| The Poet | submitted information |
| Having retired from a life
as a farmer, Peter now lives on a small property just outside of
Albany. He is well known in the Great Southern Region for his involvement
in promoting Bush Poetry in the region. Peter is the organiser of the
highly successful Poets Breakfast which runs in association with the
Albany Show. Much of his poetry is drawn from his farming experiences,
often composed while driving his tractor. Peter has been a finalist at Tamworth and in 2005 was joint second place getter in the 2005 WA State Championships. mailto:poetblyth@bigpond.com or phone 9844 6606 |
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Born in Hampshire,
England, 1982, she came to Australia for a holiday, met the love of
her life and remained, living the farming life down Esperance
way. |
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Founder and inaugural
President of WABPA in 1995. Rusty promotes Bush Poetry and "Keeping
the Aussie Tradition Alive" at every opportunity throughout his
community, in the country and overseas. He has won awards at
Winton and been twice invited to the "Cowboy Poets of
America" festival. Open Champion at the Waltzing Matilda
Bush Poetry Festival 2004, Melville Citizen of the Year in 2001.
His business card reads "Bush Poet, Balladeer and Story
Teller" Ambassador for "2002 Year of the Outback" mailto:rustnjude@bigpond.com or phone 9364 4491 |
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Brian lives in Margaret River. "What I do today is very important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it" |
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BILL GORDON is a farmer from Boyup Brook. Accustomed to reciting round the campfire over a few beers, he has appeared at the Boyup Brook Country music festival for four years, as well as other venues in southwest W.A. Bill does not write poetry but performs Banjo Paterson and other masters as well as contemporary poets including Bob Magor and Jack Drake. Bill’s love of the bush is reflected in his poems, which are mostly humorous anecdotes about the characters found only in rural and remote Australia. mailto:northlands@wn.com.au or phone 97651098 evenings. |
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| Describing
himself as "an entertainment host, poet, musician and raconteur",
Peter is a well known Perth
celebrity, having spent many years in the TV and entertainment
industries (among others) - He is available as a guest speaker, he
also operates a specialty small vehicle charter fleet. Having at
times been everything from a message-boy to a writer of children's
books. In his mature years, he went to University, where, after many
years of academia, in 2006 he received his Doctorate of Philosophy
which now entitles him to call himself Dr Doodah, the Ace of
Klubs, promoting his philosophy of Love, Laughter and Longevity
mailto:peterharries@iprimus.com.au or phone 9446 1640 |
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John could well be called a
balladeer. He recites his own poetry about the incidences and
people of his time as well as many of the traditional verses of Banjo
Patterson, Henry Lawson and their contemporaries. John has
recorded with the ABC for the "Country Hour" as well as for
some special events. he travels extensively throughout
Australia, reciting at festivals, pubs and around campfires and
barbeques. He published his first book (with cassette tape)
"Till the Soil" in 1984. Ten years later, his book
"Fireside Reflections" was produced with 100 poems
celebrating 100 years of Australian History. All of John's poems
are as a result of extensive research. phone 9377 1238. |
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Barry is a story teller and performer of
other people's poetry. He has an excellent repertoire of the works of WA
poet Syd Hopkinson and "Blue the Shearer" (Colin
Wilson). His performances are mainly chosen from these topical
and very popular humorous works. Barry can be contacted on les057@bigpond.com
or phone 9329 9709 |
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Referring to himself as
"The City Poet", Brian was born in country WA in 1940 but
has lived much of his life in Perth. He writes and performs his own work which covers a broad range of
subjects. He has travelled widely in Australia and his poems are
drawn partly from his travels. You will
find very few billabongs or dying horses in Brian's poetry, but you
will get contemporary living, along the ocean, camping, a touch of nostalgia combined with humour
and perhaps a thought provoking poem about the struggles of our
pioneers. At the 2005 WA Bush Poetry Championships, Brian
achieved overall equal second place. He has has also won several
awards for written verse.
Brian has self published 4 booklets of his poetry, His poetry style
and presentation gives him many "return gigs" at a number of
Senior Centres and groups around Perth mailto:briandot@tpg.com.au or phone 9361 3770 Brian's homepage |
| Arthur is a "Baby
Boomer" of World War 1 which means that he has been around for
considerable time. Apart from reciting at the WA Bush Poets
monthly Musters, he also frequently performs at the Peninsular Folk
Club. He has published numerous poems and articles for various
anthologies and has recently published his first book of poems
presenting poetry from his boyhood to senior citizenship. Some
are sentimental, some concern day to day living and when combined
become a cross section of his Life and Time. He has also recently
published his very interesting life story .He also recites some of
the classics for which he has received commendation. Arthur
works with High School students as a mentor alongside many other
community activities which feed his poetry. phone 9279 9340 |
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Do
you know anyone on the matrimonial Track? How about having a Bush
Poetry Wedding. Keith (Cobber) Lethbridge, currently WA State Champion Bush Poet, is not only an outstanding poet and raconteur but also a JP and authorised Marriage celebrant, So if wedding bells are in the offing, why not add a touch of the bush and make it Wedding Poems and Yarns as well. Having lived and worked most of his life in the Kimberleys, much of Cobbers poetry draws on people and situations from that frontier of Australian rural life. Keith has published 6 books of his poetry. His most recent achievement is to win the very prestigious "Bronze Swagman 2009" award for written Verse. Phone 9399 5270 |
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In 1971 at the age of nineteen I went to work on Moola Bulla station Halls Creek where I stayed until 1985, (except for an overseas stint and twelve months horse-breaking in New South Wales.) At Moola Bulla I was head-stockman of the Mount Amhurst camp (an out-station) then head-stockman of the Moola Bulla camp for nearly ten years. In 1985 my wife Debbie, daughter Dani, son Ryan and I moved to Parron Place Badgingarra where I took over the management. Parron was a fattening property for Moola Bulla steers, I stayed there until it was sold in late 1997. My wife and I purchased a 50 acre property near Jurien Bay so I had somewhere to run my, what was becoming extensive horse plant. I now travel North most years for the mustering season where I work in the west Pilbara as a contract musterer. My poetry reflects many of my bush experiences, some serious and some funny. In 2007 I was asked to perform at Boyup Brook and have been told I shall be invited back in 2008. I was also asked to perform at the Northampton Drought Busters Heritage Week in April where I performed not only my poetry but poems by P.J.Quilty, his father, TomQuilty and poems by my favourite poet Will Ogilvie and others. Phone 9652 6003 corin.linch@bigpond.com |
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“Broomehill-Billy”
Wayne, ‘urban drifted’ from bush, to big smoke, half a life ago,
discovering the trowel, and a mortar board of interests, challenges,
and experiences along the track. Bonded with mortar, these are the
foundation of his regular ‘ABC Great Southern’ breakfast radio
spot, where his poems go to air and are posted on “Wayne Pantall’s
Poems” www.abc.net.au/greatsouthern/poems.htm |
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Beth writes both serious and
funny Bush Poetry. She recites with a laconic style which so
often typifies the true Aussie Bush Poet. Beth is a lady with
many interesting personal experiences to relate and has tremendous
energy and compassion. Her first poem, written when she was just
ten was later used as a poem for High School students to
study. She has been writing seriously for the past eight years
or so. She is a member of the 3000 strong "International
Society of Poets" in Washington, USA. Many of her poems are
published in their compilations. phone 9337 7120 (Beth may require transport) |
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Likes to recite the classic
Australian Poems to people who enjoy humorous stories and poems, apart
from some of his own derived from a very interesting life. David
spent his early childhood in Wanneroo from which he embarked on a
series of adventures to the Southern Wheatbelt where he learnt to
shear sheep. This skill took him to the Northwest with shearing
teams as well as to New Zealand. He took up farming in the Esperance
region but was forced off the land by drought. He then worked in local
government and is now back in Wanneroo as a bus contractor.
David prefers to perform north of the river and would like about 3
weeks notice for any engagement. phone 0419 967 358 David is currently working in remote areas and is unavailable for performances |
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Peg is a lady of mature
years who lives in Albany and writes and performs her poetry in a
friendly, personal style. She describes background as - "I grew up on an apple orchard near Mt. Barker, where we helped pick and pack the fruit, milked cows and soon learned if we didn’t want to be landed with extra chores, we had to get as far away from the house as possible, in so doing, I got to know the bush with all its wildflowers and birds. At times we ‘entertained’ neighbours with ‘concerts’ performed on the veranda. Poetry, drawing, birds and bush flowers were my greatest loves but as time went by I became aware these things would not sustain me and I had to go out and get a job. As becoming a brain surgeon was out of the question, I picked apples, worked in hospitals, colleges, cafes, shops and guest houses, cooking, cleaning and being a general dogsbody." It is is from these life experiences that Peg creates her poems, mostly humorous with a rural setting. Phone 9841 2129 |
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Non Performing Poets: The members listed here are writers only. They do not perform their work but have their poetry available for sale. |
Val Read - Val is a
very prolific Bush Poet and has published a number of books. Many of her
poems have won accolades in major competitions across Australia. Many
have also appeared in anthologies of contemporary rhyming verse.
Her most recent publication, "Whistling Foxes" has received
high acclaim. Val's highest achievement was winning Australia's
2008 major award for written "Bush Poetry", the "
Bronze Swagman " - phone Val on 9339 8349 Caroline Sambridge has come to
us from the general poetry scene, her booklet of poetry crosses
several genres |
