A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY
The beautiful countryside of Nannup is the setting for an annual music festival that celebrates Indigenous performers.
Nannup, in WA, hosts its annual music festival, where emerging artists perform alongside veteran favourites.
EVERY YEAR the little town of Nannup, in Western Australia’s Blackwood Valley, sings a siren song, luring hundreds of musicians and the people who love to hear them play. The legendary Nannup Music Festival is now in its 32nd year and, as always, the musicians taking to the stages represent a dizzying array of traditions, from folk to blues, gospel to country, bluegrass to soul, and everything in between.
With a strong focus on Indigenous artists, the festival showcases veterans including Kankawa Nagarra (Olive Knight), who has toured twice with Hugh Jackman in his Back on Broadway show; iconic jazz singer Lois Olney, from the Pilbara coast; and Main River Band, Gooniyandi people who hail from the Kimberley’s Fitzroy Valley. Up-and-comers also feature, like 18-year-old Bundjalung man Budjerah Slabb, whose debut EP was produced by ARIA Awardwinner Matt Corby. This rich diversity means festival-goers will hear (and see) songs in languages both ancient (Walmajarri, whose speakers are from the Great Sandy Desert, south of the Kimberley, and Noongar, from south-west Australia) and relatively modern (Auslan, aka Australian Sign Language). And they’ll hear unusual instruments from the dulcimer to the clawhammer banjo, harmonica, lap slide guitar, foot percussion and didgeridoo.
But it’s not just about the music; food stalls, artisan markets, workshops, masterclasses and children’s entertainment all cram the fourday festival full of activity.
And it’s a wonderful reason to visit Nannup, a perfectly preserved timber town from the early 1900s. It’s nicknamed ‘the Garden Village’ thanks to its annual Flower and Garden Festival and its profusion of native wildflowers (so make a diary entry to revisit in spring!). Set on the banks of the tranquil Blackwood River, the town embraces nature, with plenty of nearby walks, bicycle rides and drives that explore its scenic splendour. You can hire a canoe to drift downriver between marri and tingle trees, or stroll the forests of towering jarrah and karri. Local produce includes cool-climate wines, finger limes, marron, trout and even, in recent years, Périgord truffles. In short, it’s a western wonderland. Encore!