Some Recollections of The Early Days

 Maleny Folk Festival was the origin of what is now known internationally as the Woodford Folk Festival. It was a gathering of musically minded souls, both performers & audience which proved to have a magical influence on folk music in Australia. The birth of the festival can be laid ultimately at the feet of one man, Bill Hauritz. A man with the necessary passionate love of folk music, plus the vision & drive to make it succeed. With a group of like-minded people, he eventually opened the gates to the 1st Maleny Folk Festival on a sunny weekend in March 1987. Approximately 800 people turned up to enjoy the performances of seven groups and the show was generally considered by all, to be a success. 

Compare this to the final Maleny Folk Festival in late 1994 where 60,000 folk were thrilled by hundreds of performers from all around the globe over that week long celebration of world music. The atmosphere, the food from many countries, the colour and most of all, the friendship and goodwill were tangible every day. 

Inevitably, this growth led to the festival outgrowing the Maleny Showgrounds where they were held and so in 1995, a new home for the Queensland Folk Federation had to be found. A magnificent property in the delightful dairy land of Woodford just to the north of Brisbane proved to be ideal and the festival survived again. 

Please enjoy my recollections of this wonderful event, check out the images below and email me if you wish to say hello or have something to add. 
Colin Sheehan