Hosted by the
Bundaberg Poets’ Society Inc.
1. Under 8 years – Favourite Poem
2. 8 Years to Under 16 Years
3. Novice Traditional
4. Novice Modern
5. Novice Original
6. Open Traditional Women
Open Traditional Men |
7. Open Modern Women
Open Modern Men
8. Open Original Women
Open Original Men
9. Duo Performance
10. Billy Hay Memorial Yarn Spinning
11. One Minute Cup |
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 born in North Queensland to a family of poets and storytellers, continues that tradition in her own unique way. Three times Australian Champion, Australian representative at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Nevada USA, twice winner of the prestigious Golden Damper Award in Tamworth and an Australian Champion Yarn Spinner, Melanie performs and judges at some of the biggest Festivals in the country.
Her first CD, ‘From the Bush to the Beach’ contains her own work, accompanied by poems written by her father, Frank Fayers, and features a cameo performance from her dear friend, Milton Taylor.
Her second CD, ‘Big Words’ is a collection of her original poetry, from the witty, to the thought provoking and emotional. It also includes the wonderful Keith McKenry poem, ‘To Morrow’.
Melanie is travelling full-time and performing across the country and brings her own brand of humour and a love of our Aussie language to the stage. |
 was born into bush poetry when radio was the only alternative to live entertainment. As a shearer who worked in all eastern states and New Zealand, he has been blessed to have been in a workplace where not only opportunity to perform prevailed, but a constant source of story telling material was on hand for subject material for poems.
Since his introduction to the bush poety competition scene has won various titles for performance and has achieved success in written competitions as well as awards for recorded verse. He has produced eight albums of poetry and a book, with a further volume of his written work in the pipeline.
In the years since he took his poetry seriously he has progressed (or degenerated) from "a shearer who does a bit of poetry" to "a poet who shears a few sheep." He also conducts a schools' programme and derives immense pleasure from working with kids. And he reckons that's about as good as it gets. And it is. |
 , Ballarat born and bred, decided to move his family to Bargara, near Bundaberg in 1993. Little did he know that the move to Queensland would also take him on a journey through life that he had never even considered. An ex-Psychiatric Nurse, who had written songs for and played in Heavy Rock bands for many years, moved to Bundaberg with the intention of becoming a freelance journalist. His first few articles went well, although his punctuation (or lack of!) drove the Editor mad, and it was then that Neil joined the Bundaberg Writers Club, and through this club had his first contact with Bush Poetry when he came across the ‘Bundy Mob’ as the Bundaberg Poets’ Society Inc. was known then.
His first poem, ‘Mulligan’s Misses’, became a regular part of some other poet’s repertoires and after seeing it performed, he decided to have a crack at performing himself. His first competition, the Toowoomba Carnival of Poets, saw him make the final with names such as the late Bobby Miller, Frank Daniel, Gary Fogarty, Ray Essery and many others. These poets became great friends and thus the journey began.
After many years of performing, Neil now finds himself organizing and running the Longyard Poets Breakfast in Tamworth, poets breakfasts at Mildura, Colac, etc. and also organizing the Queensland Championships at Ravenswood. A regular at the Gympie Music Muster and many other festivals around the country he now spends two months a years at Charters Towers Tourist Park entertaining the travelers and writing new material. With numerous awards, CD’s and books behind him and an artillery of original poetry Neil returns to where it all started. As part of the organizing committee for the first two Bundy Musters he now returns for the first time since as a judge and performer at the Australian Bush Poetry Championships in Bundaberg in 2010 (July 9th, 10th & 11th).
A real life larrikin, comic poet and one of Australia’s favourite performers, Neil is now branching back into the music field as a performer and songwriter and is looking very much forward to any new challenges thrown his way in the future. |
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| Contact |
Phone |
eMail |
Dean Collins
Sandy Lees
Jayson Russell
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(07) 4159 1705
(07) 4151 4631
0411 360 922
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