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.
New National Champion - Debby Berryman
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ABPA National Championships Runner-up John Peel and Champion Debby Berryman.
The ABPA National Bush Poetry Championships were held in Bathurst, NSW from 6-9 November.
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ABPA President Tim Sheed with Junior Champion Cameron Lewis.
National Championships place-getters.
Full results here.
Poetry Performance Workshop viewable online
On Sunday 17 August the ABPA hosted a poetry performance workshop with Mel and Susie (2/3 of the judges for the 2025 National
Bush Poetry Championships). The workshop was recorded and can be viewed on the
Multimedia page.
Book Launch: A Sense of Place by David Judge
With an eventful, fulfilling and at times turbulent 70+ years behind me, I have accumulated a vast and diverse range of knowledge,
skills and experiences to call upon for poetic expression. I’m not sure what prompted me to start writing poetry so late in life,
however, it has given me an enduring sense of place and purpose and a fulfilling outlet for artistic creativity. Australian rhyming
verse has a rich and vibrant historical affinity with our national identity and seemed to be the most natural way for me to connect
with the past in a way that is structured, logical and easy for most people to understand.
We were nomads of the inland as we moved from place to place where I went to many schools and where I loved the open space and
although it didn’t seem it was important at the time I am recollecting all those years with stories told in rhyme.
www.davidjudge.au
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.
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!
See previously featured poets.
See previously featured achievers.
Anthology On Sale
Anthology of ABPA poets past and present is now on sale $28
posted (within Australia).
A who’s who of modern bush poetry.
62 poets, 192 pages.
More information here (pdf).
On This Site
Membership Information
Forms and direct deposit information.
Forum
Take part in our online forum.
Multimedia
See and hear some of our modern Bush Poets.
Yarn Spinning
Poets often tell yarns too.
Read some great Aussie yarns.
Regular Events
You’ll find regular poetry gatherings around the country.
Featured Poets
Meet a poet or two.
Member Achievements
Read about what some of our members have achieved.
Roll of Honour
Australian Bush Poetry Champions and ABPA executive members.
Past Magazines
Past issues of the ABPA Magazine since 1994.
Magazine Advertising Rates
Disclaimer
Privacy Policy
2025 ABPA Committee
- ABPA Committee Executive
President — Tim Sheed
Vice President — David Stanley
Secretary — Meg Gordon
Treasurer — Christine Middleton - Committee Members
Tom McILveen
Manfred Vijars
- ABPA State Delegates
NSW — Tom McILveen
Victoria — Jan Lewis
Queensland — Peter Frazer
- Magazine Editor — Neil McArthur
Public Officer — Gregory North
Facebook Editor — Jan Lewis
Webmaster — Gregory North
President’s Report August - September
This is the first winter for a few years that we have stayed in the south and we have been watching our friends
and fellow bush poets cavorting in the warmth of the north. The WA Bush Poets in Derby, Broome and other points
and keeping poetry out there.
We are away from the home comforts so this report will be fairly short but there are a couple of upcoming events
that I want to highlight. The National Bush Poetry Championship is being held in Bathurst in November and Vice
President David Stanley is the main organiser and things are progressing well.
David is also working on compiling an anthology of bush poetry. So far he has had 48 poems submitted by 24 poets
which is a pleasing result.
The Victorian Bush Poets are having their Muster in Tolmie in October with Greg Champion as the Guest performer
for a dinner show on the Saturday night.
The Winton Bronze Swagman Award was won by David Judge with Tom Mcilveen in second place and Terry Piggott third.
ABPA committee member Peter Frazier won the Winton Writers short story award so the quality work of our members
continues to shine.
On Sunday 17th of August the ABPA is hosting a free poetry performance workshop with Mel and Susie via Zoom (see above for further details).
Onwards and Upwards for Bush Poetry,
Timothy Sheed
President.