The Bush Music Club was founded in 1954 to collect, publish and popularise Australia’s traditional songs, dances, music, yarns, recitations and folklore and to encourage the composition of a new kind of song - one that was traditional in style but contemporary in theme.
Articles © Bush Music Club Inc unless stated otherwise, photographs © individual photographer.
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(photos © Sandra Nixon)
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| 1. John Warner |
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| 2. Railway boards |
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| 3. Brian (pointing) |
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| 4. Music with Concert Party |
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| 5. Ros & Mike Young |
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| 6. John Dengate |
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| 7. Walters & Warner |
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| 8. Walters & Warner |
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| 9. John Dengate |
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| 10. John Dengate |
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| 11. audience |
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| 12. Bob Bolton |
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| 13. John Dengate |
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| 14. John Dengate |
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| 15. Margaret Walters |
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| 16. audience |
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| 17. Brian Dunnett |
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Thanks to member Brian Freeman for his photos, & to Peter Campbell, folkie, designer of the festival program, Official Photographer & all around good bloke for permission to post some of his photos.
Photos 1 to 10 © Brian Freeman
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| 1. Saplings session at the Fire Station |
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| 2. Dancing to Southern Cross Bush Band & friends |
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| 3. Dancing to Southern Cross Bush Band & friends |
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| 4. Southern Cross Bush Band (Rick on keyboard, Chris, Helen & Tony) friends Emily, Eli, Elaine, Cathy, Nora, Ian, plus Vanessa & Pam who are hidden behind Tony |
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| 5. Dancing to Southern Cross Bush Band & friends |
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| 6. Sound by Andrew Clermont |
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| 7. The Pickled Wombat pictured around midnight Saturday, 2 hours after the music was programmed to end! A wood stove heater warmed those playing music inside, whilst others sat outside on the covered verandas. (Brian, email 01/05) |
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| 8. Stringline - Paula, Paul, Christina |
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| 9. Mike Martin |
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| 10. 40 Degrees South - Don Brian, Margaret Walters, Chris Maltby, Tom Hanson |
Photos 11 to 31 © Peter Campbell
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| 11. Black Joak Morris © Peter Campbell |
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| 12. Black Joak Morris © Peter Campbell |
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| 13. Russell Neal, Black Joak Morris © Peter Campbell |
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| 14. Mike Martin © Peter Campbell |
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| 15. Mike Martin © Peter Campbell |
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| 16. Peter Hicks © Peter Campbell |
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| 17. Black Joak Morris © Peter Campbell |
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| 18. Black Joak Morris © Peter Campbell |
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| 19. Margaret Fagan © Peter Campbell |
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| 20. Margaret Fagan © Peter Campbell |
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| 21. Margaret & Bob Fagan, Anthony Woolcott, Miguel Heatwole © Peter Campbell |
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| 22. Kejafi - © Peter Campbell |
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| 23. Kejafi - Fiona © Peter Campbell |
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| 24. Kejafi - James © Peter Campbell |
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| 25. Kejafi - James © Peter Campbell |
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| 26. Kejafi - Ken © Peter Campbell |
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| 27. Kejafi - Ken & Fiona © Peter Campbell |
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| 28. Kejafi - James © Peter Campbell |
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| 29. Kejafi - Fiona & James © Peter Campbell |
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| 30. Kejafi - Ken © Peter Campbell |
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| 31. Helen Romeo, Saplings coordinator © Peter Campbell |
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| Merro at Yass, 1988 ( Peter Ellis collection - taken by Merro using timer) |
64.
63. Dale Dengate's research in NLA - John Meredith m/s.. FOLKSONGS OF AUSTRALIA . VOL 3
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2025/07/dale-dengates-research-in-nla-john.html
62. Merro's Instruments
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/09/merros-instruments.html
61. From the Archives - Some thoughts on transcribing from tapes, by John Meredith
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/11/from-archives-some-thoughts-on.html
60. From the Archives - Extracts from Mulga Wire - no. 226, December 2014, & MW no. 17, February 1980 - Australia's first folksong
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/08/from-archives-extracts-from-mulga-wire_15.html
59. From the Archives - Miscellaneous Correspondence - 1960's onward
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/06/from-archives-miscellaneous_22.html
58. From the Archives - The Merro Scrapbooks - a very incomplete collection of articles by John Meredith found in other publications
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/05/from-archives-merro-scrapbooks-very.html
57. From the Archives - John Meredith's Old Bush Songs series in The Bulletin, March - May 1955
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/05/from-archives-john-merediths-old-bush.html
56. From the Archives - Tales from the Upper Murray - John Meredith's original field notes & typed copy
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/05/from-archives-tales-from-upper-murray.htm
55. Compilation - Articles about our founder, John Meredith OAM, 17th January 1920 - 18th February 2001.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/04/compilation-articles-about-our-founder.html
54. John Burch's memories of John Meredith
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/04/john-burchs-memories-of-john-meredith.html
53. Chris & Virginia Woodland Collection - Miscellaneous photos
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2024/02/ciris-virginia-woodland-collection.html
52. From the Archives - Send Round the Hat, Duke Tritton by his mates. Collected & edited by John Meredith - Part 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/05/from-archives-send-round-hat-duke_18.html
51. From the Archives - Send Round the Hat, Duke Tritton by his mates. Collected & edited by John Meredith - Part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/05/from-archives-send-round-hat-duke.html
50. From the Archives - Memories & Accounts of Bush Music Club and it's Origins, parts 1 & 2 by Dale Dengate
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/04/from-archives-memories-accounts-of-bush.html
49. From the Archives - review by Alan Scott of John Meredith's Gallant Peter Clark
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2023/04/from-th-archives-review-by-alan-scott.html
48. From the Archives - On the track of the Shed Rep by John Meredith, Parts 1 & 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2022/02/from-archives-on-track-of-shed-rep-by.html
47. From the Archives - Forum for Folklore Collectors, University of NSW, 4-6 December 1987
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2022/02/from-archives-forum-for-folklore.html
46. Newspaper & Magazine clippings - Part 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2021/05/newspaper-magazine-clippings-part-2.html
45. Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 5(1), January 1963
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_73.html
44. Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 4(1), October 1960
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_63.html
43. FOLK SONGS OF AUSTRALIA and the men and women who sang them - Celebrating the centenary of John Meredith's birth - Script Part 1
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/folk-songs-of-australia-and-men-and.html
42. FOLK SONGS OF AUSTRALIA and the men and women who sang them - Celebrating the centenary of John Meredith's birth - Script part 2
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/09/folk-songs-of-australia-and-men-and.html
41. Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 1(3), Winter 1956
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_33.html
40. Singabout - Journal of Australian Folksong, Volume 1(2), Autumn 1956
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/08/singabout-journal-of-australian_10.html
39. From the Archives - Merro's music comes to Jamberoo, Illawarra Folk Festival September 2001
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/07/from-archives-merros-music-comes-to.html
38. Publications of the Bush Music Club, 1950s to date
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/07/publications-of-bush-music-club-1950s.html
37. From the Archives - John Stanley's squeeze-boxes called the tune at a thousand bush dances.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/06/from-archives-john-stanleys-squeeze.html
36. Centenary of the birth of John Meredith OAM (17 January 1920 – 18 February 2001) (links)
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/05/centenary-of-birth-of-john-meredith-oam.html
35. From the Archives - Collecting Forum December 1987, Mulga Wire no.65, February 1988
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-collecting-forum-december.html
34. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no. 53, February 1986. John Meredith's Order of Australia.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-mulga-wire-no53-february.html
33. From the Archives - Book review by John Meredith - Peter Ellis's Collector's choice - Volume Three. Mulga Wire no. 72, April 1989
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-book-review-by-john.html
32. BMC & members gigs at National Folk Festival 9-13 April 2020 - FESTIVAL CANCELLED due to covid
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/03/bmc-members-gigs-national-folk-festival.html
30. Review by Dale Dengate of Keith McKenry's More than a Life, John Meredith and the Fight for Australian Tradition.
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/review-by-dale-dengate-of-keith.html
29. Reports on launches of Keith McKenry's biography of John Meredith, 2013 & 2014
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/reports-on-launches-of-keith-mckenrys.html
28. BMC Members & friends mentioned in Sydney New Theatre's Wiki
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/bmc-members-and-friends-mentioned-in.html
27. From the Archives - The Art of Collecting Folk Songs by John Meredith, Singabout 5(1), January 1963
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/02/from-archives-art-of-collecting-folk.html
26. Poem from the Past - The Phantom Horseman of Cricket Pitch Ridge by John Meredith, c.1961
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/01/poem-from-past-phantom-horseman-of.html
25. Information on our Life members - Part 1. Sally Sloane, Duke Tritton, Clem Millward, Val Hennesy, John Meredith
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2019/12/life-members-information-on-our-25-life.html
24. John Meredith - miscellaneous photos and artifacts
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2019/09/john-meredith-miscellaneous-photos-and.html
23. Contributions by John Meredith & Chris Woodland to "Stockman's Hall of Fame" 1997 to 2002
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/10/contributions-by-john-meredith-chris.html
22. Article in A.M. Magazine, January 16, 1956
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/article-in-am-magazine-january-16-1954.html
21. Article in "People" magazine, 11th January 1956
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/article-in-people-magazine-11th-january.html
20. Bob Bolton Collection - Wake for John Meredith, AM, (1920-2001) 24th March 2001
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/bob-bolton-collection-wake-for-john.html
19. Memorial Concert for John Meredith, NFF2002
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2018/01/memorial-concert-for-john-meredith.html
18. John Meredith - photos from the Peter Ellis Collection.
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/john-meredith-photos-from-peter-ellis.html
17. John Meredith - photos from the Rob Willis collection
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/john-meredith-photos-from-rob-willis.html
16. John Meredith - author and photographer
https://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/john-meredith-author.html
15. Archival Photos - the P-series of photos from the early days
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2017/08/archival-photographs-p-series-of-photos.html
14. Chris & Virginia Woodland Collection - Photos of John Meredith
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com/2017/08/chris-virginia-woodland-collection.html
13. Bob Bolton Collection - Launch of Folk Songs of Australia, Vol. 2, 29th May 1987
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/bob-bolton-collection-launch-of-folk.html
12. Extracts from Singabout - the early songwriters - John Meredith (1920-2001)
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/extracts-from-singabout-early_29.html
11. Chris & Virginia Woodland Collection- Wake for John Meredith AM, (1920-2001) - 24th March 2001
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2015/07/chris-and-virginia-woodland-collection.html
10. The Great Pesto Showdown - memories of John Meredith, By Jan Fallding (nee Howe), November 2003
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/the-great-pesto-showdown-memories-of.html
9. The Ballad of the Heathcote Bushwhackers (Dec 2014) In 2013 long time members Jamie Carlin, Fank Maher & Ralph Pride presented the Ballad of the Bushwhackers to an enthusiastic audience. Eric Eisler produced the show & Ian Hamilton was narrator.
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/the-ballad-of-heathcote-bushwhackers.html
8. Launch of Keith McKenry's Biography of John Meredith, founder of the Bush Music Club
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2014/08/launch-of-keith-mckenrys-biography-of.html
7. John Meredith, The Bush Music Club & The Australian Folk Song Revival (1950’s) Memorial article by Bob Bolton on our website.
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/john-meredith-bush-music-club.html
6. John Meredith, The Bush Music Club & The Australian Folk Song Revival (1950’s)
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2013/04/john-meredith-bush-music-club.html
5. Let’s Hear It For Merro! by Alan Scott, Mulga Wire No. 14 August 1979
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2012/11/lets-hear-it-for-merro-by-alan-scott.html
4. In The Beginning … The formation and early history of the Bush Music Club, by John Meredith
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/in-beginning-formation-and-early.html
3. A few comments on John Meredith by Chris Woodland
http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/talks-from-bmcs-2012-national-folk_02.html
2. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no.2, August 1977 - complete
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-mulga-wire-no2-august-1977.html
1. From the Archives - Mulga Wire no.1, August 1977 - complete
https://blog.bushmusic.org.au/2020/04/from-archives-mulga-wire-no1-june-1977.html
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As promised, with our 70 year anniversary this year, here is a short history of my association with BMC.
Around 1957/58 when I was at school, I had a friend by the name of Bob Smith. We were both in the cadet band at school. Bob's Mother was a friend of John Meredith and John came to our school a few times and played and taught us some Australian bush songs. He was a great ambassador for BMC.
My career and family then took priority and I quit the band and lost contact with BMC.
I still had occasional jam sessions with Barry from time to time but didn't play very often.
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