Ron and his wife Clo moved from Sydney to Dubbo in 1994. He was born at Richmond NSW in 1926 and joined the RAAF on his 18th birthday in 1944, subsequently transferring to the RAN in 1946, where he remained until 1974. His RAN service began on the lower deck, working his way through the ranks to chief petty officer, before gaining a commission. He was promoted to Commander four years before his retirement.
Deciding to broaden his education, Ron undertook studies at Macquarie University, where he gained a BA in 1979, majoring in English Literature. He also indulged his interest in Australian History. Such interests led to his joining writing groups such as The Fellowship of Australian Writers and the Youngstreet Poets in Sydney. He became a Life Member of Youngstreet. In the FAW he was awarded a Writing Fellowship and Hon. Life Membership of the NSW State Council, after years of conducting writing workshops for members and other groups. During this time Ron competed (almost compulsively) in a wide range of literary competitions, winning many prose and poetry awards. In 1988 he won eight first prizes in bicentennial competitions throughout all states. Among these he particularly treasured the Botany Bay Bicentennial Award, which was judged by A.D.Hope.
This was one of a group of poems on Australian history which in manuscript form won equal first prize in The Jessie Litchfield Award for Literature and was subsequently published as Ron's first collection A Touch of History in 1991. He has since published three more collections. Over the years Ron has collected many poetry first prizes including a Bronze Swagman, two NT Government Red Earth Open Poetry, three Gilgandra Cooee March, two Tamworth Blackened Billy,a Grenfell Henry Lawson trophy, Clarissa Stein Multicultural Award, two Longreach Henry Lawson, two Banjo Paterson (Orange), a Max Harris Award, five Gulgong Henry Lawson written and three Gulgong Leonard Teale Performance Awards. He treasures these and many other minor awards.
Ron is a formation member of The Australian Bush Poets Association. Although he has written in many styles of verse, he gains most satisfaction from completing a traditionally rhymed poem. Although Bush Poetry is too often dismissed by academics, he feels its increasing popularity and the high standards reached by many current practitioners is testament to its value as a recorder of present-day concerns and attitudes; also to maintain the pioneer tradition of the old masters.
One of two vice-presidents of the Outback Writers' Centre Dubbo (Ellis Cambell, the other) Ron is pleased to be able to pass on his knowledge and experience to novice writers and those isolated by distance. He is often called upon as a judge and to conduct workshops.
Ron Stevens' poem Westerly
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