20th BLUEGRASS CONVENTION, NOVEMBER 2008, HARRIETVILLE (via BRIGHT) VICTORIA

Just a week back from Harrietville,(the last town from Bright,[22km], on the Great Alpine Road before you go over Mount Hotham, or the first over Mount Hotham if you come in from the Omeo side), where we spent four very enjoyable days with friends John & Robyn, (or should that be Robyn & John), at the 20th Bluegrass Convention which we stumbled upon and enjoyed so much last year. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.....

A lone cyclist who missed the Harrietville turn off!

The convention was unbelievably good with top notch Bluegrass Bands and associated quality performers from the US complementing the local (Australian) performers including our favourite group, Bluegrass Parkway who hail from WA,

and whose talents were right up there with the best of the US visitors. Bluegrass Parkway and the extremely talented visiting groups from the USA, performed tirelessly throughout each of four days/nights without any performance fee whatsoever. What a refreshing change to see such talented people performing at such a high level simply for the love of it.

We rented a nice 3 bedroom house about 150 metres from the function centre,

with a really nice BBQ,

I wish,
and just 50 metres across the road from,

yes, you guessed right, "The Pub".

We had such a good time that we have booked the same house for 2009
and will extend our stay by a few days.

If you are interested, you can find out more about Australia’s premier Bluegrass music event, the 21st Annual Harrietville Bluegrass & Traditional Country Music Convention, November 19th-22nd, 2009, held in the beautiful mountains of northern Victoria at one of the most glorious times of the year. www.bluegrass.org.au/index.cfm?pid=111174

POWER'S LOOKOUT
We stopped at Power's Lookout on the way to Harrietville and were pleased to see such a great recovery after the bush fires of a couple of years ago. If you haven't been to the Lookout, then it is well worth the short diversion from the main road shortly before
you get to Whitfield and the relatively easy short walk to the lookout.


Harry Power, (real name Henry Johnston) was born in Waterford, England, in 1819 and transported to Van Diemen's Land in 1841 for stealing shoes.
In 1848, he was granted a Ticket of Leave (having served seven years) and made his way to Sydney via Twofold Bay. After offending again, Harry Power received a second Ticket of Leave in March 1862 until his arrest at Beechworth in February 1864 for horse stealing for which he was found guilty and sentenced to another seven years at Pentridge Gaol. He escaped from Pentridge in February 1869 and became one of Victoria's most notorious and active bushrangers with a reward of two hundred pounds posted for his capture,
later increased to five hundred pounds.

By March 1870, Harry was noted to have a young apprentice who occasionally participated in the robberies but mainly just held the horses while Harry did the work. The young apprentice's name was Ned Kelly. Kelly was arrested in May 1870 and charged with assisting Power, however, the charge could not be
proved and Ned walked free.

On 05 July 1870, Power was tracked to his hideout (Power's Lookout), which was a gunyah in the bush where he was arrested and transferred to Beechworth, where he was tried on three counts of Robbery Under Arms and sentenced to fifteen years' gaol in Pentridge, five for each offence to be served cumulatively. The Magistrates also added another six months hard labour for his escape in 1869. He served the entire sentence and
was not released until February 1885, aged 66.
After his release, he was employed as a Guide on the old Prison Hulk SUCCESS which he had known so well as a convict, and which had been made into a floating museum of the convict days. Harry enjoyed considerably publicity in this position as people
flocked to see the old bushranger.

In 1891, the body of a man was dragged from the Murray River at Swan Hill. It was Harry Power. The Coroner found that death had been by drowning but there was nothing to show how he had entered the water. It is suspected he may have been overcome by alcohol
and toppled in. His final burial place is not known.

Leaving Whitfield we took the road to Cheshunt from where we detoured off the beaten track for what turned out to be around 35km of unmade roads
on the way to Lake Buffalo and Myrtleford.

Arrived home to find a brochure for the Mount Beauty Music Festival in the mail.
Lyn and I went to this Festival in 2006 and again in 2007 with Robyn and John
and are looking to go again in 2009.
The Mount Beauty Music Festival is held in late April, when Mount Beauty, Bright, Harrietville and surrounding High Country areas are generally at their autumn best.

If you are interested in attending or finding out a little more about next April's Music Festival, look up the Mount Beauty Music Festival website, www.musicmuster.org.au/