Stone the Crows Festival - Wagga Wagga

This is the second time Sarah and I have been guests at this festival. When we were invited again, we didn't give it a thought - just 'yes'. The memory of this extraordinary event has stayed with us.

Stone the Crows is a gathering of mobile homes and caravans, a festival for the grey nomads. Rigs descend onto the site from the four corners of the continent. Participants enjoy workshops, entertainment and they catch up with each other over meals and games.

We took our two shows: The Amazing Case of Dr Ward and Tales from the Flyway and Sarah delivered two workshops: Learning the Violin and Using Libraries on the Road.

 And over four nights we told bedtime stories at the Cocoa Club.

I also had the pleasure of participating in the radio play: We Were There: the story of Galliopli. This is a piece written by Jim Haynes using only the words of people who were actually there, taken from diaries and letters; deeply moving and heart breaking.

The warmth, hospitality and good natured vibe of Stone the Crows is the work of Chrissy Eustace, Jim Haynes and Grant Luhrs and the team they assemble. What bowls us over is meeting so many people who are so switched on and engaged in life; while some of us grow less adventurous with age it seems that there are others who grow wings.

And some never lose their taste for ice cream!

Stories and music delivered to the Surf Coast

Birds, birds and more birds!

Sarah Depasquale and I were free and enthusiastic to support the Overwintering Project exhibition at the Surf Coast Arts Space.

We love working in art galleries, our performances always feel like a good fit. But then we do enjoy telling stories under the trees.

This is the third Overwintering Project for me and the second for Sarah. The exhibitions are always moving and thoughtful and a percentage of sales is donated for shorebird research. So far I've been to the launch of Hobart, Wyndham and Angelsea and we have Altona coming up.

The car was packed with clothes for all weather, sound system (if required) and we took The Flock OZ to pop-up outside the gallery and at The Willows Tea House at Aireys Inlet, where we also told stories and promoted the exhibition.

So good to feel useful and not merely decorative.

And huge thanks to Bron Ives and Nan McNab for their generous hospitality.

And big congratulatory HUG to Kate Gorringe-Smith for all she does for the birds. Its a joy to contribute to the cause in the best way we know how - with stories and music.

The next Overwintering Project is in Hobsons Bay and opening on May 11 as part of World Migratory Bird Day and yes .. we'll be there.

World Wetlands Day 2019

It looks like, where I live is going to get a dedicated building that will provide focus for our local environment: the Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre.

I had a splendid day with my like-minded buddies participating in the inaugural event to raise awareness for this terrific project.

We created a pop-up flock of shore birds! My little video tells the story.


And Sarah Depasquale and I performed an edited version of Tales from the Flyway; perfect location and full house. This time we were on the back verandah of a cottage a couple of hundred metres from the sandy flats where shore birds gather to feed in Altona.

Many thanks to these wonderful people who contributed to the success of the day:
Kate Gorringe-Smith, print maker, educator and brilliant advocate for the shore birds.
Diver Matt, marine ecologist and one who never fails to get people excited about the wonders of Port Phillip Bay.
Loraine Callow, all round top person who knows a lot about paints and what to buy and lots of other things besides.