Festival beats the flames

By Melissa Grant
ORGANISERS of the annual Bunyip Country Music Festival put on a great 20th show despite a few bumps in the road.
The sound crew cancelled a week before the event and some Victorians mistakenly thought Bunyip had been burnt down in the recent bushfires – but on Sunday a strong crowd danced away at the town’s football ground.
Golden Guitar winner Adam Harvey headed the festival’s line-up which also included popular country acts Feral Swing Cats, Victoria Baillie and Karen Lynne and Blue Mountain Rain.
Organiser Joy Batchelor said the turnout was slightly bigger than last year’s crowd of 1500.
“It was one hiccup after the other, but anyhow we got the show on the road and the ones that came enjoyed it,” she said.
Ms Batchelor said Adam Harvey, who performed for the 14th time at the festival, was a crowd favourite.
“Apparently the kids were dancing their socks off when he was on,” she said.
The Cardinia Shire Council awarded Ms Batchelor for her 20-year involvement with the popular festival.
The appreciation letter, signed by Cardinia Shire mayor Bill Pearson and chief executive Garry McQuillan, recognised her “wonderful service to the lovers of country music”.
Ms Batchelor started as a helper before taking over the reins for the fifth annual show.
“I was just a helper when they decided to run the first one, I had never booked an act in my life,” she said.
Ms Batchelor’s friend Robyn McIntosh said the award was well-deserved.
“She works her little butt off and attends a lot of festivals and listens out for what would work here,” she said.