Arts

Researcher Jacqui Kennedy knows how to save photos and history. She helped Coraki Museum, Ballina Library and Ballina Naval Museum digitise their photos collections … a visit to Ray Hunt’s home at Tuckurimba two years ago led Jacqui to some astounding photos.

Nic Duncan’s photography work is not the glamorous kind. Far from it. Nic travels to the back of beyond to capture her subjects within their natural habitat. There’s no fictitious backdrops, no wardrobe assistant and certainly no makeup artist. It’s all about reflecting a person’s natural state. Raw and real, regional and rural she seeks the opposite of city and suburban.

Stephen Cranby. What is Roo Fest? Both Donna [Publican] and Mandy Connell [Organiser] agree. Roo Fest is about bringing artists together from around this region of Victoria to provide a venue for musicians who haven’t necessarily been heard or been up this way before.  

The latest two additions to the Koondrook Barham Red Gum Statue Walk were publicly revealed on Sunday, November 13. The Roy Higgins and Sidney Reid statues brings the Red Gum Statue Walk to a total of 20 features capturing the twin towns’ history, ecology and pioneering spirit ... “This walk is a very unique feature of our towns and highlights the versatility and magnificence of sustainable red gum timber": Tom Chick, KDC chairman.

‘A Common Thread is a collaboration between three Kuranda artists — Toni Rogers, Marcelle Dieben and Shiree Burnside,’ said Councillor Peter Hodge. ‘Each artist has a diverse background, but they have all been influenced by their grandmothers’ creative legacy and share passions for weaving, sewing, sculpting, and using recycled and natural materials.'

Sam’s memoir tells the story of his journey from farmhand to farmer. Along the way, it also explores the changing nature of farming, the complications of farm succession, and less traditional approaches to agriculture ... I had tears well up at some points, and laughed out loud at others.

It’s back! Buda brings the Traditional Arts Fair to Castlemaine on Sunday 20 November from 10am till 4pm. Buda will showcase traditional arts, cooking and gardening  in as many and varied forms as possible in the spirit of the Leviny daughters ... New this year is Gold Panning!

The Gomaren & Doctors Creek Catchment Landcare Group’s 6th Focus on Farms Photographic Competition attracted more than 400 entries this year ... Among the winners was the shot taken by Andrea Davis at East Greenmount. The eye-catching picture, entitled “A Boy and His Dog”, won the Open award for Best Photo of the Competition.

Sarah Donnelley's book Big Things Grow has been called a love song to a small country town but it is also a love song to the profession of teaching ... Sarah's beautifully written memoir recounts key events of her four fulfilling years working in what was a complex and challenging environment.

The mural is finished. It’s been two years in the making but the water tower on the hill overlooking Casino is complete. The mural is broken into four paintings – the swan, the platypus, the farmer and the Indigenous basket weaver.

The Cairns Tropical Writers Festival was established in 2008 and is a biennial event. It brings together our regional community of writers and readers with Australian and internationally revered authors and celebrities, who inspire us and feed our literary minds.

A stately bronze bust of John Riddoch - sculpted by the famous South Australian artist John Dowie AM, has been gifted to the Penola Cultural Association by Peter Rymill – great-grandson of Riddoch (1827-1901). Peter originally commissioned the sculpture of his great grandfather in the 1990s, where it took pride of place at the Rymill Coonawarra cellar door complex for many years.

Winners of the annual Gomaren & Doctor’s Creek Focus on Farms photography competition will be announced at the Jacaranda Day festival in Goombungee this Saturday, 5 November. “No matter where you live, the connection to farming is an important part of our identity as Australians”: competition coordinator Jean Gundry ... the primary school category within the competition has a focus on insects.

A Tennant Creek teacher has become a national poetry celebrity after winning the Australian Poetry Slam competition for 2022. Jo Lang performed her poem titled A Broken System at the Sydney Opera House last Sunday and was received with a standing ovation and a score of 10 from all three judges.

A massive 19 teams signed up for the Lions Club's book themed Trivia Night at the Memo Club last Saturday night. Contestants came dressed as their favourite book character for a fantastic night which was organised to raise funds to provide book packs for schools in the Barkly.

These amazing images were taken by Allora’s Photography Group when visiting Girraween National Park. Members of the Group joined other Wildflower Walkers and were led by knowledgeable guides from the Stanthorpe Rare Wildflower Consortium.

Emma Pritchard. Stunning drawings and paintings by First Nations artists from the Clarence Valley will be projected onto the Sunshine Sugar building in South Grafton each night from October 22 until November 6. Celebrating the life cycle of the endangered coastal emu, glorious creations by proud Yaegl artists Kahlua Charlton, Gareth Charlton and Aneika Kapeen, proud Bundjalung artist Maisie Monaghan, and proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung artist Deborah Taylor have been delighting spectators who have been stopping to admire the impressive visual display.  

It was a joyful, heartfelt gathering at Woodfordia on Saturday night. Around 300 organisers, producers, staff, committee, volunteers and friends launched our programme for the festival this year. It felt like a new beginning.

The Tennant Creek Brio artists have recently returned from a successful exhibition in Byron Bay in New South Wales. Simon Wilson, Joseph Williams and Rupert Betheras showed off their cutting-edge artistic talents to the eastern states which was received with much applaud at Byron Bay’s Thom Gallery.

Erica Boyington, Meredith Schinckel. August 12 and 13th saw fifteen young Naracoorte musicians travel plus one adult musician travel to Mt Gambier to compete in the music division of the Eisteddfod, held at Wehl Street theatre. An Eisteddfod is a wonderful opportunity for budding musicians to gain practice and confidence with performing, while benefitting from expert feedback.

Emma Pritchard. An enchanting and mesmerising journey which showcases the superb talent, skill and artistry of local musicians and performers, ‘An Afternoon at the Proms’ is one of the Clarence Valley’s most popular and highly anticipated annual events. Proudly presented by the Clarence Valley Orchestra and Chorus, and ... renowned conductor Greg Butcher, An Afternoon at the Proms encompasses a rich variety of classical favourites by Mozart, Stravinsky, Elgar and Strauss.