Tamworth Country Music Festival

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I arrived in Tamworth at my friend Pip's place, about a 4 hour drive west from Bellingen. The transition from the green pastures of the coast to the drought stricken paddocks as I headed to Tamworth was quite remarkable.

Trisha from Brisbane arrived about an hour after me and then she dashed off to one of her engagements as she's a mover and a shaker in the bush poetry world.

It was a week packed with bush poetry, country music, balladeers and catching up with friends from years ago. Memories of a memorable 1995 bush poetry tour to outback Queensland, east of Longreach and Winton and particularly Elab Station where we stayed a few days and were treated to tours of the thousands of hectare property and enjoyed barbqs and music under the clear night sky and twinkling of the Southern Cross.

Pip was involved in judging one of the bush poetry championship heats and Trish compered another session. I sat back and enjoyed it all!

Other sessions attended included several afternoons listening to Wallace and Matilda (they had a number one hit years back with "Clancy of the Overflow". We helped with door takings and W&M, alias John and Colin kindly treated us to dinner (see pic).

We enjoyed a concert with Pete Blundell, bush poet dad to James Blundell, celebrated country music singer. Hope to catch up with Pete again when travelling through Queensland. He lives on a property near Stanthorpe.

Trish booked us tickets to attend Mark Tempany and Alison Hams Chapel Concert and their guest vocalist, Peter Platt, was an extra treat.

Welcome rain arrived twice during the week. It was amazing what a difference it made in such a short space of time. Tamworth residents are not allowed to use waterhoses in their gardens at all and will be prosecuted if they do. Buckets are the thing and Pip lugs up to 60 water buckets every day to keep at least some of her shrubs and trees alive. Water used while showering is saved (standing in a bucket) and put on the garden. Finally, the council is directing residents to install water tanks to store water from rainfall. In years gone by they were not allowed to have them for aesthetic reasons and probably to ensure they purchased mains water.

I enjoyed the trip out to a friend of Pip's horse stud and admired meeting several of the thoroughbred mares and foals.

Back to Sydney now for a couple of weeks and then I'm off to Melbourne to meet up with friends from my 1960's days in mining town, Mount Isa, North West Queensland.

Another journal in a few weeks!

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Photos

Three hot country music gals
Trisha (Brisbane), Linda (campervan), Pip (Tamworth)

Comments

[Trisha]

What a fun week !!!- thanks Linda and Pip xx
Dear Linda - great to "read" all your news - what fun it all was - did we REALLY do all that - AND more !! - talk soon - T x

[fi]

Hello
Another travelblog to brighten my day.... you sound as if you are having the time of your life. We will be in Sydney 25th to 28th June then travelling up to Brisbane. We fly out of Sydney on 10th July. Hope to catch up with you then. Looking forward to a trip in the campervan with you and Kezzie. Love Fi

[Erica]

Wow
You look fabulous! Home is certainly agreeing with you. Look forward to hearing about your swinging 60s friends. Take care x E

[Lisa]

Hi
Dear Linda - v entertaining reading your blogs! You mentioned Stanthorpe which brought back memories of 'fun' times tomato picking!!! Everything great this end - will drop you a line! All the best, Lisa XXX