Our Ukulele School which ran all week from Tuesday until Sunday. With Mick Angeles- a real talent himself,  & everyone learnt to play so well in that time! All Micks students were onstage on Sunday & did him proud with two encores! they were great! Our doggie parade- wow! where did all the dogs come from! amazing to see so many- long & short-tall & tiny- allsorts! Our big winner was a special kinda collie! I'll have to confirm that with Fran-& Anne our Judges & main sponsor. With prizes awarded to all our canine competitors!  from Total Grooming in Warwick! Our beautiful talented Cape Byron Dancers- what can I say- they just get better every year! their costumes are magnificent- they are indeed a world class act -and how lucky are we to have them at Bony Mountain every year! I thank Karen & Molly who put everything into this group! and it shows!  so many beautiful Dances -so much inspiration! All of our artists were amazing too- So many people commented they thought it was our best ever- so far!  this year will top that I'm sure!  

For 2018- our fire breathing Dragon/Lizard- very generously loaned from Paul-in Killarney! everyone was fascinated- and we might have more next year! Blush Foundation (Cancer Care Nurses) made $500 selling product- and Sue & I served Mull Wine- in our new Bush Camp Cafe- and we raised $70 for the Blush Foundation! not much ,but we will be better organised next year! we ran out! Our fire restrictions were an annoyance-however conditions were so dry, so it was to be expected!  But great that we could light up our Fire Dragon! 

We are supporting Young Care this year! and we will be supporting them 100% next year .Daphne -one of our most dedicated Volunteers-does not do anything by half! she throws herself in boots & all. and so will we for 2019. Young Care supports & provides accommodation for young people who are unable to live at home-or who have nobody to support them! This is a critical situation with thousands of these young people in need of our help. At present there are so many of them housed in Aged Care facilities because they have nowhere else to go? So we must all step up & do what we can- while we can-to make such a difference in these young peoples lives!  So do come along & donate next year- or right now if you google Young Care! 

For 2018 fifteen years since we said Goodbye- I wanted to pay a special tribute to Slim & to highlight what I consider we all think about (Slim) .This bloke from Nulla Nulla Creek-humble beginnings- this young bush kid who became a Legend-a Mentor-to so many - who travelled Australia-out where noone else would go- where he was worshipped by most-  and created his own unique Aussie brand of music! Slim was certainly a one off -and I saw this as our chance to honour him-here on the Darling Downs- here in Queensland. In particular-Slim was like a preacher in so many ways -taking his stories-his message-to the outback- the far corners of Australia who all loved him for it.    His life, his legacy, his music , and of course the most important legacy of all, are his wonderful family. Anne, Joy, Dianne & those who lived & breathed both the man & his music. Mike Kerin (the fettler), Rod Coe. Slims Producer & Bass player who spent a lifetime on the road with Slim. . And to have most of them all here for this occasion ! was very special indeed. We unveiled a huge Sandstone Memorial- on Saturday & Saturday night -as Anne and the Slim Dusty family show took to the stage- our entire grass area was packed- our biggest Sat crowd ever! !  And how exciting to have this here at our little Festival! we are truly honoured ! A bloke called Dudley Monument  from Sunshine Coast- brought his exciting Slim Exhibition- including an original 1935 Caravan that Slim & Joy toured in. So  great to see this wonderful display! big thanks to Dudley for sharing it with us. Pictures of part of the Exhibition shown here & we also featured Slim -in our Gallery this year! with lots of wonderful pieces on loan from Mary Ryan-a very dedicated CM Presenter & historian & Slim fan right here in Warwick! 

I decided last year that as I'm now trying to slow down?ha-ha. That I wanted to become a (Not For Profit) and become incorporated and hopefully take us on into the future with a whole new Committee-new plans-new goals and get some serious funding happening to take us on to bigger & better things. I admit it has been a bit overwhelming trying to put on a world class event on an oily rag-budget! As they say a champagne supper -on a beer budget! And of course I have some pretty grand plans -so I need a strong group around me to help us to achieve this. Although looking back to eight years ago I do accept that we have already come leaps & bounds from where this all began. And of course I must thank all of these wonderful Volunteers here from day one- Friends & mates who shared the dream and who got stuck in & made it all happen! Some of my Neighbours- our Festival family- or just lovers of Country music who have given their time & their support since we began in 2011. I feel excited about our progress and I am so proud of all that we have achieved- I reckon the sky is the limit from here on ! I congratulate all of our supporters-sponsors-and of course our wonderful Bony Mountain family who keep on coming back every year & make Bony Mountain so special!  Thank you XX

Molly- our glamourous Pirate! (Cape Byron Celtic Dancers)