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It is with sadness that we announce the passing of ABPA members.

Respected ABPA bush poet Lynden Baxter from Monto Queensland passed away in Bundaberg on 23rd June.
Lynden was the 2016 Clancy's Choice overall male winner at the Man From Snowy River Festival in Corryong Victoria on his first visit to that festival. He was also 2015 Queensland Male Bush Poetry Performance Champion at the Bundy Muster, and is in fact still the holder of that title. He and his faithful dog Dusty were well known to many.
North Pine Bush Poets member John Best wrote, "Lynden was a great bloke, wonderful writer and performer and will be sadly missed by all who were lucky enough to meet him."
He will be sorely missed and our sympathy is with his family.
A graveside service was held on Saturday 1st July at the Monto Cemetery.

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It is with great sadness that we report the sudden and unexpected death of one of our long-time stalwarts, John Major. John shared his love for bush poetry with adults and children throughout Australia for many years. The Aussie Bush Poetry community is poorer for his loss and our sincere sympathy goes to his family at this sad time.
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Australian Bush Poetry Champions Roll of Honour

Year	Male	Female	Written	Location
1995*	Gary Fogarty¹	Glenny Palmer²		Winton Queensland
1997	Mark Kleinschmidt	Helen Avery		Winton Queensland
1998	Milton Taylor	Zita Horton		Winton Queensland
1999	Guy McLean	Janine Haig	Neil Hulm, Jennifer Haig	Mulwala New South Wales
2000	Guy McLean	Janine Haig	Grahame Watt, Chris Webster	Mulwala New South Wales
2001	Milton Taylor	Carmel Dunn		Winton Queensland
2002	Milton Taylor	Maxine Ireland	Ken Dean, Hope Galvin	Mulwala New South Wales
2003	Noel Stallard	Kerry Lee	Merv Webster	Mulwala New South Wales
2004	Milton Taylor	Melanie Hall	Keith Lethbridge	Perth Western Australia
2005	Ron Liekefett	Melanie Hall		Charters Towers Queensland
2006	Milton Taylor	Melanie Hall	Max Merckenschlager	Charters Towers Queensland
2007	Terry Regan	Carol Heuchan	Max Merckenschlager	Dunedoo New South Wales
2008	Gregory North	Carol Heuchan	Graham Fredriksen	Lawnton/North Pine Queensland
2009	Gregory North	Susan Carcary	Max Merckenschlager	Lawnton/North Pine Queensland
2010	Gregory North	Jan Facey	Kym Eitel	Bundaberg Queensland
2011	(No performance competition)		Kym Eitel	Morisset New South Wales
2012	Peter Mace	Robyn Sykes	Brenda Joy	Corryong Victoria
2015	Roderick Williams	Rhonda Tallnash	Tom McIlveen	Corryong Victoria
2017	Keith Lethbridge	Sue Pearce	Will Moody	Toodyay Western Australia

*The inaugural bush poetry championships were run in a rather unique manner.
  The four competition categories were: Open Humorous, Open Serious, Open A B Paterson, Open Women's.
¹ Gary Fogarty was awarded Australian Bush Poetry Champion (competing against both men and women)
  as well as Australian A B Paterson Champion.
² Glenny Palmer was awarded Australian Women's Bush Poetry Champion.
 

  

ABPA Executive Roll of Honour