Amity a delight on many stages | Gladstone News | Local News in Gladstone

AMITY Brand delights in music and her burgeoning acting career, whether it be on Channel 10's Outback8, on stage with zany British comedians from the smash-hit Little Britain, working with Australia Zoo's Bindi Irwin or simply singing Christmas carols with friends at home.

And it was on a makeshift stage at the Rosedale Memorial Hall where Amity was delighting the small crowd with friend Stella Hutchins at the local Queensland Country Women's Association Christmas party.

Amity and her cousins share a love of music and horses and her Auntie Adrie Brand is half of the rockabilly duo The Dirt Road Cowgirls who are about to launch their new CD at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.

And it was Adrie who got Amity along to sing Christmas carols at Rosedale, “because I can't sing Christmas carols”.

Thirteen-year-old Amity has been playing and studying violin ever since she was a tyke and combined with her outgoing and adventurous nature and horse-riding skills made her a shoo-in when friends from her pony club suggested she audition for the Outback8 TV series.

Four children from Britain and four from Australia were chosen for what Ten termed an “observational documentary” and 13 episodes of the hit kids show Outback8 was filmed over a month at Longreach last May.

Amity's mum Wendy Brand said they just had fun filling in the application forms and travelled to Brisbane for auditions where Amity wowed them.

“She loved it and made some good friends too,” said Wendy.

“We get phone calls from Britain in the middle of the night and it's Amity's friends keeping in touch.”

Amity loved the experience, but this young lady has her feet firmly in the stirrups, concentrating on her violin and schoolwork rather than daydreaming of a career on the stage and screen.

“It was fantastic, I never thought I could do something like that (Outback8),” Amity said.

“The whole time they were throwing challenges at us and it was really good.

“I haven't really decided what I want to do, but it would be nice to play (violin) in an orchestra one day.”

Meanwhile Amity is happy practising her musical and horse-riding skills and even a few Christmas carols.