I didn't think I'd be ashamed of our state and federal governments, but I am.
"I suppose some may read this and have a hissy fit, but as long as it gets people talking and they stand up to be counted, that's okay then," he said.
Danny Johnson shows no signs of slowing down and says a good hot bath several times a week helps sort out the kinks.
"Not that I'm saying my age is a problem, it's just the continuous up and down ladders that get a bit much sometimes," he said.