The Birchip Hotel is building on a traditional theme of celebrating home grown talent on Australia day and this year the event was another resounding success.
Bathed in sunlight, and welcoming shade from the trees, picnic rugs were rolled out on the grassy beer garden at the Birchip Hotel, with young families enjoying a jam-packed card of home grown talent.
Commencing at 2 p.m. on the back of the Australia Day breakfast in the park, no less than nine performers entertained the crowd throughout the day and night. Home grown performers included the Glen brothers, Danny and Brody, Nick McLoughlan and Leigh Donnellon and Paul Fawcett.
Matt Norton pulled the “Norto Band” together, which saw a mash up of locals joined by Josh Pelegrino from Wycheproof on drums, Leyton Hateley from Hopetoun on base and vocals and Daniel Reeves (who has a long association with the Birchip Hotel, being one of its first performers) and they kicked off the afternoon with some great beer garden classics and his special blend of storytelling.
Dan talked emotionally about the impact the song “Only 19” that was released by Redgum in the early ’80s had on him when he learnt it was based on Birchip’s Frankie Hunt.
Later in the night, express from Tamworth, Paul “Swanny” Swan stepped up to the microphone for a quick set which included owner of the Birchip Hotel Des Ryan trying his hand (somewhat unsuccessfully) at John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Small Town”.
Des said: “It’s a relaxed night celebrating local talent, and most of all it is just about having fun. Nobody takes themselves too seriously – just have a go! Most of these guys were taught by the late Joan Glen so with Brodie and Danny… it just feels right.”
It was also an opportunity for the community to celebrate Maureen Donnellon’s well-earned citizen of the year award during the afternoon with family and friends who had travelled from far and wide to attend the Australia Day breakfast and the Birchip Hotel’s Australia day event.
Leigh “Garri’s” performance at the hotel was a perfect guise to get Maureen’s family to town to surprise her at the awards ceremony.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 2 February 2024.
