Hi there Oberon and Districts! “Padre” John Healey here writing in the first person with a personal take on the Country Dancehall Project.
I started in bush bands at the age of 16 at Old Sydney Town Woolshed. In fact, my first paid job was as a minstrel at Old Sydney Town itself! It was at the Woolshed I started learning the trade: the “dark art” of bush dance calling….
Fast forward to June 2025 and during a long, long road trip to and from Thargomindah in Western Queensland my co-driver, Mr Luke O’Shea (with his 15 Golden Guitars and golden undies to match) pointed out that I may well be amongst the youngest bush dance callers going around. If this were the case, the long- term future of this beloved part of Aussie culture would be a bit bleak. “You’re the keeper of the flame,” Luke famously quipped but it set some wheels in motion that have turned into the Country Dancehall Project.
First and foremost, the CDP needs to be a vehicle for teaching others how to call some dances. This has led to our first apprentice dance caller, Kelly Winning getting involved. Kelly is a country singer-songwriter in her own right. She had a bush dance herself for a significant birthday milestone recently, so Kelly knew from the outset the fun and community connection these events can generate.
Secondly, it was apparent that bush dancing needs to get exposure with a younger audience to keep it alive long-term. This is where the current revival in Country Music with the 18–25-year-olds comes into it, especially 90’s Country …
So just by combining these two thoughts: bush dancing and Country music (instead of songs about sheep and convicts which I grew up on in the woolshed circles) the Country Dancehall Project was born.
Next, what about the venues? Australia is littered with a magnificent collection of town and municipal halls which were built for the very purpose of hosting dances and serving as the hub for bringing communities together, meeting life partners and generally having a good time! This project aims to bring not only venues to life but reignite some of the values, community spirit and benefit that has surrounded these halls in past years. A dance night is not just for the youngens! They are a great family event, and I have always loved seeing the dances bridge generations; grandparents and grandkids spinning each other around the floor. What a joy!
Next, and almost accidentally, the Project discovered along the way that it can serve as a training ground for musicians to learn how to be in a dancehall-type of band. These events are a bit of a different proposition to a pub gig or concert. We are very pleased to have Zach and Keelan Ruston-Walkom on board for the upcoming night at Oberon. At just 14 and 16 years of age these Bathurst brothers are getting the same opportunity I had a 16. They are both a lot more talented than I ever have been so expect them to go a lot further in the industry than me, I hope carrying with them the dancehall spirit along the way. However, this is not just for young up and comers; there are plenty of very experienced musicians who have never played a bush dance and perhaps not even in a dance band in a country hall.
The next Country Dancehall Project dance will be held at Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall in Oberon on Saturday, September 12.
Tickets and event information are available through Humantix: Adults $28.50 | Over 65’s $23.75 | School-age kids $9.50 | Family (2A 3C) $66.50
