Passionate poets bring bush tales

Bush poetry is set to grace the region for the third year, with the South West Bush Poets Festival returning to Busselton at the end of the month.

This year’s festival will run from Sunday, April 30, to Saturday, May 6, and will incorporate a long-table lunch, bush poetry workshops as well as performances and workshops at schools throughout the region.

Returning to the festival will be Colin Driscoll, who entertained audiences last year, and who will be joined by fellow bush poets Gary Fogarty and Errol Gray.

Driscoll was awarded the Golden Damper Award at the Tamworth Bush Poetry Competition in 2009, and has been writing and performing his craft for more than 15 years.

Fogarty brings with him another slew of accolades and performances, including at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, while Gray is a bush poet and balladeer from Sawtell, in northern NSW, putting a distinctly Aussie spin on his acoustic performances.

The festival will open with a long-table lunch at Whicher Ridge Wines on April 30, before a mid-week bush poetry workshop and concluding with a bush poets breakfast and the Bush Poets Odyssey night, which will raise money for the Black Dog Ride.

Poets will also share their knowledge with primary and secondary school students in the region with a five-day incursion program.

The incursions are a mix of bush poetry performances and workshops with children of all ages, from May 1-5.

The event is sponsored by the City of Busselton, the South West Development Commission, Whicher Ridge Wines and South West Precision Print.

Bookings for school incursions can be made with Cathy Howard, of South West Odyssey Events, on 0448 531 399 or by email swoevents@westnet.com.au.

To book tickets for the long-table lunch, visit www.whicherridge.com.au, phone 9753 1394 or email wine@whicherridge.com.au.

Tickets for the workshops, breakfast and Bush Poets Odyssey are available from South West Odyssey Events on 9753 1394 or www.stickytickets.com.au.