ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

MGW GETTING BIGGER THAN BEN HUR

The planning of Mary Gilmore Weekend 10-12 August 2012, had humble beginnings but has now appropriately snowballed for the celebration of the birth of a truly remarkable woman born in Roslyn 147 years ago, on 16 August 1865.

Mary’s family sold their Merryvale property when she was very young and moved to Wagga Wagga. However throughout her life she returned to the Goulburn area, her “roots”.

She married William Gilmore in 1897 in Paraguay and their son William was born 15 months later. Subsequently the family returned to Australia. Tragically father and son died within a few months of each other in 1945. Records say Mary returned to Goulburn to grieve.

Most people know of Dame Mary Gilmore through her poetry and stories. However she was also a leading journalist of her time, and a supporter of unions as she saw the need to procure better conditions and pay for workers, not only in the city but in the country where she had witnessed so much poverty. She also worked tirelessly for female equality and the vote for women - Australia was one of the first countries in the world to achieve this.

In 1937, Mary was made a Dame of the British Empire for her literary achievements and her work which improved Australian living standards.


The program for the Mary Gilmore Weekend is:

FRIDAY
10 August 6-8pm Opening Night at Crookwell Art Gallery for Photographic Exhibition and Competition: Images of Yesteryear.

SATURDAY
11 August 9am -12 Lions Market, Scout Hall, Crookwell. Around mid-morning, Australian poetry and music
10am-12 noon Lynam’s Café, Australian poetry and music; Shire history items
Crookwell Heritage Railway Station. Flag-raising by Alby Schultz MP and unveiling of Mary Gilmore Garden Plaque by Upper Lachlan Shire Mayor, John Shaw.
1-4pm Chat-A-Way Café, Australian poetry and music and Shire history.
7pm for 7.30pm Bush Dance at Laggan Memorial Hall, Crooked Corner Band with Leigh Brown calling the dances. Laggan Hotel Bar on site. 180 tickets, $10 p/p, $25 p/family, on sale Crookwell Visitors’ Information Centre from 1 July. Bring a supper plate. The hall will be warm with extra heating units.
SUNDAY
12 August 10-12 Crossroads Café, Australian poetry and music and Shire history items.
3pm Crookwell Art Gallery, photograph prize giving
Wednesday’s Patchwork Group, raffle draw for Heritage Quilt
Goulburn Crookwell Heritage Railway, raffle draw, 1st prize: a model of Crookwell Railway Station handcrafted by Ron Evans; 2nd prize: one tonne firewood.

Stephen Lindsay, a brilliant local composer, has provided two of his songs to use for MGW: Pejar Creek, inspired by a Mary Gilmore poem, and One Million Stars, winner of a prestigious UK Abbey Road award. These will be recorded on CDs, together with Australian poetry and music all performed by Upper Lachlan Shire people. The CD will be available for sale at various venues throughout the weekend.

The Crookwell Library will have a book display featuring Mary Gilmore publications as well as other Australian female authors including Roslyn-born poet Nellie Evans. The Crookwell Historic Archives will feature a display in the Memorial Centre foyer of early days in the Shire.

MGW puts the focus on Australian poetry and music of a number of different genres. The weekend is bound to attract lots of local interest, as well as visitors from outside the Shire, to celebrate the life of Dame Mary Gilmore, the girl from Roslyn, 1865-1962. The organizing committee envisages this to be an on-going annual event. Be there for this Foundation Weekend, and sign the Memorial Book!

Enquiries, call Barry 48321004.

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Campfires, good company and a few beverages under a night sky , it doesnt get any better than that