ABPA — The Australian Bush Poets Association Inc.

Welcome to the Australian Bush Poets Association

WELCOME. Membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association (ABPA) is comprised of writers, performers and individuals who are interested in bush poetry and enjoy written and live stories in rhyme and metre. If you have an interest in this piece of Australian culture called bush poetry, you have come to the right place.

Aims
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association are to foster and encourage the growth of bush poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian bush poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.

Membership
To join the Australian Bush Poets Association and receive our bi-monthly magazine, go to our Membership page.

The ABPA keeps in touch with its members through this website (and forum) and our bi-monthly magazine of bush poetry news, events, results of written and performance competitions as well as samples of contemporary bush poetry. Many members have books, CDs and other products. These can be advertised in the magazine. For rates, click here. The deadline for ads and other content for the magazine is the 22nd of the month preceding publication. Magazines are published at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and December.

Check out our Facebook page.

Book Launch: Forgotten Heroes and Hellraisers by Jack Drake

The late Jack Drake will have his seventh and final book launched at the Outback Writers Festival in Winton, Queensland at 11 am on Wednesday 25 June. Jack’s widow, Stella, will launch the book with Jeff Close and Greg North during the Tim Borthwick Memorial Session. The book contains 18 articles on fascinating Australians, all in Jack’s easy-to-read, engaging style.

There will also be a launch in Eukey, Queensland on 12th July, 1 pm at the Eukey Hall.

The book is available from Outback Books.

New ABPA Poetry Anthology to be published

The ABPA is looking to collate a new collection (an anthology) of Bush Poetry to be gathered into a publication and celebration of contemporary Australian Poetry.

As such please send no more than 2 poems that you have written that you feel would be suitable for a new anthology.

There is a 60-line word limit to any poems, they must be the author’s original work and received before the deadline of 30 July 2025.

Send submissions to Vice President David Stanley (see contact details here).

A subcommittee will be established to assess each poem for suitability in the anthology, and it is hoped the book will be ready for printing by November 2025.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Cheers, David Stanley.

Mick’s Country Music Hit, Hervey Bay Poets, Stonehouse Festival and EKKA comp.

A poem written by Mick Martin called "Mates at the gate" has been picked up by Ashley Cook and in conjunction with Shaza Leigh it has been made into a song (see the YouTube clip here). That in itself is not so remarkable but what is amazing is that it has shot to the number 1 slot in the traditional country music charts. The song is currently at number 4 in the open country music charts! All poets dream of their words being put to music so this is a bit of a dream come true.

Mick runs Hervey Bay Poets who meet every 4th Saturday of the month at the community centre in Halcro Street, Pialba, starting 9:30 and finishing at midday. The group perform their poetry and discuss all things poetry with lots of laughs and camaraderie over a cuppa and cake (or sometimes damper).

The Stonehouse festival of bush poetry and music is on over the weekend of July 26th and 27th. This is a great little festival with a book writing/publishing workshop included at no cost to attendees. There are lots of walk-up opportunities and a fabulous vibe carries over for the whole weekend. Stonehouse is located near the town of Moore, Qld. Buses run from town all day, the vendors provide great food and drinks. This is a wonderful little festival in the old style!

The RNA EKKA bush poetry virtual competition has once again increased the prize money and the inclusion of Akubra hats coupled to those cash prizes makes it one of the most rewarding competitions in the country. Entries are now open for the “virtual competitions”. These are online competitions with good prize money and a great experience. A lot of people get their kids or grandkids to assist which is a rewarding experience for everyone. Don’t wait, do it now and beat the closing date of July 14th, you won’t regret it. If the process looks a bit daunting, don’t despair. With one phone call everything will be sorted for you. You can call Mick Martin on 0421 514 555 if you can’t find it on the website simply go to your browser and type in “Brisbane Ekka buh poetry competitions”, it will take you straight to it. Keep an eye out for details of the RNA live competitions Brisbane Ekka goes from August 9th till the 17th and competition day is 10th.

Mick Martin, Hervey Bay Poets.

The Man From Snowy River Bush Festival (10th-13th April)

Photos: Overall Performance & Grand Champion-Debby Berryman; Banjo’s Man from Snowy River Recitation: 1st Seamus Foley, 2nd Phil McManus, 3rd Andrew Pulsford; Matilda Women’s Champion: 1st Debby Berryman, 2nd Annette Roberts; Clancy Men’s Champion: 1st John Peel, 2nd David Stanley.

THE VICTORIAN BUSH POETRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

For 3 decades now, tucked away in the shadow of the Snowy Mountains, “The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival” has brought together people from all over the country to celebrate our Australian Bush Heritage, culture and mateship. The festival has crafted the essence of our bush heritage into a weekend of entertainment that showcases the best in horsemanship, craft, art, poetry, music food and more.

2025 marked a milestone 30th Anniversary for the event featuring “The Man from Snowy River Challenge”, a Rodeo, Bullock Teams, Working Cattle Dogs, Markets, Talent Quests and a range of other activities.

Of course, the “Jewel in the Crown” of this magni!cent event was the 2025 Victorian Bush Poetry Championships held for the second consecutive year in the Lions Youth Hall and accompanying space of ‘Banjo’s Block’. From the early morning “Poet’s Breakfasts” (3 in all) hosted by “The Rhymer from Ryde” and his sidekick Matthew Hollis, through 2 full days of Competition sections and into the nights (spent huddling around the campfire listening to the sessions and songs run by Kevin McCarthy and Simon Dillon) the camaraderie flowed freely as did the poems, balderdash and bull#hit!

Christine Middleton (harpist extra-ordinaire) added to the diversity of the entertainment on offer as did Gregory North and Geoffrey W. Graham (our “Featured Poets” for the weekend) who performed ‘Solo Spots’ and “Featured Artists” concerts alongside Tim Sheed and The Rhymer from Ryde. Tim and Greg, as well as Jenny Markwell, Christine, Maurie Foun & G.W.G also assisted “The Rhymer” in completing the arduous and challenging job of judging across the various competition sections (including the Written section pre-judged before the festival). Mick Coventry (Head Collator) and David Taggart once again put in ‘the hard yards’ tabulating all the competition scores.

Stephen Whiteside also conducted a “Book Launch” for his new tome “Snow, Fire and Gold” about “Spargo’s Hut”, an abandoned hut near Mt. Hotham in Victoria’s ‘High Country’.

But it was the Performance Competition sections that really brought the weekend to life. With $8000 worth of prizemoney & trophies on offer including 3 new $1000 prizes for the Overall Written, Overall Performance and Overall Grand Champion (a combination of the Written and Performance scores) the assembled poets versifed their way through Traditional, Modern and Original recitations of the highest quality. Yarnspinners got a look in too as well as the Novices and “One Minute Poetry Cup” artists.

The Overall Written Champion was David Judge. The Overall Performance Champion was Debby Berryman and the Overall Grand Champion Trophy was also presented to Debby Berryman.

The “Assistant Poetry Events Manager and Senior Judge” “The Rhymer from Ryde” would also like to extend his many thanks to the huge troupe of volunteers who worked tirelessly ‘around the grounds’ during the course of the event and without whose help the Bush Poetry component of the festival simply wouldn’t be possible. Cheers to ‘one and all’ and ‘Thank You!’

See full results here

Past Magazines now online

The historic magazines of the ABPA from its inception in 1994 are now available here. See how we used to look!