Page 15 - eMuse Vol.9 No.11

A Blast From

The Past

Winton, Qld. 1995

I have to say it was always a working holiday when I went
on tour but it was an opportunity I would not have missed.
The whole festival was great and I spent quite a few happy
hours in the middle of the day in the big marquee at the end of
the street where all the poetry happened. (First photo).
I am pretty sure that Gary Fogarty was the winner of the
poetry competition held over the weekend and that was what
got him started in the poetry career he now has.
On the Saturday afternoon the Grand Parade happened and
I found a vantage point on a wool wagon in the middle of the
street to get some photos. By coincidence our tour coach was
parked nearby and just happened to get into the photos too.
I cannot really put names to the poets holding the banner
in front of the old bus the poets were using for their transport,
but I am sure there would be others who can. The photo of
Campbell was a bonus for me, as I had enjoyed listening to
him during the weekend but he declined to let me take his
photo - so when I saw him taking part in the parade, I had to
take the photo.
Personally, I think the photos are a bit of history, and worth
sharing so if you can use them in your newsletter, please do so.
Edna Harvey

G’day Edna,
Many Thanks for these priceless historical photos. These
treasures remind us of a great event honouring our unofficial
national anthem and the rebirth of bush poetry’s popularity we
still reap a benefit from today.
Here are a couple of photos from the Waltzing Matilda Fes-
tival held April 1995 - mainly over the Easter Weekend. To Correct me if I’m wrong, recklessly, I would say the trio in the
give you a little background for the photos. Back then I was middle photo are Bobby Miller, Ron Selby and Frank Daniel.If
employed by Bundaberg Coach Tours (you can see the tour anyone has better knowledge please let me know.
coach in a couple of the photos). We took a tour group to I notice Campbell’s beard was still black back then. That’s
Winton to experience the Waltzing Matilda Festival and as my another way to age a photo, hey.
boss knew of my passion for poetry I was asked if I wanted
to go along. Wally
November 2020 eMuse 15