Each year, on their way from the famous and energetic Tamworth Country Music Festival, traditional Australian balladeer musicians meet for a more intimate gathering at the Bungendore Country Music Muster, NSW.
Those who are devoted to country music can enjoy a weekend of all-Australian music played by the nation’s finest musicians such as Melissa Bajric, Keith Jamieson, Owen Blundell, Dean Perrett, Norma O’Hara Murphy and Dianne Lindsay.
Festival Australia Recorded a number of media interviews with various artists at the festival which you can check out here
Although the program started much earlier in the week with a more relaxed billboard approach for all to try their music in the town of Bungendore itself, our family hesitated to leave creature comforts of home during a very wet week. By the time we got moving excitedly on Saturday, we didn’t anticipate that the country may be hot and dry just outside of Canberra, ACT, so ‘we’ forgot to pack hats, sunscreen, coffee and (my) wallet!
As we drove south around Lake George we enjoyed seeing livestock on the desolate plain and marvelling how it could sometimes fill to be a lake during wet times. The 67 wind turbines at ‘Capital Wind Farm’ was also an imposing sight on the far side of the lake. Completed in 2009 and costing around $220 million, the wind farm was built to offset power usage at the Kurnell Desalination Plant.
The muster’s weekend program was held a little out of town at the Bungendore Showground and thanks to generous community efforts, ticket prices were a low $30 a day per adult. The SES, rural fire, local Scouts, Netball club and other local groups staffed the gate, ice cream, drinks and merchandise stands. The community also helped with rubbish disposal and keeping bathroom facilities clean and tidy which was noticed and really appreciated.
We arrived just in time for the opening performance at 2pm of breathtaking yodelling that we had never heard before. Most camping and caravan sites were so close to the stage that we could enjoy the concert even though we were setting up camp. Unlike other festivals, there is only one stage, but with the guidance of a gifted stage manager, continuous live music was programmed.
The children met some new playmates and were instantly off and racing in wide open spaces. Interestingly, there were not a lot of families with children at the muster. It seemed to us that this was a devoted and reliable ‘grey nomad’ audience, who like routine and their set seating in the shade, no matter if it was 200m away or even the night. This provided our children with room to meander near the stage and kept careful watch by hundreds of instant grandparents- thanks!
Festival organiser and co-founder, Maureen Gordon, explained that through her close connection with the traditional Australian Country Music industry over many years, she has had the privilege to know top balladeers and invite them to perform at Bungendore Country Music Muster. Terry Gordon, Alisha Smith, Graham Rodger, Charmaine Pout, Peter Coad and the Coad Sisters were some of the accomplished musicians at the 2012 Bungendore Country Music Muster.
The musicians said they thrived on sharing music with such devoted fans and also delighted in a little catch-up time with fellow artists after the maelstrom of Tamworth Country Music Festival.
One of the highlights of the weekend for us was the Stan Coster Awards on Saturday night. After the finalists and winner of each category were announced, each of them played three songs accompanied by the ever-adaptable Charley Boyter band.
It was a beautiful night under the bright moon and as we put the children to sleep in our tent later that evening, we heard a great piece... so rushed back over to the stage to see the nine guitarists Peter Simpson, Lindsay Waddington, Alisha Smith, Ben Kelly, Jim Hermel, Charlie Boyter, Trent Holder, Virginia Coad and Neville Molloy playing Winter Wind on stage.
Our weekend at Bungendore Country Music Muster was a really fun family time that we could recommend to anyone, young or old but don’t forget to pack hats, sunscreen and a wallet!
Stan Coster Memorial Bush Ballad Award Winners
2012 Winners
Male Vocal Graham Rodger Such a Shame
Female Vocal Norma O'Hara Murphy Goin' for Glory
New Talent Kalesti Butler The Closing of the Day
Group or Duo Dean Perrett & Lee Kernaghan Channel Country Ground
Album of the Year Peter Coad Old Bush Mates
Song Writer Norma O'Hara Murphy Goin' for Glory
Comedy Allan Lavender One, One and One, Two
Barry Thornton Encouragement Award - Len Teelow
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