Australian Bush Laureate Awards – 2011 winners

Winners in the 2011 Australian Bush Laureate awards were announced in Tamworth today (January 18).

Book of the Year went to Murray Hartin for his work A Whole Lotta Muz, a combination of Murray’s best poems and hilarious columns.

Album of the Year was won by Jack Drake for his release, Australian Bush Poetry Classics, a CD which forms the basis for a teaching package for students in late primary and high school classes.

Bush Poem of the Year went to Gallipoli by Keith “Cobber” Lethbridge, the same poem that won the famed Winton Bronze Swagman Award in its year of entry.

Single Recorded Performance of the Year went to Black Saturday by Jim Brown, the second year running Jim has claimed this award. The poem is a reflection on Victoria’s tragic and disastrous “Black Saturday” bushfires.

Children’s Poem of the Year was named as Petunia by award-winning poet Carol Heuchan.

The Judith Hosier Heritage Award – for outstanding achievement in nurturing Australia’s heritage of verse – was presented to Noel Stallard for his work in promoting Australian verse to children, both as a teacher and school administrator, through his shows and workshops in schools and for his service as a past president of the Australian Bush Poetry Association.

The award was also made especially for Noel’s tireless and lifelong promotion of the verse and memory of the great Australian poet Patrick Hartigan (Father John O’Brien) which has led to the planned establishment of a multi million dollar John O’Brien Centre to be built at Narrandera in NSW.

This year was the 16th year for the Bush Laureate Awards which were established in 1997 to recognise excellence in published and recorded Australian bush poetry.

The Australian Bush Laureate Awards will be held in Tamworth again next January, with nominations scheduled to open in August.

Further information, including coverage on the work of all nominees, can be obtained from www.bushlaureate.com.au

For full details of finalists and nominees, visit www.bushlaureate.com.au