Charlesworth Family 2025

Interview Phillip and Catherine Charlesworth Tasmanian Open Breeders and Exhibitors

Who are the Charlesworth Family?

Phillip, Catherine and Matthew Charlesworth live in Devonport Tasmania. Phillip currently works as a Support Worker in the disability service and working towards retirement. Catherine works fulltime for Parks and Wildlife Service and isn’t looking at retirement! Catherine through her work with Parks and Wildlife has and is deployed to assist with emergency incidents as a Logistics Officer. Catherine’s most memorable deployment was in 2024 to Alberta Canada as Logistics Chief to assist with wildfires for 36 days. Budgies, fishing and three grandchildren keep us busy. Matthew has ventured into other interests but gives his dad advice every now and then on budgies.

What sparked your interest in budgerigars and the hobby?

A visit to a breeder’s aviary to get a new budgie resulted in purchasing a few pairs and setting up in a 3×3 metre tin garden shed. A suggestion was made to contact Graham and Marlene Tuthill to see if they had any birds available. The garden shed was not working out, so a small aviary was built, and our hobby started. We exhibit as the Charlesworth Family which is Phillip, Catherine and our son Matthew who was 9 when we started. Although Matthew found other interests, he did gain the position of Panel Judge for Budgerigar Council of Tasmania at the age of 17 and still assists with spotting and has recently suggested he should get some pairs and compete against the “old man” and show him how to breed!

How long have you been in the bird keeping hobby?

Our initial purchases were in 2002, our first representation for the Budgerigar Council of Tasmania (BCT) at National Level was in 2003 in Victoria as Novice exhibitors. That year, our solitary bird in the team was awarded second place in the Normal Greens. Since 2023, the Charlesworth Family have represented BCT at the Nationals and we have attended all but two National Events. We love catching up with friends each year at the Nationals.

Tell us about your breeding season

43 wire breeding cages and we breed from March to early New Year the following year when summer is getting hotter.

What club do you represent on the show bench?

Our club is the Coastal Budgerigar Society based on the North West Coast of Tasmania, one of the three clubs that are in Tasmania, under BCT. We have been actively involved with the club in various committee roles since 2002, we have made many friendships through budgies and the club. We were awarded Life Member of the club in 2023, a great honour. Along with our involvement with our local club, both Phillip and Catherine are actively involved on the Committee of Budgerigar Council of Tasmania. Phillip has over the years held the positions of Vice President, Show Manager and National Bird Carer, while Catherine has been State Secretary for many years and is a BCT Delegate for the ANBC. Catherine was awarded Life Member of the Budgerigar Council of Tasmania in 2024.

What varieties do you keep, and which is your favourite?

Over the years we have breed most varieties apart from Crested. Phillip’s favourite varieties are Opaline and Yellow Faced. Catherine’s is also the Yellow Faced.

What is your favourite moment in the hobby and why?

2007 winning the Opaline class at the ANBC Nationals in South Australia, judged by Mark Bridgeman. On the Saturday we got a 3^rd in the Opaline AOSV, and then Sunday we won the Opaline class. That year we had 13 birds in the BCT team, with 10 birds finishing in the top ten. That same year also saw a Charlesworth Family Spangle Light Green Hen featured on the front cover of the Budgerigar World Magazine, one of the very few Australian birds featured on the front cover. 2007 was a mixed emotional year for our family, winning our first National in May, and sharing the joy with our children and then in October our daughter passed away after an accident on the Tully River in Queensland.

If you could choose one bird room anywhere in the world to visit and spend a day in, which would it be and why?

Phillip would love to go to Harry Hockaday’s aviary in England, a master of breeding great birds. Catherine would go for the holiday!

What bloodlines have you used to influence your stud?

In the early days Graham and Marlene Tuthill’s stud lines were used up until their retirement from the hobby, in 2012 we introduced stud lines from Russell Woods whose lines were based on Rodney Harris from England. More recently we have brought into our stud a line from Craig Barnett and Peter Tyrant (retired).

Who are the top couple of people in the hobby you highly respect and why?

In the early years Graham and Marlene Tuthill assisted with advice and knowledge, Malcolm and Robert Randall have become good friends over the years, along with Trevor Broadbent. Through the hobby we have made many friends around Australia, so much so that when holidaying usually involves at least one if not more aviary visits and catch ups.

What bird do you feel was your best bird and why?

We have three birds that quickly come to mind – firstly, the Normal Opaline Cock that won the Logie at the 2007 Nationals. Our most controversial bird we have entered and went to the Nationals was a Yellow Faced Albino hen that came 5^th in the Albino class. She was a powerful modern budgie, commented by judges that she as the best bird on the bench in the Albino class, but was penalised for being a Yellow Faced. And the last one was a Spangle Cinnamonwing AOSV cock that was 5 months old that got 2^nd place.

What other hobby/s or interests do you have?

Phillip is President of the longest continuous fishing club in Australia, the Ulverstone Anglers Club. He spends many hours ensuring the clubs continuation. Phillip enjoys trout fishing and for the past 30 years watching Carlton not winning a flag. Catherine loves sewing, craft work and jigsaws to relax and is a long-term member of the Essendon Football Club. We have a 1970 GTS HT Monaro that we love to go cruising in especially with other Holden enthusiasts.

What does your aviary setup involve and how have you evolved it over the years as you’ve created new bird rooms?

We started off with an aviary 1.8 mts by 2.4 metres and over the years have added onto our current aviary which is 11.5 metres long by nearly 6 metres wide with windows on the front for air flow. Inside there are 3 large flights and a “baby” flight. The breeding cages and small kitchen area make up the rest of the area. We have for a few years now being talking about raising the height of the ceiling, we inspire to have an aviary similar to Malcolm and Rob Randall’s but timing in regard to breeding and securing a builder has not eventuate as yet, a dream in the making…. Our current aviary is due for a refresh in the breeding /kitchen area which hopefully may happen over the summer months.

What is one staple medication/ preventative medicine you use and what do you use it for?

We use Rob Marshall’s products; we try and keep everything as natural and simple as we can.

What do you feel is the best piece of advice to provide to any beginner starting out in the hobby or fellow hobbyist?

Start out with one or two reputable breeders and work on your stud lines, not rushing to go up the exhibiter ladder.

What do you want to achieve with your budgerigars?

To continue getting birds selected for Nationals representing the Budgerigar Council of Tasmania and working towards our birds being on the top bench. Obviously, we would love to win 7 Nationals and be part of the Hall of Fame!