Aussie balladeer back for festival

Balladeers boasted about the bush in Naseby at the weekend at the fourth annual Bards, Ballads, and Bulldust Festival, a celebration of the hard high-country life.

Bush balladeer Milton Taylor was back, along with fellow Australians Melanie Hall and Suzy Carcary, after starring at last year's event.

The three-day festival started on Friday with a meet and greet at the Ancient Briton Hotel, where like-minded entertainers gathered to share tales of high-country life.

About 35 members of the Mt Ida and Soldiers farming syndicates sat down to an invitation-only musterers breakfast in the hotel on Saturday, before the pub hosted a programme of performances from local and visiting balladeers.

Among them were Phil Garland, Marcus Turner, Dusty Spittle, Ross "Blue Jeans" McMillan, Des Styles and the three Australians. On Saturday night, dancers kicked their heels up in the town hall to the sounds of Mr Garland's band, Bush Telegraph, during the Miners and Musterers Ball.

The Ancient Briton hosted an open mike session, and yesterday the entertainment continued, with Cardrona poet Martin Curtis and fellow balladeer Roger Lusby joining in.

The festival wound up with dinner and an impromptu balladeering evening at the hotel last night.

Ancient Briton owner and festival organiser Roch Sullivan said he hoped the event would expand, particularly with the sponsorship of Speight's, which had come on board this year.

"There is opportunity for positive expansion to include performances in some of the local pubs at St Bathans, Wedderburn and Danseys Pass," Mr Sullivan said.