The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Discussion of any bush poetry topic.
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Shelley Hansen
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:19 pm

Wow, Gary - you've certainly unearthed some treasures over the last few posts. Well done again on your tireless efforts!

Cheers
Shelley
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fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:50 am

Thanks again Shelley. :)

This post thread actually attracts quite a bit of interest.. and I am most humbly grateful for that. :)

It recently had more than 150 views in one 24hr period. I get a buzz from it because it means there must be others who genuinely and passionately Love their own country... and maybe some of that love is reflected back to me personally as well for what I am attempting on behalf of Everyone? :) Who knows..

One day I will work out how to harness the power of this ABPA interest to further the Cause of The Australian Cultural Centre Project, and by way of association, Bush Poetry as well.

Certainly if anyone wants to add thoughts or ideas for subjects/displays or time to assist then please feel free to PM me.. or post ideas! It is time nobly spent.

It was said by Banjo Paterson that nobody would ever tread again the bush tracks that he and Lawson did. I think that Banjo was wrong. With this major, advanced patriotic project we are treading such tracks now... in a way that is naturally commensurate with our Time period.
Lawson's hardships and sufferings we are also experiencing in our own way today on this major Unique project.

It is all satisfying and great fun though, especially if you preserve a sense of humour.

There are so many cultural Australian doors opening. Coo-ee!

What a fantastic country Australia is!!!

https://www.facebook.com/The-Australian ... 6537908401

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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue Jul 05, 2022 9:46 am

The latest Beacon Magazine contains our 3-page article (pp 14-16) Issue 30 ...about popular Australian bush poet Edward Harrington.

https://thebeacon.com.au/magazine-publications/

I might say that it takes a fair bit of time to produce these articles.

The inspired artwork for The Bushrangers and Cats poems was done by the talented Mrs. Karen Christensen some years ago and the poems have actually been produced on very large poster boards for displaying.

This Beacon article includes pictures of items drawn from the Edward Harrington material collected over many years. Especially prized is the rare My Old Black Billy sheet music book of his poems.

The cover art is really colourful and attractive, don't you think?

Edward Harrington is just one of around forty accomplished Australian bush poets to be individually and stunningly featured at the Australian Cultural Centre. The very best in truly Australian literature!

Bush Poets presented are not necessarily just the "Old timers" but could include anyone today able to attain this extremely high standard of writing. We are about the Present as well as the Past.

Many school kids on excursion may walk past the bush balladry displays and simply admire the pretty colours without reading a word.... but then at least they will have had exposure to this important Australian cultural aspect once in their life.

And who knows whether it might not strike a chord with a few and ignite a lifelong passion for bush verse (skilled bush balladry) which will then help to carry excellent Australian Bush Poetry and Literature on into future generations?

So for that reason, we (and nobody else!) are doing it.... :)
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:53 am

I am very pleased to have collected around 200 lovely Australian Geographic magazines over time.
These are marvellous and have exceptional articles in them about facets of Australia.

There are sections in the Cultural Centre (major and minor) being developed where these will be quite useful. I won't name the sections but they are very exciting and entertaining.

Patience... and hanging around the usual places means they were bought over the years for a fraction of new price. A recent local Rotary Book-sale had quite a number.

"How much are these?" I enquired.
"What about 10c each?" replied the nice elderly lady, "Is that too much dear?"

Very inspirational magazines and timeless too. I have come across references to bush poetry and Waltzing Matilda in them.
I grabbed a few more at a garage sale last week. The lady told me that her daughter was an palaeontologist for the magazine and she showed me her articles. Dick Smith was very helpful to her. It is a small world.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun Jul 17, 2022 8:19 am

I tend to be apolitical (at least publicly).

The new federal government in Arts (Tony Burke MP) has moved quickly to define a new National Cultural Policy which it summarises in its so-called five "pillars".

https://www.arts.gov.au/have-your-say/r ... ral-policy

As bush poetry is Australian Literature at its finest then it has a prime position in the Cultural arena. I was therefore keen to see this "new" light-on-the-hill for Australian culture.. and especially how it affected what I am independently doing at The Australian Cultural Centre Project.

The first point of their five states that Australian Culture is absolutely all about Indigenous Culture as a priority. It is totally dominant and indeed they say it is "central". Basically... don't bother us with much else.

The second point, naturally indirectly phrased, moves to say (as if as an afterthought) that any other identifiable Australian "culture" today is that of the many ethnic (voting) groups existing in Australia. Their native culture has been adopted (presumably without asking the permission of the originating country such as China) and re-branded as Australian to complete the Aussie cultural picture. Now to their credit, they have not specifically excluded the sort of true Australian culture that we cover at the Australian Cultural Centre, but then as it is ignored... conclusions can be drawn.

Anyway.... now for a good laugh on a Sunday at Canberra's expense...

Their third point of the Five(5) also refers to "supporting the artist as a worker". This is obviously to differentiate the artist from being a hated "boss". But hey, aren't we all Australians and equal, regardless of our presumed class or occupation ... or even race (that distasteful word)?? Not so it seems, according to Tony. Well, you get what you vote for.

In Arts, Bush Poets are certainly artists... Artists with Words.

They might have said "the artist as a hard-working individual" and then they would be right. But they didn't...

Much as Mr Burke would like me to do it, I just cannot imagine myself as an Artist-"Worker", marching in the streets, red banners streaming, clenched fists pounding the air chanting pro-government arts slogans. It might please the Comrades in the party, and certainly Stalin if he was still around, but the cloth cap certainly does not fit me!! :)

https://www.arts.gov.au/documents/creat ... ral-policy

If funding is doled out on a priority Policy basis to those who proclaim their "worker" status, or claim preferential treatment based on race or ethnic identity .... then my background in that area would not even qualify me for a free coffee from the federal government. (Not that I would accept it from that traitorous bunch anyway...they are all the same, regardless) :)

At first I was angry and wrote several pages for yet another ignored and basically pointless submission. It helped ameliorate my anger.

THEN it dawned on me... don't be foolish! Let sleeping dogs lie. My path and theirs are now even more totally divergent. They are doing exactly what I want!!! They are keeping out of my way while I get on with the proper noble job.

So.. I said, "Keep your head down. Keep quiet. Fight your war in the shadows. Good versus Evil."

So... yes, a bad day for Australia and those Diggers who fought for it.. but a truly Great Day for me. An unavoidable contradiction.

Time to open that $5 bottle of "Champagne" and celebrate the new (but actually not greatly different) National Cultural Policy on the back deck.. cheese and bikkies too... overlooking the blue water of beautiful Hervey Bay... in my new Tony Burke style, worker-poet's cloth cap. :)

Cheers! Gary

Pictured below is one rendered view of our proposed respectful Australian Cultural Centre. Looking more and more like an oasis in an otherwise bleak Australian Cultural desert every day?

https://www.facebook.com/The-Australian ... 6537908401
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed Jul 20, 2022 3:41 pm

What town could there be in Australia that best captures the imagination while demonstrating the fun spirit of true Australia more than:

Yackandandah?

Even the very name is musical!

From the Collection, here is the sheet music to "My Shack in Yackandandah" 1927
The cover proudly features the chorus.

I'm going back, back, back
Along the track, track, track
That leads to my old shack in Yackandandah.


Plus there is an old bush ballad about the annual handicap race there where the competitors can ride anything but a horse! In this particular case it degenerated into an all-in brawl where even the jockeys sought refuge.. save for one. (see the pen and ink sketch below)

The Yackandandah Handicap (a few verses)

For as long as I remember,
In the first week of September,
They have held the Yackandandah Handicap.
Not a pretty race to many.
Tie and tails you won't find any,
While the distance is five furlongs and a lap.

And the locals living handy to the town of Yackandandy
Come in every year and camp around the course.
What amazes the 'outsiders'
Is the beast beneath the riders
Must be any other creature but a horse.


................(verses)

All the camels near were yarded
With the strongest closely guarded,
For there's nothing beats a camel in a rage.
They were in the mating season
So the camels had good reason
To seek vengeance when they opened up their cage.

From beyond the hills came jogging
Jim The Cattle Duffer flogging
His prize scrub bull just to try and make the start.
He would give them all a caning,
Though he'd never been in training
He would pace the field - then pass them like a dart.


................ (more verses)

- And the ones caught in the swindle
Felt their pocket money dwindle
And began to see that gambling's only greed.
For the very last beginner
And the one declared the winner
Was McNaughty on the pulpit of his steed.

Now there may be better races
At the city meets and places,
But for bravery and skill it fills a gap.
For there's every mount and rider,
Fighting out the big decider,
In the crazy Yackandandah Handicap.



Cheers, Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jul 23, 2022 10:29 am

At a recent general house-contents auction I noticed a set of six painted (printed) plates mounted on the lounge-room wall.
The artist was John Cornwell (1930 - 2020).

Three of them were of old country cottages, similar in concept to our pioneer Settler's Hut model and therefore useful perhaps for our section dealing with this.

The other three showed scenes from Waltzing Matilda (Banjo Paterson). Printing on the back indicated that the plates were from the artist's Waltzing Matilda Collection.
Now some time ago we had been given a set of painted plates showing images of various Banjo Paterson verses. The donor was a lovely old bloke who had just lost his wife. Very sad. (I may have posted on this previously.)

Anyway the six plates came up as one lot and I bought them all for $20... including their spring-loaded wall-mounts. That is around $3 per plate.

Painted plates are not really my thing but it seems that a lot of people clearly like them! As a supplement that adds an artistic-depth to a display then they can perhaps be appreciated by those with a eye for such lovely items... and when you pause to actually examine them, they really are something extraordinary.

They will find an eventual home in our massive Waltzing Matilda section.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:28 pm

This old console radio, said to be from 1938-39 but I suspect up to ten years later? was bought at a local auction for $100.

The wood veneer was basically unchipped and not scratched... and cabinetry in general was in excellent condition. (a pre-requisite to purchase)

OK... then, time to roll up our sleeves and get restoring!!

A light detergent clean and general detailing.
Speaker itself tested OK.
Replaced all dial-lights, and wired them to 6v plug-pack.
The valve radio was de-commissioned as it looked grim with its usual serve of pest droppings. Not needed anyway.

Where veneer was curved on front, some very fine, almost invisible cracks had opened. Pre-inked stamp-pads come in a variety of colours, some with names like oak etc. Selected nearest colour match and using index finger, proceeded to ease the ink into the cracks and hey-presto... fine cracks vanished. Rubbed off excess ink with rag. A new restoration method?

Applied a modern, coloured, wax furniture polish bought on-line .. two light coats.

Then replaced the tatty speaker cloth. What a grand old lady!

Finally used a Bluetooth speaker placed in the back of the console to play an episode of.. yes, Dad and Dave! Lights turned down and one was truly transported back 80 years.
Might do Tarzan next time! (early 50's to early 60's serial) or play the Orson Welles recording of his famous broadcast that panicked America. ha. :)

Very compelling, and should be for visitors too. Australian culture (old time radio) in the Centre ... and education through entertainment.

Only one other person has seen this unit previously... so, happy now to draw aside the debut-curtain for fellow ABPA members on this lovely console radio that just oozes charm!

I hope it is interesting and enjoyable. Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue Aug 02, 2022 8:42 am

The Australian Cultural Centre Project

I have recently been kindly gifted the complete Pilot Officer's uniform of a WW2 Australian Spitfire pilot (see below pic of some of it) specifically to add to our Australia at War section.
It includes two jackets, two trousers, cap and his heavy RAAF greatcoat... all of which I have now had meticulously detailed and dry-cleaned. They have come up beautifully!

Hopefully to follow is.. his logbook, personal diary, medals, silk escape map etc. Fantastic!!!

Doug's logbook is brilliant. It records in meticulous and neat, handwritten detail his training in Canada in the DH82 (Tiger Moth) etc. He apparently flew every Mark of Spitfire from I through to XIV (1 to 14). He claimed the best WW2 prop-driven fighter was the P-51 Mustang although he never flew one himself.

The missions, mostly low-level attacks on ground targets (a rather dicey occupation) such as tanks, MV's motor vehicles, rail yards... are described....

For example...
".. attacked a Nebelwerfer and straffed(sic) a 20mm AA gun pit..."

*A nebelwerfer is a German multi-barrelled ground rocket-launcher. A terrifying weapon that was nicknamed by allied soldiers "Moaning Minnie" because of the sound the incoming rockets made in flight.

Doug records participating in the VE-Day Flypast.

We intend to bring some of Doug's actual combat missions to life using high-tech graphics; complete with pilot dialogue. Action stuff! Something not done before but we really care about those brave Australians... and so we roll up our sleeves and wade in for them. Incredible. You will be placed in the cockpit with Doug and hang-on as he rolls over in his Supermarine Spitfire, dives down and opens up on the Jerries as he calls them.... Tally-Ho!

At war's end, Doug went to work for Dept of Civil Aviation. Interestingly he never piloted an aircraft again. "Too dangerous!" he claimed!
Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed Aug 03, 2022 6:55 pm

For passing interest...

Speaking of nebelwerfers (previous post), I am halfway through a book entitled The Guns Of War. (George G Blackburn pp393-395, August 12th). Soldiers relate their own stories of the push across France in 1944.
In one case as the British advanced they came across a batch of fully loaded nebelwerfers (vicious multi-rocket weapon) apparently abandoned by the Germans in their hasty retreat.

Brits think : why not turn them around 180degrees and fire them back at Jerry, turn his own weapon on him. haha. The British joke. They were duly turned around and fired. Jolly good show lads! That will teach them.

Only problem was the Germans knew the temptation to fire them would be irresistible and that a crowd would collect to watch the firing. All they had to do was lay other nebelwerfers on the precise map reference where they'd abandoned them and wait.

All hell broke loose as the reciprocated rockets blasted the unsuspecting curious British onlookers gathered to watch the firing of these strange weapons.
Sort of a German booby-trap of a novel kind.

Result : 8 dead and more than 16 wounded.

Haha.. zee German joke instead!

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