One of the highlights of the 2022 Cobargo Folk Festival was the Cobargo Concert, which featured a range of songs and stories about the district and its people, delivered by songwriters and community members.
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Cobargo Folk Festival director Zena Armstrong said it had been a pleasure to present this concert for Cobargo which she said was their "gift" to the community.
"What we have been through has been witnessed by singer/songwriters across Australia and this concert is their tribute to what they have witnessed," Ms Armstrong said.
In attendance on the day were special guests Governor General David Hurley and his wife Linda Hurley who came to watch the Cobargo Concert and show their continued support in the Cobargo and Quaama communities.
Songwriters on the day included local talents Felicity Dowd, Matt Preo and two pupils from Cobargo Public School who performed songs they'd written following the Black Summer bushfires.
Other songwriters and bands from further afield included Craigie Marsh, Shortis and Simpson, Jess Joy and Kim Yang.
The first speaker was Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund (CCBRF) vice-president Deb Summer.
Ms Summer happily announced the CCBRF had raised over $800,000, which she said has gone to support numerous recovery projects.
Ms Summer then talked of the community strength of Cobargo and surrounding areas, before introducing Bega Valley artist Felicity Dowd who performed her song Blue Skies.
Robyn Freedman then shared a poem she'd written in regards to her firsthand experience of the Black Summer fires before introducing Bega artist Matt Preo.
Matt Preo performed his song Come On Cobargo, accompanied by a drummer and Peter Logue on the piano.
The next speaker June Tarlinton shared memories of her father Ross Rixon, a beloved figure in the Cobargo community, who lost his life during the fires.
Ms Tarlinton made the crowd laugh as she told of Ross's cheeky and stubborn nature, sharing anecdotes before introducing the Craigie Marsh band who'd written Bushman of Cobargo in dedication to Ross.
Carly and Stella McMahon who were the next Cobargo speakers of the concert came to speak on behalf of the Cobargo Public School and shared how the kids coped with their experiences of Black Summer.
Ms McMahon then told how in 2020 the year five and six pupils and their teacher came together to produce a 14-track album and 40-page book titled The Day She Stole The Sun.
"It's a beautiful, creative and authentic account of how children felt and still feel," Ms McMahon said.
It's a beautiful, creative and authentic account of how children felt and still feel
- Carly McMahon
Former Cobargo Public School pupils Iris and Milla received deafening applause for their heartfelt performance which really struck a chord with the audience.
Yuin Folk Club secretary Chris Walters took to the stage next sharing -relief efforts and community before presenting the next musical act by Shortis and Simpson who performed a lively tribute to Cobargo.
Dennis McNamara got up on behalf of Unity House to speak about union support for construction workers across the country introducing Jess Joy and other artists for a performance dedicated to the lost life of NAME who died on a construction site.
When John Walters from Cobargo Rural Fire Service stepped on stage in his uniform, he scarcely had the chance to get a few words in without being met by enthusiastic applause of gratitude from the crowd.
Mr Walters shared his perspective as an RFS member and the value of all the RFS volunteers who he said at the end of the day were the ones the community relied on to help save Cobargo and surrounding communities during the Black Summer Fires.
The last performance was made by Kim Yang who had been in Eden during the Black Summer fires and written Garden of Eden after her experiences of that time.
As the Governor General opened his speech by thanking festival director Zena Armstrong and Chris Walters, Coral Vorbach from the Yuin Folk Club; and Daniele Murphy from the Cobargo Bushfire Relief Centre for their combined leadership in bringing the festival together.
The Governor General said he was pleased to see people back together again after two years of COVID, "where people couldn't even shake each other's hands".
"Now we're back here being able to sit together, sing, enjoy each other's company and reflect and that's part of a national healing process," he said.
Now we're back here being able to sit together, sing, enjoy each other's company and reflect and that's part of a national healing process
- Governor General - David Hurley
The concert was then closed with a parting performance led by Her Excellency Linda Hurley who welcomed the artists back on stage to sing You Are My Sunshine.
The audience was encouraged to join in as well and so the entire tent rang with the voices of people singing jovially.
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