Pub breaks out food and fiddles for Anzac Day festival
The Settlers Arms Inn, a two-hour drive from Sydney, attracts thousands of music lovers for the St Albans Folk Festival.
Artists will take the stage in a marquee behind the 189-year-old pub from first to last drinks over the three-day weekend, with local produce also on show.
The volunteer-run event started more than 40 years ago when musicians who played at the Arms decided to create a festival.
"Every local wants to help: the road workers drop their barriers for cars, people mow the lawns, and the firefighters help put up the marquees and stages," festival director Joe Russell told AAP.
"People thought, 'let's make playing music a bit of a festival'.
"It's convenient and there's a lack of conflict with other commitments (festivals) for artists."
The 500 musicians alone quadruple the small town's population as folkies play across five music venues, including at the local fire station.
New pub boss Anthony McAuliffe will be at the festival for the first time since he was a child.
"There are a lot of people singing and dancing in groups all across town. Everyone knows it and it's good for business," he told AAP.
With the Anzac Day public holiday butting up against a weekend, publicans across the country are expecting a busy time.
Former cocktail bar manager Lucy Hadfield said Anzac Day was typically as busy as a Saturday night.
"People would go to the pub across the road and then would come to us for happy hour," she told AAP.
"It's just a really nice day.
"Anzac Day is an earlier night, because people go out earlier.
"If you're closer to a pub, then you always staff more, because people stay at it or go to a local bar across the road."
Punters in Australia's most populous state looking for a feed may also gravitate towards their local establishment more than usual this Anzac Day.
Shops previously required to remain closed until 1pm in NSW will now need to remain closed for the entire day under new bans.
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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
The world's oldest cowboy and still livin' the dream
Bob Holder takes a break after a long day mustering and feeding his cattle, plumping them up before he leaves the farm to ride in an outback rodeo. The 95-year-old cowboy won't rest for very long. He never has. Working on the land, under the sun, alongside animals is exactly what's kept him going strong for close to a century. "You've got something to do every day and you're doing it yourself," Mr Holder told AAP from his property at Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina. "I've got something in my life, I haven't just wasted my life or walked around drinking grog all my life." Mr Holder is preparing to ride with the rope and tie team at Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland from August 8, having competed in thousands of events across Australia and overseas for eight decades. Long known as the "Cootamundra cat" for his lithe riding skills and straight-talk, he is thought to be the oldest competing cowboy in the world. He began at Tumut rodeo in southern NSW after working with his drover father to break in rogues for farmers to ride. By 14, Mr Holder had little interest in calming the animals. He much preferred the wild ones. "I really like bucking horses ... so I thought, 'I'm gonna be a cowboy'," he said. "It gives you a thrill to stay on them, they're tough. "I love a horse that gets right up in the air and really bucks." In his first decade of competing, Mr Holder was a regular feature on the pages of the Cootamundra Herald, which proudly tracked his every move in the rodeo world. He made page two in a 1954 edition for winning a bareback championship and earned the affectionate description of "our local roughrider" when he set out for Queensland's Warwick Rodeo later that year. One of his early wins was relegated to the end of a story about a rare "lady rider" under the headline, Girl Rider Delights Rodeo Crowd. Mr Holder has seen plenty of welcome changes in the sport since those days, including the specialised breeding of rodeo horses that are treated with the same reverence as thoroughbred racers. After suffering minor riding injuries in his 50s and 60s, Mr Holder's peers urged him to retire. "They'd say, 'You have to give it up, you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing at your age'. "Oh, go away - it was a couple of broken bones, that's all." He has outridden those pleas by four decades and missed only one Mount Isa Rodeo in his storied career. "It's the best rodeo in Australia and any outdoor rodeo in the world. "It's well-run, perfect bucking stock, all spectators can get a hell of a good view, nobody can miss anything or get jammed in a corner. "You can't wish for anything better than that." The biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere, itself a 65-year institution, was bolstered by a $1 million state government lifeline after it went into voluntary administration in late 2024. It prides itself on outback traditions, while giving young and Indigenous riders their start. Though Mr Holder has shared plenty of wisdom with those up-and-coming riders, their influence on him is just as vital. "You get too old, too quickly if you start mixing with older people," he said. "You mix with young people and you live longer." Bob Holder takes a break after a long day mustering and feeding his cattle, plumping them up before he leaves the farm to ride in an outback rodeo. The 95-year-old cowboy won't rest for very long. He never has. Working on the land, under the sun, alongside animals is exactly what's kept him going strong for close to a century. "You've got something to do every day and you're doing it yourself," Mr Holder told AAP from his property at Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina. "I've got something in my life, I haven't just wasted my life or walked around drinking grog all my life." Mr Holder is preparing to ride with the rope and tie team at Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland from August 8, having competed in thousands of events across Australia and overseas for eight decades. Long known as the "Cootamundra cat" for his lithe riding skills and straight-talk, he is thought to be the oldest competing cowboy in the world. He began at Tumut rodeo in southern NSW after working with his drover father to break in rogues for farmers to ride. By 14, Mr Holder had little interest in calming the animals. He much preferred the wild ones. "I really like bucking horses ... so I thought, 'I'm gonna be a cowboy'," he said. "It gives you a thrill to stay on them, they're tough. "I love a horse that gets right up in the air and really bucks." In his first decade of competing, Mr Holder was a regular feature on the pages of the Cootamundra Herald, which proudly tracked his every move in the rodeo world. He made page two in a 1954 edition for winning a bareback championship and earned the affectionate description of "our local roughrider" when he set out for Queensland's Warwick Rodeo later that year. One of his early wins was relegated to the end of a story about a rare "lady rider" under the headline, Girl Rider Delights Rodeo Crowd. Mr Holder has seen plenty of welcome changes in the sport since those days, including the specialised breeding of rodeo horses that are treated with the same reverence as thoroughbred racers. After suffering minor riding injuries in his 50s and 60s, Mr Holder's peers urged him to retire. "They'd say, 'You have to give it up, you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing at your age'. "Oh, go away - it was a couple of broken bones, that's all." He has outridden those pleas by four decades and missed only one Mount Isa Rodeo in his storied career. "It's the best rodeo in Australia and any outdoor rodeo in the world. "It's well-run, perfect bucking stock, all spectators can get a hell of a good view, nobody can miss anything or get jammed in a corner. "You can't wish for anything better than that." The biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere, itself a 65-year institution, was bolstered by a $1 million state government lifeline after it went into voluntary administration in late 2024. It prides itself on outback traditions, while giving young and Indigenous riders their start. Though Mr Holder has shared plenty of wisdom with those up-and-coming riders, their influence on him is just as vital. "You get too old, too quickly if you start mixing with older people," he said. "You mix with young people and you live longer." Bob Holder takes a break after a long day mustering and feeding his cattle, plumping them up before he leaves the farm to ride in an outback rodeo. The 95-year-old cowboy won't rest for very long. He never has. Working on the land, under the sun, alongside animals is exactly what's kept him going strong for close to a century. "You've got something to do every day and you're doing it yourself," Mr Holder told AAP from his property at Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina. "I've got something in my life, I haven't just wasted my life or walked around drinking grog all my life." Mr Holder is preparing to ride with the rope and tie team at Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland from August 8, having competed in thousands of events across Australia and overseas for eight decades. Long known as the "Cootamundra cat" for his lithe riding skills and straight-talk, he is thought to be the oldest competing cowboy in the world. He began at Tumut rodeo in southern NSW after working with his drover father to break in rogues for farmers to ride. By 14, Mr Holder had little interest in calming the animals. He much preferred the wild ones. "I really like bucking horses ... so I thought, 'I'm gonna be a cowboy'," he said. "It gives you a thrill to stay on them, they're tough. "I love a horse that gets right up in the air and really bucks." In his first decade of competing, Mr Holder was a regular feature on the pages of the Cootamundra Herald, which proudly tracked his every move in the rodeo world. He made page two in a 1954 edition for winning a bareback championship and earned the affectionate description of "our local roughrider" when he set out for Queensland's Warwick Rodeo later that year. One of his early wins was relegated to the end of a story about a rare "lady rider" under the headline, Girl Rider Delights Rodeo Crowd. Mr Holder has seen plenty of welcome changes in the sport since those days, including the specialised breeding of rodeo horses that are treated with the same reverence as thoroughbred racers. After suffering minor riding injuries in his 50s and 60s, Mr Holder's peers urged him to retire. "They'd say, 'You have to give it up, you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing at your age'. "Oh, go away - it was a couple of broken bones, that's all." He has outridden those pleas by four decades and missed only one Mount Isa Rodeo in his storied career. "It's the best rodeo in Australia and any outdoor rodeo in the world. "It's well-run, perfect bucking stock, all spectators can get a hell of a good view, nobody can miss anything or get jammed in a corner. "You can't wish for anything better than that." The biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere, itself a 65-year institution, was bolstered by a $1 million state government lifeline after it went into voluntary administration in late 2024. It prides itself on outback traditions, while giving young and Indigenous riders their start. Though Mr Holder has shared plenty of wisdom with those up-and-coming riders, their influence on him is just as vital. "You get too old, too quickly if you start mixing with older people," he said. "You mix with young people and you live longer." Bob Holder takes a break after a long day mustering and feeding his cattle, plumping them up before he leaves the farm to ride in an outback rodeo. The 95-year-old cowboy won't rest for very long. He never has. Working on the land, under the sun, alongside animals is exactly what's kept him going strong for close to a century. "You've got something to do every day and you're doing it yourself," Mr Holder told AAP from his property at Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina. "I've got something in my life, I haven't just wasted my life or walked around drinking grog all my life." Mr Holder is preparing to ride with the rope and tie team at Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland from August 8, having competed in thousands of events across Australia and overseas for eight decades. Long known as the "Cootamundra cat" for his lithe riding skills and straight-talk, he is thought to be the oldest competing cowboy in the world. He began at Tumut rodeo in southern NSW after working with his drover father to break in rogues for farmers to ride. By 14, Mr Holder had little interest in calming the animals. He much preferred the wild ones. "I really like bucking horses ... so I thought, 'I'm gonna be a cowboy'," he said. "It gives you a thrill to stay on them, they're tough. "I love a horse that gets right up in the air and really bucks." In his first decade of competing, Mr Holder was a regular feature on the pages of the Cootamundra Herald, which proudly tracked his every move in the rodeo world. He made page two in a 1954 edition for winning a bareback championship and earned the affectionate description of "our local roughrider" when he set out for Queensland's Warwick Rodeo later that year. One of his early wins was relegated to the end of a story about a rare "lady rider" under the headline, Girl Rider Delights Rodeo Crowd. Mr Holder has seen plenty of welcome changes in the sport since those days, including the specialised breeding of rodeo horses that are treated with the same reverence as thoroughbred racers. After suffering minor riding injuries in his 50s and 60s, Mr Holder's peers urged him to retire. "They'd say, 'You have to give it up, you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing at your age'. "Oh, go away - it was a couple of broken bones, that's all." He has outridden those pleas by four decades and missed only one Mount Isa Rodeo in his storied career. "It's the best rodeo in Australia and any outdoor rodeo in the world. "It's well-run, perfect bucking stock, all spectators can get a hell of a good view, nobody can miss anything or get jammed in a corner. "You can't wish for anything better than that." The biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere, itself a 65-year institution, was bolstered by a $1 million state government lifeline after it went into voluntary administration in late 2024. It prides itself on outback traditions, while giving young and Indigenous riders their start. Though Mr Holder has shared plenty of wisdom with those up-and-coming riders, their influence on him is just as vital. "You get too old, too quickly if you start mixing with older people," he said. "You mix with young people and you live longer."
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
The world's oldest cowboy and still livin' the dream
Bob Holder takes a break after a long day mustering and feeding his cattle, plumping them up before he leaves the farm to ride in an outback rodeo. The 95-year-old cowboy won't rest for very long. He never has. Working on the land, under the sun, alongside animals is exactly what's kept him going strong for close to a century. "You've got something to do every day and you're doing it yourself," Mr Holder told AAP from his property at Cootamundra in the NSW Riverina. "I've got something in my life, I haven't just wasted my life or walked around drinking grog all my life." Mr Holder is preparing to ride with the rope and tie team at Mount Isa Rodeo in outback Queensland from August 8, having competed in thousands of events across Australia and overseas for eight decades. Long known as the "Cootamundra cat" for his lithe riding skills and straight-talk, he is thought to be the oldest competing cowboy in the world. He began at Tumut rodeo in southern NSW after working with his drover father to break in rogues for farmers to ride. By 14, Mr Holder had little interest in calming the animals. He much preferred the wild ones. "I really like bucking horses ... so I thought, 'I'm gonna be a cowboy'," he said. "It gives you a thrill to stay on them, they're tough. "I love a horse that gets right up in the air and really bucks." In his first decade of competing, Mr Holder was a regular feature on the pages of the Cootamundra Herald, which proudly tracked his every move in the rodeo world. He made page two in a 1954 edition for winning a bareback championship and earned the affectionate description of "our local roughrider" when he set out for Queensland's Warwick Rodeo later that year. One of his early wins was relegated to the end of a story about a rare "lady rider" under the headline, Girl Rider Delights Rodeo Crowd. Mr Holder has seen plenty of welcome changes in the sport since those days, including the specialised breeding of rodeo horses that are treated with the same reverence as thoroughbred racers. After suffering minor riding injuries in his 50s and 60s, Mr Holder's peers urged him to retire. "They'd say, 'You have to give it up, you shouldn't be doing this kind of thing at your age'. "Oh, go away - it was a couple of broken bones, that's all." He has outridden those pleas by four decades and missed only one Mount Isa Rodeo in his storied career. "It's the best rodeo in Australia and any outdoor rodeo in the world. "It's well-run, perfect bucking stock, all spectators can get a hell of a good view, nobody can miss anything or get jammed in a corner. "You can't wish for anything better than that." The biggest rodeo in the southern hemisphere, itself a 65-year institution, was bolstered by a $1 million state government lifeline after it went into voluntary administration in late 2024. It prides itself on outback traditions, while giving young and Indigenous riders their start. Though Mr Holder has shared plenty of wisdom with those up-and-coming riders, their influence on him is just as vital. "You get too old, too quickly if you start mixing with older people," he said. "You mix with young people and you live longer."
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Culture takes centre stage in this 'incredible' musical
Gamilaraay performer Googoorewon Knox has music in his blood. His grandfather Roger Knox is a country music legend and on the other side of his family, his grandmother Auriel Andrew was also a respected performer. Knox made his debut in musical theatre as George Washington in the Australian return season of Hamilton in 2024. While on a slightly different path to the one set out in his family roots, it's not that much of a stretch for him. "It makes sense being a singer, being in a musical family and enjoying being an entertainer at the same time," he tells AAP. "The fact that it's happened isn't a huge surprise." Knox is returning to the stage in August to play Agwe, the god of water in the award-winning musical Once on This Island. The contemporary re-imagining of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Little Mermaid and the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy follows the story of Ti Moune, who risks everything to save a boy from the other side of the island where she lives. Beginning on Australia's own shores, the show blends Caribbean origins with the rich cultural history found closer to home. Knox says it's a freeing experience to bring himself and his heritage to the stage. "That's who I am," he said. "Hamilton was a historical piece; all the characters are real people, they're played by Black people but they weren't Black people," he said. "To be able to play Black characters as a Black person is very freeing." The show is directed by Gumbaynggirr and Turkish writer Brittanie Shipway, who says it is a celebration of storytelling, music and the rich tapestry of culture. "What better way to honour the spirit of our island home than through the voices of 12 extraordinary performers, each bringing the depth and beauty of their own cultural heritage." Ti Moune is "a dreamer, a healer and a trailblazer on a journey of love, sacrifice and self-discovery", she adds. To Knox, the story is a "representation of us" filled with the music and dances of culture, which he's looking forward to sharing with audiences. "It's going to be incredible," he said. "There's a section in the middle that's going to be mind blowing. I don't care who you are, you're going to go crazy for it." Once on This Island plays at the Hayes Theatre in association with Curveball Creative, from August 2 to 31. Gamilaraay performer Googoorewon Knox has music in his blood. His grandfather Roger Knox is a country music legend and on the other side of his family, his grandmother Auriel Andrew was also a respected performer. Knox made his debut in musical theatre as George Washington in the Australian return season of Hamilton in 2024. While on a slightly different path to the one set out in his family roots, it's not that much of a stretch for him. "It makes sense being a singer, being in a musical family and enjoying being an entertainer at the same time," he tells AAP. "The fact that it's happened isn't a huge surprise." Knox is returning to the stage in August to play Agwe, the god of water in the award-winning musical Once on This Island. The contemporary re-imagining of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Little Mermaid and the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy follows the story of Ti Moune, who risks everything to save a boy from the other side of the island where she lives. Beginning on Australia's own shores, the show blends Caribbean origins with the rich cultural history found closer to home. Knox says it's a freeing experience to bring himself and his heritage to the stage. "That's who I am," he said. "Hamilton was a historical piece; all the characters are real people, they're played by Black people but they weren't Black people," he said. "To be able to play Black characters as a Black person is very freeing." The show is directed by Gumbaynggirr and Turkish writer Brittanie Shipway, who says it is a celebration of storytelling, music and the rich tapestry of culture. "What better way to honour the spirit of our island home than through the voices of 12 extraordinary performers, each bringing the depth and beauty of their own cultural heritage." Ti Moune is "a dreamer, a healer and a trailblazer on a journey of love, sacrifice and self-discovery", she adds. To Knox, the story is a "representation of us" filled with the music and dances of culture, which he's looking forward to sharing with audiences. "It's going to be incredible," he said. "There's a section in the middle that's going to be mind blowing. I don't care who you are, you're going to go crazy for it." Once on This Island plays at the Hayes Theatre in association with Curveball Creative, from August 2 to 31. Gamilaraay performer Googoorewon Knox has music in his blood. His grandfather Roger Knox is a country music legend and on the other side of his family, his grandmother Auriel Andrew was also a respected performer. Knox made his debut in musical theatre as George Washington in the Australian return season of Hamilton in 2024. While on a slightly different path to the one set out in his family roots, it's not that much of a stretch for him. "It makes sense being a singer, being in a musical family and enjoying being an entertainer at the same time," he tells AAP. "The fact that it's happened isn't a huge surprise." Knox is returning to the stage in August to play Agwe, the god of water in the award-winning musical Once on This Island. The contemporary re-imagining of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Little Mermaid and the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy follows the story of Ti Moune, who risks everything to save a boy from the other side of the island where she lives. Beginning on Australia's own shores, the show blends Caribbean origins with the rich cultural history found closer to home. Knox says it's a freeing experience to bring himself and his heritage to the stage. "That's who I am," he said. "Hamilton was a historical piece; all the characters are real people, they're played by Black people but they weren't Black people," he said. "To be able to play Black characters as a Black person is very freeing." The show is directed by Gumbaynggirr and Turkish writer Brittanie Shipway, who says it is a celebration of storytelling, music and the rich tapestry of culture. "What better way to honour the spirit of our island home than through the voices of 12 extraordinary performers, each bringing the depth and beauty of their own cultural heritage." Ti Moune is "a dreamer, a healer and a trailblazer on a journey of love, sacrifice and self-discovery", she adds. To Knox, the story is a "representation of us" filled with the music and dances of culture, which he's looking forward to sharing with audiences. "It's going to be incredible," he said. "There's a section in the middle that's going to be mind blowing. I don't care who you are, you're going to go crazy for it." Once on This Island plays at the Hayes Theatre in association with Curveball Creative, from August 2 to 31. Gamilaraay performer Googoorewon Knox has music in his blood. His grandfather Roger Knox is a country music legend and on the other side of his family, his grandmother Auriel Andrew was also a respected performer. Knox made his debut in musical theatre as George Washington in the Australian return season of Hamilton in 2024. While on a slightly different path to the one set out in his family roots, it's not that much of a stretch for him. "It makes sense being a singer, being in a musical family and enjoying being an entertainer at the same time," he tells AAP. "The fact that it's happened isn't a huge surprise." Knox is returning to the stage in August to play Agwe, the god of water in the award-winning musical Once on This Island. The contemporary re-imagining of the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale The Little Mermaid and the book My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy follows the story of Ti Moune, who risks everything to save a boy from the other side of the island where she lives. Beginning on Australia's own shores, the show blends Caribbean origins with the rich cultural history found closer to home. Knox says it's a freeing experience to bring himself and his heritage to the stage. "That's who I am," he said. "Hamilton was a historical piece; all the characters are real people, they're played by Black people but they weren't Black people," he said. "To be able to play Black characters as a Black person is very freeing." The show is directed by Gumbaynggirr and Turkish writer Brittanie Shipway, who says it is a celebration of storytelling, music and the rich tapestry of culture. "What better way to honour the spirit of our island home than through the voices of 12 extraordinary performers, each bringing the depth and beauty of their own cultural heritage." Ti Moune is "a dreamer, a healer and a trailblazer on a journey of love, sacrifice and self-discovery", she adds. To Knox, the story is a "representation of us" filled with the music and dances of culture, which he's looking forward to sharing with audiences. "It's going to be incredible," he said. "There's a section in the middle that's going to be mind blowing. I don't care who you are, you're going to go crazy for it." Once on This Island plays at the Hayes Theatre in association with Curveball Creative, from August 2 to 31.
