Local History at Coal Creek Literary Festival. Two of the sessions at next month’s Coal Creek Literary Festival are a real treat for anyone interested in local history. At the Courthouse from 11 am there will be a talk entitled “The Land of the Lyre Bird: The local background.” Variously described as “one of the most remarkable compilations of settler records,” and one of the “four primary works” on Gippsland writing, this book is easily the best known books on the settler experience in South Gippsland. It is an indication of its popularity that it has gone through a number of reprints, as well as a new edition when it was last released in 1998. Both presenters are highly qualified to speak on the subject, and both are previous winners of the Victorian Community History Awards. Jillian Durance lives at ‘Bonnie Vale,’ the Moyarra property where early settlers met 100 years ago this year to record their stories of pioneer life. She specializes in the period of the Great War and was the overall winner in the Victorian Community History Awards in 2007 for her work, Still Going Strong: The story of the Moyarra Honor Roll. As Patrick Morgan points out in Foothill Farmers: The Literature of Gippsland, a number of things make The Land of the Lyre Bird distinctive, if not unique. It was written by the pioneers themselves, and women are included, and as well as this includes examples of poetry of a high standard. Patrick is the other presenter who will be speaking at the session. As well as being well known for his pioneering work in writing about Gippsland literature, in 1997 Patrick Morgan published the highly acclaimed The Settling of Gippsland. This work was the winner of the inaugural Victorian Community History Award in 1998. A rare example of a work giving an overview of Gippsland history, as then Cr. Peter Western wrote in his introduction to the 1997 edition, this book is “an eminently readable account, starting with the story of the of the original Ganai inhabitants and tracing the tribulations, transgressions, failures and successes of European settlers.” The organisers of this year’s Coal Creek Literary Festival are proud to announce that Patrick Morgan will be releasing a reprint of The Settlement of Gippsland, from 2.15pm at the Coal Creek Gallery.
Gavin, I agree with your enthusiasm for the expertise of both Gillian and Patrick. To my knowledge, this will be the first time that they have presented together and their subject, "The Land of the Lyrebird" is one that will thrill any who are familiar with the work. What a treat this workshop promises to be. I'm really looking forward to it.
The Coal Creek Literary Festival enters its 6th year on Saturday October 5th. The brain child of local journalist Bert van Bedaf, the festival has grown each year. This year’s theme will be “Literature, What is it, and what’s next. There is a strong contingent of presenters, works shops and two book launches for this year’s festival. Children’s author & illustrator, Spider Lee, will be launching her book The Hair Ball at 10am to start the festival for the younger audience. Other children’s activities will include workshops by author and poet Jo Hinchliffe, as well as writer and editor, Sarah Billington. Gippsland Historian, Patrick Morgan will also be launching a new finalised version of his book, Settling of Gippsland: A Regional History. The book was first published in 1997 and covers the settlement of the Gippsland region from Aboriginal occupation through to European settlement, squatting, mining, bush ranging and the development of small town communities. Other presenters for the day include local journalists, Jane Ross and Richard Schmeiszl. Jane has been a journalist with The Star Newspaper for a number of years, while Richard is recently retired from The Sentinel Times. Both have been working on writing family histories. Crime author Lindy Cameron returns to the festival this year. Lindy is a renowned author of both true crime and crime fiction. She is the creator of Kit O’Malley PI, a character who has appeared in three of her books. She is also the co author of the true crime books, Killer in the Family and Women who Kill. She will be sharing the stage with Vikki Petraitis, author of The Frankston Serial Killer, the story of Paul Denyer. Vikki writes of true crime and controversy, and is about to release her first fiction novel, The Good, the Bad and the Fugly. The festival will start a 10.00am and will conclude with a panel discussion from 4.15 to 5.30 in the Coal Creek Gallery. For full details of the days activities and a full list of presenters, visit the Coal Creek Literary Festival web site at www.coalcreekliteraryfestival.com
Another classy writer who will contribute to this year's Lit Fest is Judith Armstrong. If you belong to a Bookclub, the chances are you will be familiar with some of her works. The French Tutor was one of my personal favourites. Melbourne Uni came to life in a way I had never appreciated as a student there, or as a staff member. It was a great read and a fantastic starting point for group discussions. Other books of Judith's that I enjoyed were those which featured the De Pieri Brothers and the Italian communities from which they came. I loved the cultural insights, the food and music themes and the fascinating world of family that opened up to the reader as we learnt more of these brothers and their lives. War & Peace and Sonya was such a great read. To think that all the world seems to revere Tolstoy's War and Peace and little thought or credit is directed to Sonya is sobering...Judith corrects this. Her novel is quite thrilling. I am excited to meet its author.
In 2008, Coal Creek hosted the first of its annual Literary Festivals. The brain child of local journalist, Bert van Bedaf, the festival is now into its seventh year. Over the years the festival has slowly grown and has brought to the community informative presenters and panel discussions on a wide range of topics along the lines of writing and publishing. Also over the years, the festival has run various writing competitions. A children’s picture book competition, run in conjunction with local Primary Schools has proved very popular, with some amazing stories being written by very young children. There is a poetry competition with an under 18 and open section, as well as an under 18 short story competition, with prize money for the winners of each section. When Bert van Bedaf passed away in 2010, it was decided to re name the Open Short story competition in his honor. The first Bert van Bedaf Short story award was in 2011, and the prize money was increased to $500. Interest in the competition has steadily grown, and entries are now received from all over Australia. The standard of writing for this competition has been a joy for those of us who read them as part of the judging process. There are some gifted story tellers in our community. Entry to the Bert van Bedaf award is open to anyone who can put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard. Multiple entries are welcome, but an entry fee of $15 must be paid for each entry. Entry forms and conditions are available to download from the Literary Festival web site at www.coalcreekliteraryfestival.com or from Coal Creek Community Park & Museum. For more information on the Literary Festival or any of the writing competitions, please visit our web site or contact Coal Creek on
Come on , all you gifted writers and poets! We really want to share your work. Go online to our Facebook site and enter the short short short story, write a poem for the Poetry Grand Slam and come and read it!!! We will be a most appreciative audience.
Local History at Coal Creek Literary Festival.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the sessions at next month’s Coal Creek Literary Festival are a real treat for anyone interested in local history.
At the Courthouse from 11 am there will be a talk entitled “The Land of the Lyre Bird: The local background.”
Variously described as “one of the most remarkable compilations of settler records,” and one of the “four primary works” on Gippsland writing, this book is easily the best known books on the settler experience in South Gippsland.
It is an indication of its popularity that it has gone through a number of reprints, as well as a new edition when it was last released in 1998.
Both presenters are highly qualified to speak on the subject, and both are previous winners of the Victorian Community History Awards.
Jillian Durance lives at ‘Bonnie Vale,’ the Moyarra property where early settlers met 100 years ago this year to record their stories of pioneer life.
She specializes in the period of the Great War and was the overall winner in the Victorian Community History Awards in 2007 for her work, Still Going Strong: The story of the Moyarra Honor Roll.
As Patrick Morgan points out in Foothill Farmers: The Literature of Gippsland, a number of things make The Land of the Lyre Bird distinctive, if not unique. It was written by the pioneers themselves, and women are included, and as well as this includes examples of poetry of a high standard.
Patrick is the other presenter who will be speaking at the session.
As well as being well known for his pioneering work in writing about Gippsland literature, in 1997 Patrick Morgan published the highly acclaimed The Settling of Gippsland. This work was the winner of the inaugural Victorian Community History Award in 1998.
A rare example of a work giving an overview of Gippsland history, as then Cr. Peter Western wrote in his introduction to the 1997 edition, this book is “an eminently readable account, starting with the story of the of the original Ganai inhabitants and tracing the tribulations, transgressions, failures and successes of European settlers.”
The organisers of this year’s Coal Creek Literary Festival are proud to announce that Patrick Morgan will be releasing a reprint of The Settlement of Gippsland, from 2.15pm at the Coal Creek Gallery.
Gavin, I agree with your enthusiasm for the expertise of both Gillian and Patrick. To my knowledge, this will be the first time that they have presented together and their subject, "The Land of the Lyrebird" is one that will thrill any who are familiar with the work. What a treat this workshop promises to be. I'm really looking forward to it.
Delete6th Coal Creek Literary Festival
ReplyDeleteThe Coal Creek Literary Festival enters its 6th year on Saturday October 5th. The brain child of local journalist Bert van Bedaf, the festival has grown each year. This year’s theme will be “Literature, What is it, and what’s next. There is a strong contingent of presenters, works shops and two book launches for this year’s festival.
Children’s author & illustrator, Spider Lee, will be launching her book The Hair Ball at 10am to start the festival for the younger audience. Other children’s activities will include workshops by author and poet Jo Hinchliffe, as well as writer and editor, Sarah Billington.
Gippsland Historian, Patrick Morgan will also be launching a new finalised version of his book, Settling of Gippsland: A Regional History. The book was first published in 1997 and covers the settlement of the Gippsland region from Aboriginal occupation through to European settlement, squatting, mining, bush ranging and the development of small town communities.
Other presenters for the day include local journalists, Jane Ross and Richard Schmeiszl. Jane has been a journalist with The Star Newspaper for a number of years, while Richard is recently retired from The Sentinel Times. Both have been working on writing family histories.
Crime author Lindy Cameron returns to the festival this year. Lindy is a renowned author of both true crime and crime fiction. She is the creator of Kit O’Malley PI, a character who has appeared in three of her books. She is also the co author of the true crime books, Killer in the Family and Women who Kill. She will be sharing the stage with Vikki Petraitis, author of The Frankston Serial Killer, the story of Paul Denyer. Vikki writes of true crime and controversy, and is about to release her first fiction novel, The Good, the Bad and the Fugly.
The festival will start a 10.00am and will conclude with a panel discussion from 4.15 to 5.30 in the Coal Creek Gallery.
For full details of the days activities and a full list of presenters, visit the Coal Creek Literary Festival web site at www.coalcreekliteraryfestival.com
Another classy writer who will contribute to this year's Lit Fest is Judith Armstrong. If you belong to a Bookclub, the chances are you will be familiar with some of her works. The French Tutor was one of my personal favourites. Melbourne Uni came to life in a way I had never appreciated as a student there, or as a staff member. It was a great read and a fantastic starting point for group discussions.
DeleteOther books of Judith's that I enjoyed were those which featured the De Pieri Brothers and the Italian communities from which they came.
I loved the cultural insights, the food and music themes and the fascinating world of family that opened up to the reader as we learnt more of these brothers and their lives.
War & Peace and Sonya was such a great read. To think that all the world seems to revere Tolstoy's War and Peace and little thought or credit is directed to Sonya is sobering...Judith corrects this. Her novel is quite thrilling. I am excited to meet its author.
$500 Writers Prize
ReplyDeleteIn 2008, Coal Creek hosted the first of its annual Literary Festivals. The brain child of local journalist, Bert van Bedaf, the festival is now into its seventh year. Over the years the festival has slowly grown and has brought to the community informative presenters and panel discussions on a wide range of topics along the lines of writing and publishing. Also over the years, the festival has run various writing competitions. A children’s picture book competition, run in conjunction with local Primary Schools has proved very popular, with some amazing stories being written by very young children. There is a poetry competition with an under 18 and open section, as well as an under 18 short story competition, with prize money for the winners of each section.
When Bert van Bedaf passed away in 2010, it was decided to re name the Open Short story competition in his honor. The first Bert van Bedaf Short story award was in 2011, and the prize money was increased to $500. Interest in the competition has steadily grown, and entries are now received from all over Australia. The standard of writing for this competition has been a joy for those of us who read them as part of the judging process. There are some gifted story tellers in our community. Entry to the Bert van Bedaf award is open to anyone who can put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard. Multiple entries are welcome, but an entry fee of $15 must be paid for each entry.
Entry forms and conditions are available to download from the Literary Festival web site at www.coalcreekliteraryfestival.com or from Coal Creek Community Park & Museum.
For more information on the Literary Festival or any of the writing competitions, please visit our web site or contact Coal Creek on
Ph: 03 5655 1811
Come on , all you gifted writers and poets!
ReplyDeleteWe really want to share your work. Go online to our Facebook site and enter the short short short story, write a poem for the Poetry Grand Slam and come and read it!!!
We will be a most appreciative audience.