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Published: January 24th 2007
Every year over 1,000 eager creative, visual and performing arts people from age six to 86 converge on Bellingen (usual population 2,750) on the mid North Coast of New South Wales to be part of Camp Creative, with courses from circus skills to music to writing. This year it included me, enrolled in 5 days of writing Life Stories, to inspire me to use material I've been carrying in my head and not yet on paper. There were 53 classes available, held mostly in the Bellingen High School and also in any available hall or venue in town.
I travelled up the Pacific Highway from Sydney via Buledelah and Taree where I camped one night in my Toyota Hiace campervan by the Dawson River. In the morning I jogged around the local streets in neighbouring Cundletown.
The 547 kms from Sydney took me about 8 hours of leisurely driving, arriving in Bellingen on Monday afternoon when it was time to register my arrival at the High School. That evening was the welcome dinner in the school's auditorium, which gave me the opportunity to meet some fellow students.
Bellingen has to be high on my list of ideal places
to live. Apart from the splendid scenery, with green rolling valleys, tree-clad mountains, and beautiful Bellinger river, it has a strong community spirit, an abundence of interesting locals, including renowned international pianist, David Helfgoff, who was generous enough to plant a big kiss on my cheek at Friday's street party. He was the subject of the film "Shine" starring Geoffrey Rush.
Events like this (not my kiss - the street party!) are part of this lively community with a range of performance artists, painters, sculptors and craftspeople. Many alternative communities live in the area, enjoying sustainable living on their acreage. There's a diversity of arts, crafts and local produce at the monthly markets held in the Magnificent Magpies football oval.
As you can see in the photos, it is beautifully green from plenty of rain, unlike the more inland areas which have been suffering from severe drought conditions.
I camped in the Showground and could hear the refrain of singing, recorder practice, flautists, guitar and general hum of creative activity after the day's class. My writing sessions were a bit more silent but I was amazed at how the stories just poured out. The caravan park amidst
the bat colony had been closed down by the council at the end of last year as campers complained of the smell and thousands of flying creatures descending on them at twilight.
It was great meeting so many aspiring writers in our class, with 13 women and 4 men writing up and reading out snippets of their lives. Similar to being in a play or concert together, we shared highs and lows through our stories. Topics such as being a European migrant living in a hostel in the 60's, saving a country town from chemical spraying, an altercation with a town planner, sibling rivalry and being crew on a sailing trip from England to Australia as a re-enactment of the first fleet's voyage.
After class many people (including me) assembled under the shady trees to enjoy a glass or two and chat about the day's progress.
A big plus is that houses are half the price of those in Sydney. Pity it is a good 8 hours drive from Sydney but I think I'll be back, after all there are 52 other courses to try!
Cheers,
Linda
checkout and come to:
http://www.campcreative.com.au
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Kay
non-member comment
Lucky you
Hi Linda, Marvellous that you met the famous pianist and did all that creative stuff. When did you buy the Toyota Hiace and how much did it cost? I hear they're one of the best makes of campervan. I hesitate to open your blogs in case I get an uncontrollable urge to escape. But they're a great antidote to English weather (snow last night). Keep 'em coming! Kay xxx