Toys who become real ...

"When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real." The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.

Today I met a toy who had become real. It took my breath away to hold such a wondrous thing. It came about like this ... I was telling stories in the Woodend Library as part of  Children's Week and of course I told the story of Phar Lap the wonder horse. One of my listeners arrived with her Phar Lap, who goes everywhere with his owner and friend. I travel with a Phar Lap too and so we introduced Phar Lap and Phar Lap. I was allowed to take a photograph of the two horses side by side and its perfectly obvious which one is real and which is pretend.

Children's Week. Woodend 27 October 2012

Ahh... its that time of year.

I do enjoy travelling around and sharing the story of Phar Lap the wonder horse. 

This Saturday I will be in Woodend, firstly at the Library for some storytelling and later I will wander down to the New Leaves Bookshop for book signings.

The history of Woodend is closely linked to the gold rush. Arriving in Melbourne in the 1850s, many fevered hopefuls shouldered pics and shovels and marched up Mt Alexander Rd to Diggers Rest, then through the forest to emerge at Woodend. There is much to see in the vicinity and I plan to stay overnight and spend the weekend exploring the surrounds which include Hanging Rock. 

I believe Woodend supports a large horse-racing community. Come and say 'Hi'.

If you can't join me in Woodend but would like to buy a copy of Phar Lap the wonder horse, just google - he's everywhere on line. Or better still, most good book stores have him in stock, especially at this time of year. If you would like a taste of the story visit me here and I will tell you personally.

Woodend Library (cnr Forest and High Streets): Saturday 27 October 10,30 - 11.30 am
New Leaves Book Shop (cnr Anslow and Collier streets): 2.00 - 300 pm 

More lyrebirds in display

Its like when you hear a word or notice a plant for the first time. You think, 'How unusual!' and then you hear the word everywhere and you find the plant has been growing next door for years.

Well I'm finding its like that with images of displaying lyrebirds. I'm walking into them! They're placed before me. Every time I open my purse I spot one. As the release date for Lyrebird! a true story draws closer and my excitement mounts they're tumbling in front of my vision.

The week before last I went to the Abbotsford Convent  and spotted this one.

A few days ago I was in the Lake Mungo National Park and guess what the NSW National Park logo is?

And then last night, my friend Claire Saxby placed a beautiful book in my hand called Silvertail by Ina Watson. A first edition published in 1946 with illustrations by Walter Cunningham. The copy Claire has lent me actually belongs to children's author Corinne Fenton. Predictably, after seeing Silvertail, I leapt onto ebay and have bought a copy and now I wait for the postie to deliver it to my door.

Thanks Corinne and Claire for thinking of me.

The Currum Sailing Club on Playschool

This morning thousands of children all over Australia had the pleasure of listening to the story and enjoying the pictures of The Carrum Sailing Club by Claire Saxby illustrated by Christina Booth.

I cannot imagine a more more rewarding experience that to sit back with a cuppa and see your book read on the ABC on  Playschool.

Claire is an old friend. We have share many adventures and supported each others development as writers and storytellers over many years. Her book, There Was an Old Sailor (ill Cassanda Allen) is one of the most loved and popular stories I tell and its no fluke it has sold over 20,000 copies.

Claire has the knowledge and the creative instincts to create wonderful books for children of all ages but her catalogue of stories for early childhood is truly exceptional.

What a buzz it was to climb on my bike this morning and pedal over for some breakfast and to share the Playschool moment with Claire

More info about Claire Saxby  

Birds in display

November can't come soon enough. Lyrebird! a true story will be in sale! In the meantime I'm spotting displaying birds all over the place.

At considerable expense I went to the Australian Ballet to see the re-staging of Robert Helpmann's work 'The Display'. I was curious to see how he'd choreographed the bird. The Lyrebird in the ballet was to be feared. Human size and sizzling with testosterone - there was nothing fairy-like about this bird. First performed in 1964, the ballet seemed dated and at times corny but having said that, I was riveted and every time the dancer/bird came on stage, my heart raced.

Not all the birds spotted have been lyrebirds. There was a peacock ... I went to Festival Indonesia on Sunday and when I arrived there was an exquisite dancer on the main stage. Through gesture, movement and facial expression and dressed in  an elaborate costume, the dancer became the bird in front of my eyes. I wondered as I was watching if ever a male dancer performed this dance and how that would alter the performance.

The true story of Phar Lap the wonder horse.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is more than a horse race. For over 150 years this race has stopped the nation. Folk dress up, drink, eat, place their bets and abandon all dignity as they cheer their horses to the finish.

These days The Cup draws competitors from all over the world and I believe over 700 million people in 120 countries and territories watch it on television.

Of course there have been many famous winners of The Cup but there is one that is firmly and immovably lodged in the hearts of Australians and New Zealanders - and this of course is the great  Phar Lap.



Now .. if you don't know the story of Phar Lap, you can learn all about him from my book, beautifully illustrated by Patricia Mullins and Published by Museum Victoria. This book was engrossing to research, challenging to write and it is so much fun to promote every year at Cup time. My vintage suit is a tight fit  (seems to be shrinking) has served me well for several racing carnivals.

You can purchase Phar Lap the wonderhorse at all good book stores. 

Its always in stock at Museum Victoria and I  love donning my outfit and visiting book events and sharing the love of the great horse.

Listen to Phar Lap the wonder horse and interview here.



pic: Flemington Racecourse with Phar Lap 

The Melbourne Cup is the highlight of a four day racing carnival 
3 - 10  November 2012
Flemington Racecourse.

Jan (Yarn) Wositzky tells the story of William Buckley

For the past couple of years I've been maintaining the blog for Storytelling Australia (Victoria). A tad time consuming but it does however motivate me (Lois Lane like) to go and see other storytellers at work when I can.

Recently Jan Wositzky  invited me to meet him at a small western suburbs primary school where he was performing his show Buckley. This is an extraordinary tale of a convict who escaped in 1802 and spent the next 30 years living with the Wathaurong people.

For me Buckley's story is very important . I live in an area of Melbourne where he walked; where the names of key players in the story, Gellibrand and Derrimut are woven into the maps and streetscapes.

Together with others in my community and with the support of Hobsons Bay Council, I have been involved in activities to educate the local folk and especially the children, about our past. One of these projects has been the publication of a booklet about the First People of Hobsons Bay

Here Jan is pictured holding a copy of the The Yallukit-Willam: the First People of Hobsons Bay. You can download the link or contact Hobsons Bay Council for a hard copy.

Visit Storytelling Australia's site and on the blog, you can read a detailed interview with Jan and learn more about Buckley or visit www.storytellersguide.com.au. 

If you would like to see more about our GetUpOut West activities, better still become involved, we're on facebook: GUOW.