Louey Hesterman is a multi-instrumentalist who has been composing and playing music since childhood. He has entertained solo and in many bands and still plays with Bushwahzee – a popular folk band for school shows and bushdances. Diane Jackson Hill co-wrote seven books with CDs in the series Uke’n Play Ukulele that started many beginners on their musical journey. As a guitar/ukulele combo, Louey an Di play original and Aussie traditional songs that make you want to sing along.

Matt Neal is an award-winning ABC reporter, as well as being an author, musician (The 80 Aces,
Doctor & The Apologies), songwriter, podcaster, film reviewer, blogger (Movies8MyLife),
screenwriter and playwright. He grew up on dairy farms in south-west Victoria and still lives in the region with his family in Warrnambool. He co-wrote his first book, Bay of Martyrs, in 2017, and his podcast Can You Believe It? has been explaining the unexplained since 2019.

Peter Mace is a former Australian Bush Poetry Champion, a three times winner of the prestigious Golden Damper Award at Tamworth, Reciter of the Year at the National Folk Festival and best male performer at The Man From Snowy River Festival. A quiet unassuming bloke with a past successful career in tele-communications, Peter comes alive on stage performing his original poetry – from the frivolous and light-hearted to the serious. He is also a wonderful reciter of traditional verse.

Jim Haynes, Peter Mace and guests highlight the amazing variety, humour and wisdom in the poetry of Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis. He wrote a poem every day for the Melbourne Herald Sun – for 16 years – as well as Australia’s best-selling book of verse The Sentimental Bloke.

‘A Swag of Aussie Humour, Verse and Song’ featuring humorous verse, and Aussie comedy hosted by Jim Haynes, with bush poet / yarnspinners, Gregory North, Mick Coventry and guests. With the traditional One Minute Poets’ Brawl on Monday. This has been the traditional way to kick off a day at the festival for a quarter of a century!

Jim Haynes looks at the truth behind the myths we were told and taught. Explaining exactly who Cook was and what he set out to do, as revealed by recent research and publications exploring his life story.

Peter Mace and Jim Haynes perform a tribute to two legendary left-wing folkies, whose songs and verse made us howl with laughter in the golden years of the folk movement.

The amazing true story of a village lad who ran away to sea and lived more adventures than we can dream of in his short life. A man who died almost forgotten by the British but never forgotten by the people living in the land he charted and named. Tales of war at sea, shipwrecks, intrigue and a love story for the ages.