With Bush Verse becoming more and more popular, there were visitors who  travelled many kilometres to attend the Poets Breakfast held at the Highfields Pioneer Village recently. The Breakfast  is part of the annual Crows Nest Community Festival. Guest poet Janine Haig from Eulo/Chinchilla area recited various poems including some from her books “I Hope Yer Sheep Get Flyblown” and “Always Wear Clean Knickers.”

Janine won the Bronze Swagman competition in 2003 with her poem “Not Gone” which she performed at the breakfast. She has recited poetry with ‘Cowboy Poets’, won various overseas trips and recited in U S A in Denver, Colorado and  Elko, Nevada.

Fairholme College Year 10 student Georgia Steele (15) from Bowenville also recited several of Janine’s poems, and well known poet Ron Selby and camp oven cook and poet Ned Winter recited poetry with their usual humour.

Winners of the poetry competition sponsored by Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches were:-

Senior Poet:- Sam Greer,

Junior Poet – Alex Duff

and

People’s Choice Award –

Val Eldridge.

The recipients of funds raised at this year’s breakfast are the Highfields Scouts/Guides and the Highfields Pioneer Village.

Heritage Crows Nest & Highfields Community Branches is a joint venture between Progressive Community Crows Nest Ltd (PCCN) and Heritage Building Society. Under the Heritage community banking model, profits are distributed to community organisations, charities and special community events. 50% of branch profits are put back into the local community.

Submitted by Jenny Gersekowski