# Matt Flinders

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matt_Flinders
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matt_Flinders.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Flinders
> Source revision: 1320466343
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Matt Flinders** (born **Sylvan Louis Bonett** c. 1937, [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria), Egypt) is a former singer and TV presenter who rose to prominence in the late 1960s in Australia. He had top 5 hit singles with his cover versions of "Picking Up Pebbles" (1969) and "[Butterfly](/source/Butterfly_(Danyel_G%C3%A9rard_song))" (1971). He hosted his own variety shows, *The Matt Flinders Show* (1972) and *Matt Flinders and Friends* (1973) on [ABC-TV](/source/ABC_(Australian_TV_channel)).

## Biography

Flinders was born c. 1937 as Sylvan Louis Bonett in [Egypt](/source/Egypt) of mixed (French, English, Italian) descent.[1][2] With his parents and siblings he moved to the United Kingdom in 1950, then to Australia in 1951. Bonett undertook [national service](/source/National_service) with the [Royal Australian Air Force](/source/Royal_Australian_Air_Force) at [Point Cook, Victoria](/source/Point_Cook,_Victoria) in the mid-1950s. He then began singing and playing guitar in Melbourne under the name, **Louis Bonett**.[2] He played [double bass](/source/Double_bass) with musical groups, which toured Japan and Australia. In the early 1960s he returned to England, formed another musical group, which included [Ted Nettelbeck](/source/Ted_Nettelbeck) on piano,[3] and worked in London for four years.

When Flinders returned to Australia in the mid-1960s, he led the house band, as well as singing and playing double bass, at the [Chevron Hotel](/source/Chevron_Renaissance), Melbourne. During that time he sang ads for Australian radio and TV. These came to the attention of [Ron Tudor](/source/Ron_Tudor) of [Astor Records](/source/Astor_Records), who signed Flinders to a recording contract. Tudor suggested a name change so that [DJs](/source/Disc_jockey) would remember and pronounce it correctly – he chose Matt Flinders for the explorer of a [similar name](/source/Matthew_Flinders).[1][2]

Flinders' first recording for Astor was a cover version of [Herman's Hermits'](/source/Herman's_Hermits) track "[Something Is Happening](/source/Something's_Happening_(Herman's_Hermits_song))".[4] His second single, "Picking Up Pebbles", was a cover version of a 1968 track by UK artist Johnny Curtis (a.k.a. Bobby Kerr), which was released by Flinders in late 1969.[1][5][6] It peaked at No. 4 on the *[Go-Set](/source/Go-Set)* National Top 40 singles chart.[7]

Flinders' later recorded material appeared on Tudor's own label, Fable Records. He had another No. 4 hit with his version of [Danyel Gérard](/source/Danyel_G%C3%A9rard)'s "[Butterfly](/source/Butterfly_(Danyel_G%C3%A9rard_song))" (late 1971).[8] Gérard's own version of "Butterfly" reached No. 11 on the same chart.[9] Late in 1972 he issued another single, "You", which was written by Flinders and reached the top 40.[10][11]

Flinders began working as a presenter for [Australian Broadcasting Corporation](/source/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation) to present shows on both radio and TV. His TV variety shows were *The Matt Flinders Show*, with 13 weekly episodes from June 1972,[2] and *Matt Flinders and Friends* in 1973.[12] One year his television program won an award.[13]

### Personal life

After Matt Flinders retired from the entertainment industry he worked as a [civil celebrant](/source/Civil_celebrant) (as Sylvan Bonett) with his wife, Coralie, in Adelaide.

Three of Flinders' brothers also had musical careers. Arnold Lloyd Bonett (c. 1930–2016),[14] the eldest, performed as an operatic bass baritone at the [National Theatre, Melbourne](/source/National_Theatre,_Melbourne) and for the ABC – he received an award from the Italian Opera Festival Organisation in 1961; before he made a career change to the corporate world. Roland Bonett (c. 1934–2002)[14] was a popular performer and dance band leader in Melbourne.

In 1965 the youngest brother, Christian ("Chris") Bonett, was recruited in Sydney by [Dave Guard](/source/Dave_Guard) (who had left a US singing group, [the Kingston Trio](/source/The_Kingston_Trio), in 1961).[15] Chris also appeared on Guard's national TV series, *[Dave's Place](/source/Dave's_Place)* (mid-1965) for ABC in the house band on electric bass guitar and vocals with Guard on vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo and tambourine and Len Young on drums; they were joined by alternate female lead vocalists: Frances Stone, Kerrilee Male or Norma Shirlee Stoneman.[15][16] He worked for two decades as a singer and bass guitarist with rock and pop bands in Australia, UK and US.[15] He worked at Club Med resorts in France, Switzerland and the Caribbean. Chris was later a computer programmer for a farm cooperative in [Kansas City, Missouri](/source/Kansas_City,_Missouri).[15]

## Discography

### Albums

- *The Matt Flinders Album* (1971) – Fable Records (FBSA-101)[17]
- *Matt Flinders on TV* (by Matt Flinders and Friends) (1972) – Fable Records (FBSA-020)[17][18]

### Singles

- "[Something Is Happening](/source/Something's_Happening_(Herman's_Hermits_song))" (by Matt Flinders with orchestra) (1969) – [Astor Records](/source/Astor_Records) (A-7132)[19]
- "Picking Up Pebbles" (late 1969) – Astor Records (A-7150)[19] [AUS](/source/Go-Set#Go-Set_Australian_National_Charts): No. 4[7] [NZ](/source/New_Zealand_Listener): No. 20 [20]
- "Where Has all the Love Gone?" (early 1970) – Astor Records (A-7163)[19] AUS: No. 35[21]
- "All of a Sudden" (late 1970) – Fable Records (FB-032)[17] AUS: No. 37[22]
- "[How Great Thou Art](/source/How_Great_Thou_Art)" (mid-1971) – AUS: No. 60[23]
- "[Butterfly](/source/Butterfly_(Danyel_G%C3%A9rard_song))" (late 1971) – Fable Records (FB-077)[17] AUS: No. 4[8]
- "You" (late 1972) – AUS: No. 39[10]

## References

1. ["Picking Up Pebbles"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature.php?id=531). *Where Did They Get That Song?*. PopArchives (Lyn Nuttall). Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Musgrove, Nan (28 June 1972). ["Two Centuries Later, Another Matt Flinders"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47227957). *[The Australian Women's Weekly](/source/The_Australian_Women's_Weekly)*. Vol. 40, no. 4. p. 25. Retrieved 8 December 2017. – via [National Library of Australia](/source/National_Library_of_Australia) Note: includes a colour photo of Flinders with regular guest, Mary Jane Boyd. Last name spelled as Bonnet.

1. Sylvan Elhay. ["Ted Nettelbeck: He Tested Positive for Jazz"](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58bf64e6c534a5e3ac61401d/t/61ce2aad63b5977a0fc8ab2a/1640901297833/elhayschmoetednettelbeck.pdf). Retrieved 9 November 2023.

1. ["'Something Is Happening' at APRA search engine"](http://apraamcos.com.au/search?searchtype=works&keywords=something+is+happening). [Australasian Performing Right Association](/source/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association) (APRA). Retrieved 8 December 2017. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (11 October 1969). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1969/19691011.html). *[Go-Set](/source/Go-Set)*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. ["Matt Flinders – Picking up Pebbles"](http://www.mattflinders.ycn.com.au/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20051225015208/http://www.mattflinders.ycn.com.au/) 25 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 December 2007.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (10 January 1970). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1970/19700110.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (15 January 1972). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1972/19720115.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (4 December 1971). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19711204.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (23 September 1972). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1972/19720923.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

1. ["'You' at APRA search engine"](http://apraamcos.com.au/search?searchtype=works&keywords=you). [Australasian Performing Right Association](/source/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association) (APRA). Retrieved 9 December 2017. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' or 'Performer:'

1. ["Films for the Week"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102027144). *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)*. Vol. 46, no. 13,154. 19 June 1972. p. 13. Retrieved 8 December 2017. – via National Library of Australia.

1. ["Matt Flinders"](http://www.mattflinders.ycn.com.au/). Matt Flinders Official Website. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20051225015208/http://www.mattflinders.ycn.com.au/) 25 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 December 2007.

1. ["The Ryerson Index"](http://ryersonindex.net/search.php). [Ryerson Index Inc](/source/Ryerson_Index). Retrieved 8 December 2017.. Note: User must add 'Bonett' into the Surname search parameter

1. Bradshaw, Ken. ["The Dave's Place Group"](http://www.lazyka.com/linernotes/DavesPlace/RFDP3-thegroup.htm). *LazyKa.com*. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

1. J. H. (20 July 1965). ["Leisure TV Drama Music Art Books Radio The Arts: Good for Ohio, Better for Australia"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105761742). *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)*. Vol. 39, no. 11,212. p. 9. Retrieved 9 December 2017. – via National Library of Australia.

1. Kimball, Duncan (2002). ["Record Labels – Fable Records"](http://www.milesago.com/Industry/fable-2.html). Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. [Archived](https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080306130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20080307-0002/www.milesago.com/Industry/fable-2.html) 6 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Dennis W. Nicholson (ed.). ["Matt Flinders and Friends"](http://www.tvmem.com/OZST/tv/A-Z/M/MATTFLIN/MATTFLIN.html). Australian Soundtracks. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100507142557/http://www.tvmem.com/OZST/tv/A-Z/M/MATTFLIN/MATTFLIN.html) 7 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. Kimball, Duncan (2002). ["Record Labels – Astor Records"](http://www.milesago.com/Industry/astor-2.html). Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions. [Archived](https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080306130200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20080307-0002/www.milesago.com/Industry/astor-2.html) 6 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 December 2017.

1. [https://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=778#n_view_location](https://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=778#n_view_location) search Listener

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (18 April 1970). ["National Top 40"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1970/19700418.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (16 January 1971). ["National Top 60"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19710116.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

1. Nimmervoll, Ed (3 July 1971). ["National Top 60"](http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19710703.html). *Go-Set*. Waverley Press. Retrieved 9 December 2017.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matt Flinders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Flinders) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Flinders?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.