Royal Brisbane Show
August 2005 - Review of festival & Bush Poetry Competition
Posted Friday, September 2, 2005
Festival Report
The Royal Brisbane Show or “Ekka” as it is known to the Banana benders was once again the stage for Bush Poets from all over the Country to strut their stuff to the passing crowds in 2005.
Trisha Anderson (from the Palma Rosa Poets group) has been organizing Bush Poetry at the Show for many years now and once again did a sterling job taking Poetry back to the People.
From the main stage of the Wool Pavillion Fashion Shows to Sideshow Alley and the Cattleman’s Bar the finest Traditional & Contemporary poetry was delivered to the eager crowds by the nations best Spruikers.
Big name Artists
Artists of the calibre of Noel Stallard, John Best, Melanie Hall, Jack Drake, Ron Leikefett, Gary Fogarty & Carol Heuchan were amongst the poets heard spread over the entire 10 days of the event.
'Go Camping' & 'Caravanning Australia'
Bush Poetry Competition Results
Held as part of the 'Ekka' this annual competition attracted 30 of the best Bush Poets in the land with the sponsors donating over $3000 in prizes. In somewhat of a different format there was no division between 1st, 2nd or 3rd places this year, organizers deciding to simply award 3 equal prizes of $350 in each section.
Established Section Winners - Carmel Dunn, Carol Heuchan, Jan Facey
Original Section Winners - Graeme Johnson, John Best, Carol Heuchan
Best Humorous Poem Overall - John Best
Novice Section - Evangeline Shaw, Benjamin Shaw
It may come as no surprise that the winners of the novice section, Evangeline & Benjamin Shaw are the nephew & niece of Original Section winner Graeme Johnson, otherwise known as “The Rhymer from Ryde”.
