Go wild for rockers

By Kath Gannaway
A JAM-PACKED 24 hours of music and entertainment over two days in the Christmas Hills Festival over the Easter weekend will raise vital funds for wildlife.
Performers from previous festivals, along with plenty of new and outstanding talent, will perform on several sound stages from 10am to 10pm each day.
The concert brings together music, food, fun, people and wildlife.
It’s more than 30 years since the first Christmas Hills Festival raised the roof in response to the proposed development of a huge dam which locals feared would see the end of Christmas Hills.
It continued to draw crowds and gained a reputation as one of the ‘must be there’ community concerts until the last concert in 1984.
“In 2006, our biggest concern is for the fate of the local wildlife,” said festival organiser and musician, Christmas Hills resident Sebastian Jorgensen.
Mr Jorgensen said increased traffic, weed infestation and residential development have forced many species away from their natural environment, across roads and on to property whose owners resent their presence.
“The Christmas Hill habitat link is part of a continuous corridor between the Kinglake Ranges and the Yarra River, and must be maintained to ensure long-term viability and a genetic diversity of plant and animal populations,” Mr Jorgensen said.
“Once again, artistes and musicians are joining together in support of that wonderful volunteer organisation, Help For Wildlife, whose members provide first aid and care for injured and orphaned wildlife,” he added.
The organisers have brought together an impressive line-up of entertainers, representing a broad spectrum of music genres and entertainment for all ages.
DJs, hip-hop, puppet theatre, world music, circus acts, healing arts, children’s entertainment, poets, face and body painting, auctions, raffles, surprise guests and a guided tour of the local bush by Gad Gardner are just some of the activities in store.
Some of the many performers are Kutcha Edwards, Geoff Achison, Judy Jaques, Ricky Ozimo, Dusted Orange, The Branigan Brothers, Tesky Brothers, Isis, The Favillas, the Dilli Allstars, Brendon Murray, Anton Baker, Luke Arthy, Brett Pollock, the Wisdom of Murrin-Mooroo shadow puppet theatre, Bruce Rogers, Eucalypso, and artist-in-residence Johnny Buniyirra Pascoe.
Blackbarn Farm is at 1533 Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Christmas Hills. Phone 9730 2302 or 9439 7712 for further information.