{"id":29942,"date":"2013-04-13T01:12:19","date_gmt":"2013-04-12T15:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=29942"},"modified":"2020-12-21T10:24:01","modified_gmt":"2020-12-21T00:24:01","slug":"spirited-start-to-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2013\/04\/13\/spirited-start-to-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirited Start To Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Winner of the Pastel and Charcoal section of the art competition was Joanne Tollefson with her work “Up Again”; Joanne is a “grey nomad” who has been houseminding in Nanango when she heard about the competition and decided to enter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sandy and Ross Towell … two of the driving forces behind the Spirit of the South Burnett festival<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 13, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

The spirit of the South Burnett shone brightly at the gala launch of the region’s official flood recovery festival at the Nanango Cultural Centre on Friday night.<\/p>\n

It proved that three floods in five weeks, on top of the massive 2011 disaster, aren’t enough to keep the spirit of the South Burnett down!<\/p>\n

About 100 local residents, musicians, artists and council representatives gathered at the black tie gala event to officially launch the delayed Spirit of the South Burnett festival.<\/p>\n

Ironically, the festival – which remembers the 2011 floods – was to be held earlier this year but had to be postponed … by floods.<\/p>\n

As the audience settled in their chairs, the lights were dimmed for the premiere of a documentary about the 2011 floods.<\/p>\n

The short film, shot and edited by local videographer Dean Love, featured interviews with people affected by the 2011 floods as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the planning of the Spirit of the South Burnett Festival.<\/p>\n

Also launched was “In The Spirit”, a book of flood anecdotes and memories written by Sandy Towell, one of the main instigators (along with the Boots’n Bulldust committee) of the Spirit of the South Burnett festival.<\/p>\n

Sandy said she had written the book “because the whole region needed to be acknowledged for what it has been through”.<\/p>\n

The winner of the Spirit of the South Burnett song-writing competition, Leila May Coomber, then came on stage and was presented with a prize cheque by Rob Woodall, from Stanwell. She was then called on to perform her award-winning song live.<\/p>\n

Copies of the CD which features Leila’s song, as well as nine other tracks by local artists, are available to buy for $10.<\/p>\n

The audience then enjoyed a sneak peek of an excerpt from local playwright Liz Schneidewin’s new play “Spirit”, which highlights the stresses that the 2011 floods put on families.<\/p>\n

The winners of the Spirit of the South Burnett art competition, which was judged by Brisbane artist Brian Deagon, were also announced.<\/p>\n

All the artworks were on show as well as a wall of flood photographs prepared by Kathy Julian, from Proston.<\/p>\n

South Burnett Deputy Mayor Cr Keith Campbell officially opened the festival.<\/p>\n

He congratulated Sandy Towell and the Boots’n Bulldust committee for organising the event.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spirit of the South Burnett continues from 1:00pm to 6:00pm tomorrow in George Street, Nanango, with a family fun day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There’ll be a street carnival with non-stop live entertainment on stage as well as performances of the play and documentary at the Cultural Centre and two art exhibitions.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Art Competition results:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Watercolour<\/strong>
\n1. “Housetops in Flood” – Daphne Browne
\n2. “Mysterious Place – Wooroolin Wetlands” – Margaret Arnott<\/p>\n

Oil and Acrylics<\/strong>
\n1. “Ficks Crossing Disaster” – Hope Marie Dutton
\n2. “Back To Normal” – Daphne Browne<\/p>\n

Pastel and Charcoal<\/strong>
\n1. “Up Again” – Joanne Tollefson<\/p>\n

Any Other Media<\/strong>
\n1. “Skape” – Philip Thomas
\n2. “Real People, Real Places and Faith” – June McCotter<\/p>\n

Ceramic and Sculpture<\/strong>
\n1. “Rustic 4 Seater” – Julia Shaw
\n2. “Resilience” – Sandy Towell<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Songwriting Competition winner:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Leila May Coomber – “Unexpected Changes”<\/p>\n

The other nine songs selected for the CD are:<\/strong>
\nTori Somers – “Spirit of the South Burnett”
\nLily Love – “Rise Again”
\nBob Mouat – “Floods of Friendship”
\nAmber Goldsmith – “Small Town Thing”
\nAmanda Sempf – “It’s Our Australian Spirit”
\nKatie Sempf – “Catching Fish In Puddles”
\nDave Coomber – “Country Spirit”
\nStella Cisneros – “South Burnett In Our Blood”
\nLuke Green – “No Way Back Home”<\/p>\n

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The recording artists featured on the Spirit of the South Burnett CD got together at the launch … from left, Justine Cisneros, Stella Cisneros, Dave Coomber, Leila Coomber, Dana Stewart, Tori Somers, Amber Goldsmith (Photo: Clive Lowe Photography)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n