Narooma’s Busking Championships on Saturday were a great success with the town buzzing from the Flat to the Plaza with the added bonus of perfect weather.
The third Narooma Championships, hosted by Narooma Rotary Club, are part of the Australian National Busking Championships (ANBC) and a significant event in Eurobodalla’s River of Art Festival.
At the awards presentation at the Golf Club that evening, Narooma Rotary President Rod Walker paid tribute to everyone who made the event possible – the many sponsors, Rotary’s committee, the 48 buskers who took part from a wide geographical area, the 50 volunteers who helped on the day, and the community who turned out in force and enjoyed the day.
ANBC instigator Alan Spencer of Cooma praised the Narooma event.
“Narooma’s regional championships are first class, one of the best in Australia,” he said. “Each year it’s becoming more professional both in the way it’s run and in the standard of performers.
“A lot of these buskers even in high school are now getting gigs and that’s showing in their growing professionalism.”
NATA Oval, behind the Visitors’ Centre, again had four busking hot spots sponsored by businesses away from the centre of town as well as a display of classic cars from the Combined Eurobodalla Classic Cars and new cars from the AMH Motor Group in Moruya.
A free shuttle bus, courtesy of Symons, ferried spectators between venues while the Golf Club’s bus ferried those buskers who needed transport around town.
MC Nadine Howard noted at the presentations the extraordinary number of local businesses sponsoring prizes this year, reflecting the strong support of this festival by the community.
Judges Awards:
The five judges (long time busker Shelby Holland, Alan Spencer of ANBC, Ian Campbell of AboutRegional and RiotACT, Cr Lindsay Brown and Fiona Brown of Slightly Twisted Productions) caught up with all acts through the day and made 27 awards.
The judges awarded their major prize to local duo Stitch, consisting of Zoey Pepper and Bev Long.
Open Champion: Stitch (Bev Long and Zoey Pepper) - $1,000 - Club Narooma (ABOVE)
Open Second: Salty Bones of Bungendore – $300 - Whale Coast Realty
Open Third: Lisa Maps of Canberra - $200 – Betta Home Living
Secondary Champion: Todd Haywood of Newcastle – Narooma High $500
Secondary Second: Felicity Dowd of Bega – IGA Narooma $300
Secondary Third: Brooke Burns of Jindabyne – Narooma Hotel $100
Primary Champion: The Lofties of Narooma – Narooma Primary $300
Primary Second Place: Finn Efraesom of Narooma – Woolworths (voucher) $200
Primary Third Place: Will & Annie of Canberra – Narooma Mechanical & Automotive $100
Best Band (three or more performers): Fretz & Reedz – Narooma Holidays $500
Best school group: Narooma Primary School – Big 4 Easts - $500
Second school group: Rhythm Hunters – Amooran Motel - $200
Rising Star Band: Potent Soap of Batemans Bay- Montague Vets $500
Best local Performer: Dalmeny Wahinis – Narooma Plaza - $300
Blues Music: Ross Knight – Quarterdeck $200
Classical over 18 – Yasmine Russell (harpist) – Horizon Apartments $200
Classical Under 18: Brodie Blackman – Chris Young’s Joinery $100
Instrumental – Djembe Forte – Horizon Apartments $200
Family: Will & Annie of Canberra – Grandpa’s Garden $100
Abilities in Music Award: Eddie Tierney - Georgie’s Fine Jewellery $300
Traveller (to the person who travelled furthest): Tennyson Neville of Young – Mitre 10 $100
Performance: Queanbeyan Pipes & Drums – Narooma School of Arts $300
Country Music: Felicity Dowd - Narooma Visitors’ Centre (MACS) $100
Iron Man (person who carried the most gear): Tennyson Neville – AMH Moruya (voucher) $200
Special Award (under 18): Abbie May of Tilba– Farmer Armour $100
Special Award (under 18): Maddie & Myah Batemans Bay – Joe Dirt Excavations $100
Special Award (over 18): Alex Eldred – Wrapoholics $100
Above: Batemans Bay band Potent Soap won both the People’s Choice Open section and the judges’ Rising Star Band category.
People’s Choice to buskers who received the most Busker Votes.
Open First: Potent Soap (Jordan Young, Jack Gallen, Caeden Devane and Brendon Barnes) of Batemans Bay - Narooma Golf Club $1,000 (ABOVE)
Open Second: Yasmine Russell (harpist) – Narooma Plaza Pharmacy $300
Open Third: Djembe Forte – Narooma Seafood $200
Above: Narooma group The Lofties won the judges primary-aged award.
Junior Awards:
First: The Lofties – Narooma Pharmacy $200 (ABOVE)
Second: Will & Annie from Canberra – Gary Bennett Smash Repairs $100
Third: Brooke Burns – Narooma Meat Centre $50
Above: Narooma Public School group won both the Judges’ school group and the People’s Choice School group.
School Group:
First: Narooma Public School – Ben Bate Real Estate $500 (ABOVE)
Second: Rhythm Hunters – Narooma Fishing & Diving $200
Tilba Valley Winery & Ale House gave gig awards to Salty Bones and Wolf Stone.
Narooma Festival winners will be invited to compete in the ANBC National Grand Final in Cooma in November.
Above: Judges Fiona Brown and Ian Campbell with River of Art co-chair Robin Scott-Charlton
Above: Will and Annie from Canberra were awarded prizes by both the judges and People’s Choice.
