By Sonia Isaacs
STEVE McLeish’s life reads like a tapestry woven with threads of music, invention, and community spirit—a vibrant testament to what it means to be truly creative.
Now 68, the Maleny-based artist continues to inspire and innovate, showing that the artistic journey is rarely linear but always meaningful.
It began when Steve picked up the clarinet at just eight years old, sparking a lifelong relationship with music. His school years saw a deepening musical interest, expanding to saxophone and other instruments, and briefly studying at the Conservatorium before branching into sound engineering.
A move to the Crystal Waters community in 1988 proved pivotal. Originally identifying solely as a musician, Steve found himself unexpectedly drawn into the world of construction, working on 22 building projects. The shift challenged his sense of self.
“I wasn’t just a musician anymore,” he explained. “I was learning to be flexible, discovering that creativity isn’t limited to one form.”
This mindset took flight in the early 1990s when Steve joined forces with fellow artist Steve Langton to form the performance group ‘Hubbub’. Their hallmark was inventiveness, building musical instruments from recycled materials.
A signature achievement was the creation of a 14-metre fire organ built for the Centennial Federation in 2001.
“We created a music playground—everything from tuned hubcaps to poly pipe flutes,” Steve said. The collective toured the country and beyond, bringing interactive musical experiences to schools and festivals, captivating audiences with their unconventional artistry.
While their performances took them across Australia and internationally, showcasing their unique artistic vision, Steve’s creativity continued to evolve. He developed ‘Thinking Rhythm,’ a program focusing on left-right brain integration through rhythm, which led to corporate training opportunities in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Each new venture expanded his artistic toolkit and challenged traditional notions of professional identity. Another chapter unfolded through his involvement with Gandhi schools, coordinating cultural exchange programs that brought groups of 40 students to Australia four times a year.
His talents as an organiser soon found fertile ground in the festival scene. Over 15 years, Steve coordinated some of the region’s most celebrated events, including the Woodford Folk Festival, Caloundra Music Festival, and the World Expo. In each role, he brought a signature mix of vision, structure, and heart.
A personal turning point came when he stopped compartmentalising his roles.
“I realised after a while, I was an artist,” he said. “Arts can take all different facets… you can be an artist and do all these things. I wasn’t just a musician or a builder or a coordinator—I was all of it.”
This revelation was transformative. It not only reshaped how Steve viewed himself, but encouraged others to see artistry not as a narrow path, but as a dynamic, multifaceted life.
Returning to Maleny later in life, Steve was struck by what he saw as a decline in the town’s creative pulse. In response, he launched ‘Arts Alive’, a celebration of diverse artistic expression designed to rekindle community connection through creativity.
“We are all storytellers,” he said. “Art records our times—it’s about connection.”
Steve continues to channel that vision, consistently emphasising community engagement, viewing art as a powerful tool for bringing people together. Alongside his commitment to evolving ‘Arts Alive’ into an annual event, he is also focused on bringing live music back to Maleny Lane—an initiative he hopes will reignite local engagement through music and collaboration.
Steve’s artistic path demonstrates that creativity knows no boundaries. From musician to builder, metal worker to event coordinator, his life reflects a profound commitment to artistic exploration and community connection.
