The Bush Music Club

Sunday, 3 May 2026

Beecroft Dance 2nd May, 2026 - music from Concert Party, Caller Margaret Bolliger

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(Photos © Andrew Gollan)

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Thursday, 16 April 2026

Compilation of Articles about Balls

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First Colonial Subscription Ball,
Ashfield Town Hall, 12/08/1978
Bob Bolton photo
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62.

61. From the Archives - Heritage & Subscription Ball Memorabilia -1981 to 1992 - Dance Cards - Part 2.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2026/04/from-archives-heritage-subscription.html

60. From the Archives - Bob Bolton collection - 1996 Port Jackson Ball, Australian Heritage Dancers, Beecroft Bush Dance with Coalbrook
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2025/03/from-archives-bob-bolton-collection_86.html

59. 1990 Heritage Ball - Bob Bolton Collection
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/03/1990-heritage-ball-bob-bolton-collection.html

58. 2003 Heritage Ball - Queen Victoria's Birthday Ball - Bob Bolton Collection
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/03/2003-heritage-ball-queen-victorias.html

57. 60th Anniversary Heritage Ball 2014 - Sharyn Mattern photos
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/11/60th-anniversary-heritage-ball-2014.html

56. 2013 Heritage Ball - A Touch of Regency
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2013-heritage-ball-touch-of-regency.html

55. 2016 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2016-heritage-ball.html

54. 2017 Heritage Ball - Enter the Colonies Dancing
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2017-heritage-ball-enter-colonies.html

53. 2015 Heritage Ball - Regency to Ragtime
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2015-heritage-ball-regency-to-ragtime.html

52. 2012 Heritage Ball - A Touch of Regency
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2012-heritage-ball-touch-of-regency.html

51. 2011 Heritage Ball - A Touch of Regency
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2011-heritage-ball-touch-of-regency.html

50. 2010 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/02/2010-heritage-ball.html

49. From the Archives - BMC Balls - 2nd Colonial Subscription Ball, 1979
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bmc-balls-2nd-colonial.html

48. From the Archives - 1st Colonial Subscription Ball, 1978 - artwork
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-1st-colonial-subscription.html

47. From the Archives - Calendars - part 5, 1987 -1990.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/from-archives-calendars-part-5-1988-1990.html

46. From the Archives - Calendars - part 4, 1985 -1986
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/from-archives-calendars-part-4-1985-1987.html

45. Pete & Sue McMahon Collection - Part 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/from-archives-calendars-part-4-1985-1987.html

44. From the Archives - Calendars - part 3, 1983 - 1984
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/from-archives-calendars-part-3-1983-1984.htm

43. Pete & Sue McMahon Collection - Part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/06/pete-sue-mcmahon-collection.html

42. From the Archives - Bush Music Club Newsletter - 1976 to 1978
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/06/from-archives-bush-music-club_8.html

41. From the Archives - Chronology of Balls from 1978
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-chronology-of-balls-from.html

40. From the Archives - BMC Balls - 1979 Fancy Dress Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-bmc-balls-1979-fancy.html

39. From the Archives - extracts from Mulga Wire no.18, April 1980
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/from-archives-extracts-from-mulga-wire.html

38. From the Archives - 4th Colonial Subscription Ball, 1981
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-4th-colonial-subscription.html

37. From the Archives - Heritage Ball Memorabilia 1988 to 2017 - Dance Cards - Part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-heritage-ball-memorabilia.html

36. From the Archives - 1st Colonial Subscription Ball, 1978
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-1st-colonial-subscription.html

35. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no.20, August 1980 - complete
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-mulga-wire-no20-august.html

34. Report on Goulburn Railway Sesquicentenary Ball aka 2019 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2019/06/report-on-goulburn-railway.html

33. 2018 Heritage Ball, Ermington Community Centre, Saturday 19th May.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/2018-heritage-ball.html

32. Bob Bolton Collection - 1982 Colonial Subscription Ball, Hurstville Civic Centre
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/bob-bolton-collection-1982-colonial.html

31. 1986 - 9th Colonial Subscription Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/1986-9th-colonial-subscription-ball.html

30. 1980 -1st Colonial Masquerade Ball, Saturday 17th May & 3rd Colonial Subscription Ball, 30th August
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/1980-1st-colonial-masquerade-ball.html

29. Colin Fong Collection - A selection of 1980s Ball photos displayed at the 2018 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/colin-fong-collection-selection-of.html

28. Bob Bolton collection - A selection of photos from the 30th Anniversary Subscription Ball, 19th August 1984 displayed at the 2018 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/bob-bolton-collection-selection-of_13.html

27. Bob Bolton collection - A selection of photos from the 1983 Heritage Ball displayed at the 2018 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/05/bob-bolton-collection-selection-of.html

26. 25th Anniversary - Australian Fancy Dress Ball at the Burland Community Hall, Newtown, 1979 Bush Music Festival
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/03/25th-anniversary-australian-fancy-dress.html

25. Bob Bolton Collection - Queen Victoria Ball, 2003
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/03/bob-bolton-collection-queen-victoria.htm

24. Bob Bolton collection - Anzac Heritage Ball & picnic. 29th April, 2002
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/03/bob-bolton-collection-anzac-heritage.html

23. 2018 Heritage Ball, Ermington Community Centre, Saturday 19th May, 6.30 for 7pm
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/02/2018-heritage-ball-ermington-community.html

22. Colin Fong Collection - Heritage Week Ball, 1984
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/02/colin-fong-collection-heritage-week.html

21. Bob Bolton Collection - Ryebuck, 1979 & 1980
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/bob-bolton-collection-ryebuck-balmain.html

20. Bob Bolton Collection - assorted negatives scanned by Ralph Pride
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/bob-bolton-collection-assorted.html

19. Members photos - Beth Cambridge
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/11/members-photos-beth-cambridge.html

18. Bob Bolton Collection - the Post-Ball picnic, Observatory Hill August 1983
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/08/bob-bolton-collection-post-ball-picnic.htm

17. Bob Bolton Collection - ball photos from the 80s
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/08/bob-bolton-collection-ball-photos-from.html

16. Members photos - Sharyn Mattern ball photos
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/07/members-photos-sharyn-mattern-ball.html

15. Our banners
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/05/our-banners.html

14. A selection of Bob Bolton's photos taken at Bush Music Club's 1983 Heritage Ball
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/04/a-selection-of-bob-boltons-photos-taken.html

13. Enter the Colonies Dancing - 2017 Heritage Ball, Saturday 20th May 2017
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/04/enter-colonies-dancing-2017-heritage.html

12. 36th Colonial Subscription Ball, 6 for 6.30pm, Saturday 27th August 2016 Maitland Town Hall https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2016/06/36th-colonial-subscription-ball-600-for.html

11. 2016 Heritage Ball - Regency to Ragtime, Saturday 21st May, 6.30 for 7pm.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2016/04/2016-heritage-ball-regency-to-ragtime.html

10. Report of 35th Colonial Subscription Ball, Maitland August 2015
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/10/report-on-35th-colonial-subscription.html

9. 35th Colonial Subscription Ball, 7 for 7.30pm Saturday 29th August 2015, Therry Centre, East Maitland
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/10/report-on-35th-colonial-subscription.html

8. 2015 Heritage Ball - Regency to Ragtime, Saturday 16th May, 2015
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/03/2015-heritage-ball-regency-to-ragtime.html

7. Found in the Hut - a miscellany of photos removed from the noticeboard in 2007
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/02/found-in-hut-miscellaney-of-photos.html

6. 34th Colonial Subscription Ball, Maitland Town Hall, August 2014
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/01/34th-colonial-subscription-ball.html

5. 60th Anniversary Heritage Ball, 2014 - the Masked Ball & Picnic at Australian Pioneer Village
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/01/60th-anniversary-heritage-ball-masked.htm

4. BMC @ Bush Traditions, Goulburn 2014 - Ball & dance fashions
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2014/12/bmc-bush-traditions-goulburn-2014-ball.html

3. Posters in the Hut - History on our walls - part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2014/10/posters-in-hut.html

2. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no.9, October 1978
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/1978/10/#gsc.tab=0

1. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no.7, June 1978 - complete.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/1978/06/#gsc.tab=0

Monday, 13 April 2026

From the Archives - Heritage & Subscription Ball Memorabilia -1981 to 1992 - Dance Cards, Part 2.

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Heritage Balls 1981 - 1994 - Bob Bolton collection
see also From the Archives - Heritage Ball Memorabilia 1988 to 2017 - Dance Cards - Part 1. Dave Johnson collection

The first Heritage Week Ball was held in Sydney Town Hall in 1981 with support from the National Trust and Sydney City Council. It was run as a second Colonial Subscription Ball, held in March rather than August to coincide with Heritage Week.
The following year we held a concert instead, with the second Ball held in 1983, separate to the Colonial Subscription Ball. Balls were initially held in Sydney Town Hall during Heritage Week with support from the National Trust and sponsorship from Caltex.
When sponsorship became unviable, the ball moved to other venues which were more affordable. We did look at Sydney Town Hall later and found the pricing (especially catering) to be even more out of our reach. http://www.bushmusic.org.au/ball_heritage_history.shtml

1. Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1981

25.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1993
2. Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1981

3. Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1983

4.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1983

5.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1984

6.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1984

7.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1984 - Bob Bolton's design

8.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1984, sample from printer

9.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1985

10.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1985

11.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1986

12. Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1986

13.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1988

14.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1988

15.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1989

16.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1989

17.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1990

18.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1990

19.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1991

20.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1991

21.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1992

22.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1992

24.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1992

25.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1994

26.  Heritage Week Colonial Ball, 1994

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Subscription Balls 1979 - 1990