Mel Doyle's bootlegging great-granny: 'Wow, what a woman'

The Kiwi matriarch was just one interesting relative the respected television journalist discovered when she agreed to open the archives on her family history and be part of the latest SBS-TV series, Who Do You Think You Are?

And it's kind of nice that the very professional, very discreet and very proper Doyle has at least one rogue branch on the family tree in the form of her law-breaking great-granny. But, as it turns out, that ancestor may have been more meaningful than all the rest.

"I was very intrigued," Doyle said, of the invitation to join the show.

"I think I've spent my whole career telling everyone else's stories and there was an opportunity to find out a little bit more of my own. So, that was fascinating to me.

"To be able to have the expertise of researchers and producers and take a deep dive into my family's history and see documents and photographs that I wouldn't be able to get on own.

"I had a moment of nerves. I'm not always comfortable when it's turned on me and it's about me. I did have a little moment of hesitation, 'How do I feel about this?'. But it was really, really interesting and I learnt so much that I wouldn't have known otherwise."

Doyle, who started her media career at WIN-TV in Canberra and even married "a good Canberra boy" (John Doyle) has not been on television regularly since 2020 when she left Channel 7 after 25 years.

But the popular presenter on Sunrise and, later, Sunday Night, never seemed to leave the public consciousness, an instantly recognisable and likeable figure on the media landscape.

Doyles' children are now adults - Nick, 23, is a rower and studying psychology in the United States and Talia, 20, is studying design in Sydney.

Doyle, in recent years, has focused on writing (four books so far), travelling (her Instagram feed is full of beautiful locations), hosting corporate gigs and being an ambassador for World Vision.

Doyle says she is a person always looking for something new to do or try.

"I remain forever curious," she said.

Doyle is also on the board of the GWS Giants and travels regularly to Canberra for their games. She even planted a tree at the National Arboretum last year, joining other notable Australians given the same honour.

"Canberra will absolutely always hold a really special place in my heart," she said.

"I moved there straight out of uni, it was my first job and I lived there for about five years and, yeah, met John. I love going back and seeing the changes and new restaurants popping up and new areas popping up and how it's evolved."

Who Do You Think You Are?, the Australian version, first aired in 2007.

The 14^th series is now airing on SBS and some of the other celebrities joining Doyle this season in discovering their family history include author Kathy Lette, journalist and TV presenter Heather Ewart and tennis champ Pat Rafter.

Doyle, whose episode goes to air on Tuesday June 11, discovered she was from very pioneering stock during her time on the show.

Among her notable forebears was an early colonial hero who designed and built a new water supply system for Sydney, at a time of dire need, and a "three-times great-grandfather" who was integral to the establishment of the wine industry in the Hunter Valley.

"My great-grandfather was a Kelman so he was integral to starting the way that we grow grapes, and developed the wine industry in the Hunter Valley. Into the family married some Tyrrells and his father-in-law was a Busby so there's Busby wine awards and so on," she said.

"So there's lots of connections to the wine industry and that was pretty exciting."

Does she drink a different wine now in honour of the family connections?

"No, it's just explaining why I like it so much," she said, with a laugh.

"It's like, 'It's in my blood, it's okay'."

As part of the show, Doyle even visited the bore that her ancestor built, which bears his name, in the grounds of Victoria Barracks in Sydney.

"That was actually really incredible when I heard that story," she said.

"The way they do it on the program is that they don't tell you everything upfront, it sort of unfolds.

"So I learnt a little bit about my very first ancestors to come to Australia on my dad's side and then what he did, which was basically being tasked with saving Sydney's water supply."

It was "overwhelming" to hear some of the stories.

"There was definitely a sense of pride when I learned what my ancestors, on both sides, had done," she said.

"And there's something really special for any family to know that's the stock you came from. That they were trailblazers, innovators, strong people doing incredible things. So, yeah, definitely incredible pride."

Now, what about this black-market granny from her past, who lived across the ditch in New Zealand?

"Oh my god, she's my favourite," Doyle said, relishing the tale.

"Annie, she was living on the north island, freezing cold, in the middle of winter, living in an area where they were building the railway line.

"Times are tough and she needed to support all her children, so started making moonshine and selling it out of a lolly shop. And had a roaring trade. And, of course, got busted because you're not meant to be a bootlegger.

"I think the rebel in me, first of all thought, 'Yeah, go Annie!' Major respect - clearly supply and demand.

"But, yeah, it shone a light on how tough it was, how hard conditions were, how people lived. Throw in freezing cold and multiple children and trying to feed a family. Part of me was, 'You rock', [what a] rebellious thing to do.

"But, also, wow what a woman. What survival instincts kick in when you have a family and that's what you've got to do make ends meet and make sure they're all fed.

"I'm a mum, I'd do anything for my kids, so knowing that instinct runs through all of us, was really fascinating to learn."

Doyle, 54, said she also learnt more about herself through the process.

"I think it painted a picture of all the people and the circumstances and the adventures and the stories that shaped all of them that has ultimately led to me becoming who I am," she said.

"I think that was just a really unique experience. I like to think I'm relatively tough and strong and just get on with things. I'm not someone to sit there and think, 'Woe is me'. If there's something in front of me that needs to be dealt with, I'll deal with it.

"And when I look back on the generations, that seems to be quite a theme. Especially of living in rural communities, through hardship - 'Alright, this is where we're at and what we're facing, what are we going to do about it?'

"It kind of completes the circle, I guess. You realise you have so much to be thankful for, to your ancestors, for toughening me up. I'm really proud I can pass that down to my kids."

Maybe not pass down everything.

"I haven't ever sold moonshine - but you never know!" Doyle said, laughing.