FOR close to 50 years Johnny Munro has been massaging, stretching and soothing thousands of tired, broken and injured bodies, from pensioners to dancers and elite sporting types.
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From the back of his house at Mulbring in the Hunter Valley, the 75-year-old treats a steady stream of people in search of his special skills. Not bad for a man who started as a strapper for rugby league clubs, then worked on injured greyhounds.
He has had no formal training, relying on books and commonsense.
Between 100 and 150 people a week come knocking, many of them without appointments. And he still treats dozens of dogs a month.
Mr Munro never turns a person away and he doesn't charge. People can leave money, in a tin can, which he drops off at Maitland Hospital or the Hunter's rescue helicopter service. The elderly visit his room, covered in memorabilia of his more famous patients, for help after knee or hip surgery, even for arthritis.
Amateur sports folk turn up for his healing touch and words of advice amid an array of ultra-sound machines, electric massagers, lotions and bandages.
Then there are the big names. He even trained dogs for underworld figure George Freeman for a time.
Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has sought out Mr Munro's soothing hands. World superbike champion Casey Stoner, as a child, did the same.
So did rugby league brothers Andrew and Matthew Johns and fellow footballers Paul Harragon and Timana Tahu.
World champion axeman David Foster had work done on his shoulder and Motocross champion Chad Reed, Australia's third-highest sports earner, ducks in for a chat and a rub. Olympic runner Tamsyn Lewis also has seen Mr Munro.
Sydney knee surgeon Leo Pinczewski, whose patients have seen Mr Munro, said he ''somehow or other has the ability to get them up and going again.''
When The Sun-Herald visited Mr Munro, he had a room full. Among them Amy Thomas, who hurt her knee playing touch footy at the state championships and was on crutches just days after surgery. ''Everybody up here has heard of Johnny Munro,'' she said. ''He's the one we all come to.''
Jacarna Bain-Fenton, 16, of Abermain, is a state 400-metre running champion, also with a sore knee. ''She'll be an absolute champion one day,'' Mr Munro said as he gently turned and twisted her joint.
Raised on a Bankstown dairy farm, Mr Munro grew up around greyhounds. His father and grandfather were trainers. His wife Barbara also trained dogs and harness racers.
''I like people, I like talking to people. I just want to do my bit.''
