Banjo’s Mayoral Challenge : Cabonne Wins

“If Banjo was here today”

Last weekend’s annual Banjo Paterson Poetry Festival brought together three Mayors – well, actually two Mayors and one ‘ring-in’ who came together to deliver a poem, written by themselves, for the 2018 ‘Mayoral Challenge’.

Reg. Kidd, Mayor of Orange, wrote a stunning poem about what would Banjo say – if he returned today. It was good.

Mayor of Blayney, Scott Ferguson, took to the stage with ‘love’ on his mind, reciting words from three or four popular love songs. The judges (all bush poets) were impressed with the standard.

Whilst Mayor of Cabonne, Kevin Beatty was unable to be there – Councillor Paul Mullins hit the stage for Mayor Kev. and with Banjo gusto and bush humour – brought the house down with his creative thoughts of what he reckoned the great poet would say if he returned today.

Alternating between a Banjo hat, hard hat and safety vest – Cr. Mullins read his poem which declared that the famous Aussie Bush Poet had to take a job with Cabonne Council’s roads crew. It was a clever, funny poem of Banjo’s observations of today’s Cabonne roads. The judges loved Cr. Mullins’ creative flair … declaring Cabonne winning the billy can trophy.

Mayors Kidd and Ferguson took Cabonne’s ‘non-Mayor’ win in good humour – although vowing that a ‘protest’ might well be on its way.

Celia Kershaw won the open section with a recital of her work ‘Turtle’. The Nationals candidate at the 2016 state election, Scott Barrett, turned his hand to poetry and won the novice section. Tom Inman from Mullion Creek won the novice reading section while Amy Robinson of Orange Public School claimed the primary school prize and Sophie Duncan of James Sheahan Catholic High School won the secondary school section.