20 great years for Queenscliff Music Festival
After one of the fastest AGMs on record, Geoff Mutton, Board Chair of the Queenscliff Music Festival (QMF) and about 90 guests celebrated the festival’s 20th year over dinner at the Monahan Centre.
“We wanted to bring together as many people as we could who have had a significant impact on the festival over the years and celebrate their valued contributions,” said Geoff. “Your presence demonstrates that the festival has stayed true to the vision and values that many of you helped to establish. Among the many life members present tonight are founding members Margot and Alan Farman, Lyn Huxley, Kym Goodall and Ian Curtis.”
Festival Director Andrew Orvis congratulated the board, staff and Q-crew for their ongoing support adding that the QMF was going from strength to strength while other festivals are falling over. “We continue to push the festival as the ‘Queenscliff experience’. More people investing in the 3 day weekend experience attracting a cross generation of festival goers coming to see a diverse range of Australian talent.”
In 2016 the site will have a similar set as in the previous two festivals with some minor tweaks. QMF are keen to have their own space to build and store materials making them less reliant on external contractors and hire com-panies.
Community Benefit Scheme
The scheme provides cash support via engaging community groups who provide volunteers to assist with running the festival and provides donations to several local community groups. Festival-goers spend approx. $2 million in town annually and the festival invested almost $92,000 in promoting Queenscliff and the sur-rounding region.
QMF History
Kym Goodall, a third generation Queenscliff resident with a great passion for music, and Betty Carr who initiated and developed the inaugural Apollo Bay Music Festival, had a vision for a similar festival in Queenscliff. This led to public meetings and a steering committee with Jude McCudden as chair, Alan and Margo Farnham, Kym Goodall, Steve George, Julie Walters and Max Kubal and later Lynne Huxley.
Kym and Jude have fond memories of the first festival like Captain Griffiths of the Port Phillip Sea Pilots donating $3,000; locals who cleaned and set up the old Manor House for artist accommodation and Kym and Alan driving around town collecting mattresses.
Jude recalled setting up for an event with Dr Michael Birrell in the historic Queenscliff Boat Shed with a magnificent couta boat skeleton in the background. Four senior fisherman and boat builders reminisced about the town with the Geelong Folk Club playing sea shanties in between. Kym remembers when another local, Ian Roberts, manager of the Melbourne Arts Festival, informed the committee that with only 6 weeks to go they should cancel as, ‘we wouldn’t make it’. Kym defended the committee who were demoralized by this advice but as history shows they did indeed ‘make it’.
Rites of Passage
QMF posters, programs, T-shirts, photos and lanyards decorated the foyer evoking memories of festival trials and triumphs over the years. These will be on display at the next festival along with a history book compiled by Sue Beeton, featuring Queenie, who attends her first festival at the age of seven so it’s a rite of passage story for her and the festival. Sue welcomes your stories and can be contacted on 0419 587 671.
“Tonight we announce three life members all who have contributed extensively over the life of the festival,” said Geoff. We also want to honor the memory of Alison McKenzie who passed away recently. Alison was heavily involved in establishing the Emerging Artist Grant and was instrumental in resurrecting the Friends of the Festival with all proceeds going to the EAG.
The Board has established the Alison McKenzie Scholarship that will be awarded annually to individuals to pursue professional development funded from the FoF reflecting two of her significant contributions to QMF.”
After 12 years on the board, 7 as chair, Lisa Meyers has resigned. “She has steered QMF through some challenging times, building board capability working with its directors, moving house, moving site, working with the council to address community issues,” said Geoff. “In honour of her extensive contribution QMF recognises Lisa with the inaugural Life
