The Wombat Bush Poets are dousing their campfire and hanging up their microphones, thus drawing the final curtain on 24 years of dedicated community service.

This means that they will not be continuing their community radio sessions, bi-monthly bush poetry ‘open mic’ meetings and National Cherry Festival Big Breakfast events.

In 2000 Greg Broderick, who along with David Styles and others, performed bush poetry in the Young area on an informal basis, was approached with a request to organise a bush poetry competition for National Cherry Festival.

Greg, a well-known local stock and station agent, with a strong background in musical theatre, accepted the task.

If Greg hadn’t taken up the challenge, then the Wombat Bush Poets may not have come into existence.

It was roughly around 2005 that Ted Webber joined with Greg and they continued to run the National Cherry Festival competition for another decade.

The bush poetry competition grew a life of its own, and was lucky enough to have some of the greats in Bush Poetry take part, including the likes of Milton Taylor, Carol Heuchan and Gary Lowe.

"Somewhere along the way, we thought we could do bush poetry at the National Cherry Festival Big Breakfast," Ted said.

"The Junior competition started there and ran through until 2024."

During 2012 Greg and Ted decided to hold regular meetings each month and the Wombat Hotel was chosen as the venue, and they adopted the name of “Wombat Pub Poets”.

“We wanted our gatherings to be relaxed and encouraging," Ted said.

"Anybody was welcome to have a turn and could recite or read, sing or play an instrument as they wished.

“All first timers were given a standing ovation.”

Initially and over the following years the meetings were very popular and drew large audiences and participation.

The performers were mainly from Young and surrounds whilst others travelled from Canberra, Tumut and Bathurst to take part, with a large number going on to be very successful in their own right.

"Even when we moved the meetings to Young, we remained the Wombat Bush Poets," Ted said.

After having travelled to the Banjo Patterson Festival in Orange and seen two top class performers who are former Australian Champions, Wombat Bush Poets organised for Mel and Susie to travel to every primary school across the Hilltops thanks to the support of Rotary, Hilltops Arts and Lions Club.

Over the course of two weeks Mel and Susie performed for 886 students and introduced many, for the first time, to the joy of Bush Poetry.

Back in 2005 Greg was approached by the ABC and for the next 6/7 months broadcast monthly over 2CR.

On the back of that Wombat Bush Poets created a fantastic relationship with 2YYY Community Radio as they sent an invitation to Greg to perform a weekly spot on the station.

"That weekly spot grew into an hour long show of poetry, music and chit-chat with Greg, Jimmy Lamb and me," Ted said.

The group has also performed its 'Campfire Yarns' at every Hilltops Off the Beaten Track, including this year's event.

The Wombat Bush Poets was a sub ground of Hilltops Arts Incorporated who have been great supporters of the group.

"We've been very fortunate and have many supporters including local hotels and clubs, Southern Cross Cinema, Hilltops Council and Southern Tablelands Arts," Ted said.

Wombat Bush Poets journey over the past 24 years is a remarkable story of dedication and community engagement.

The group's efforts have not only entertained but fostered talent and encouraged creativity that has left its mark on the Hilltops region.

"And if it hadn't been for Greg taking up that initial challenge, perhaps the Wombat Bush poets wouldn't have existed," Ted said.

One final poem

As the sun is sinking slowly and the sky is changing hue, we have sat around a campfire, Greg and Ted and you,

Sharing yarns and laughter, sometimes shed a tear, and sung our songs with gusto, but now the end is near.

For Time's sweet bell is tolling and we must heed its call, but before we douse our campfire, we thank you, one and all.