Hi Folks,                                                                       

       
•  Tamworth crowds were down about 25%, as you would expect with the floods up north and the very early start to the festival due to the way the calendar works. Our shows were well supported and it was a friendly atmosphere and lots of fun with old friends. Next year is the 40th Tamworth with Australia Day IN the festival once again in 2012!

• Port Fairy Festival coming up in March plus a trip to New Zealand for some big shows and other shows at Caloundra RSL and various places ... and a few new books planned also for 2011, including one on TRUCKING STORIES which is proving to be a lot of fun to write ...I learn SO MUCH when I write books!

• Don't forget Noel Stallard and myself would like to invite you all to spend a magical week with us on Norfolk Island - 12-19th of May.

The first three days will feature Poets' Breakfasts and workshops on writing and performing verse with Noel Stallard and myself. At night Noel will perform his special John O'Brien tribute, 'Around the Boree Log' and I'll perform a 'Swag of Aussie Verse'. We will also join Norfolk's own renowned poet, Archie Bigge on a magical 'Wonderland By Night' poetry tour in the island's enchanted forest.

You can join in, learn about bush verse, or just enjoy the entertainment, make new friends and play golf on the Island's beautiful course. We all stay at friendly Hillcrest Gardens so Noel and myself will be there to chat about our verse heritage and history through the week. But three days of bush verse is just the beginning!

The second part of our tour is four days of wonderful island history, hospitality and scenery PLUS a GOLD PASS to the famous Norfolk Island Country Music Festival for a meet-and-greet evening and then three nights of great Country Music and socialising with Aussie and Kiwi country music artists and enthusiasts and the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year. This year Gina Jeffreys is the featured artist along with myself, The Smokin' Crawdads, Mitchell Shadlow  & others.

Everything about Norfolk is different and local historian Arthur Evans will take us on a fascinating journey through the island's past. You will learn how to make rope from flax, a pen and ink, and shingles for the roof. Arthur will also explain how Islanders live today when we visit his rural home and experience his self-sustaining lifestyle.

Polynesians abandoned Norfolk Island centuries before Capt Cook 'discovered' it in 1774. Britain's second Pacific settlement later became 'Hell in Paradise’ for convicts until Queen Victoria gave the island to the descendants of the Bounty mutineers of Pitcairn Island in 1856. With its own language and no social security or taxes, Norfolk Island is different - it's the only nation in the world, which lists NICKNAMES in the phone book! Our tour is organised direct from Norfolk Travel Centre on the island and is great value at $1759 all inclusive except lunch and dinner!! - contact Christan for a week you'll never forget !! email christan@travelcentre.nf christan@travelcentre.nf

Look forward to seeing you at one of the festivals or on the Norfolk Island trip which will be something special to remember for a long time.

Cheers
Jim