Radio Woodfordia

This episode was recorded live from the Woodford Folk Festival as part of the 'First Wine of the Day' and might just be better to watch on youtube if you can (not while driving please)Harley Breen alongside his cohost Nikki Britton, who arrives fashionably late after spending 12 hours on the Bruce Highway, light up the Piano Bar delighting the crowd with lots of cracking guests. fruity wine and funnies to keep you giggling. The ep features a custom-built pram vehicle (featuring trap doors, LED lights, an underground esky and a nutty contraption). We introduce a man described as 'Woodford', Costa Georgiadis, who as no beef with his new mate Brett Blake, and a surprise musical performance from the spectacular Jen Wynter.Costa shares why Woodford lit a fire in him that hasn't stopped burning since Bill first extended the invite. The importance of building mud pie kitchens in the children's festival to performing covers in Greek while wearing a silver unitard at 2am, Costa embodies the playful, joyful spirit that makes Woodford wild and special and weird in the best kind of way.Settle in, you might learn a thing or two about wine as well from Woodford's wine connoisseur and Bars Manager Linus Wilson. Muck Yeah!This episode is for:Anyone who needs a bloody laughPeople whose friends went to First Wine and feel FOMO they missed itAnyone who's felt isolated by modern technologyParents looking for ways to pass on childlike wonderFestival-goers who understand why Woodford feels like coming homeDive in to hear about:"Worm alerts"The Bruce Highway and muck in the bottom of fine wineHow to build a multi-purpose Radio Woodfordia promo vehicleHow to play Scrabble and give nil f*cks about a live show right next to you. Awesome.To come to the Woodford Folk Festival and FWOD next year visit: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/FOR MORE:Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auNikki Britton: https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibrittonCosta Georgiadis: https://costasworld.com.au/Jen Wynter: https://www.jennywynter.com/ Brett Blake: https://www.brettblake.com.au/CREDITS: Hosts: Harley Breen, Nikki BrittonGuests: Costa Georgiadis, Brett Blake, Jenny Winter, Linus WilsonProducer: Bree Hickson-JamiesonExecutive Producers: Benny Wallington, Georgia ShawArtwork: Hannah RoseSocial Media: Eliza CowanAssistant: Madeline CorcoranTown Cryer: Ché PritchardCamera Operators: Amelie Barham, Ben 'Tofty' ToftVideo editing: Amelie BarhamMusic by: The East PointersSpecial thanks: Linus and the Piano Bar team Recorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #CostaGeorgiadis #BrettBlake #JennyWinter #WoodfordFolkFestival #HarleyBreen #NikkiBritton #GardeningAustralia #Woodfordia #LivePodcast

"Why can't we just live at Woodfordia? And why isn't this just how we all live?"In this episode, Harley sits down with Katie Noonan. It's Katie's 30th year at Woodford, and she's just finished her 30th studio album - serendipitous! Katie's Woodford journey started in 1995 when she won the Woodford band competition (prize: a ticket to next year's festival). That hook worked, and she's been back every year since, volunteering, performing with her band george, performing solo, with her family, and now with her new album "Alone But All One," which she's premiering at the festival.But this isn't just a musician's story. It's about growiing up with the opera-singing mum and witnessing the super talented Jeff Buckley at 18, before deciding to become a "musical weirdo." Katie now runs the Eumundi School of Music to provide children with free music education and still references Woodford as her church. This episode is for:Musicians wondering if they can survive making art in the streaming eraParents trying to explain to their kids why music matters more than moneyAnyone who's ever left Woodford wondering "why can't life be like this?"Dive in to hear about:Taking on Jeff Buckley's five-octave range (the ultimate artistic challenge)Brisbane's unique 90s music scene The joys and struggles of Woodford campingTo learn more about Katie Noonan: https://www.katienoonan.com.au/To come to the Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auCREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Katie NoonanProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Georgia ShawVideo editing: Amelie BarhamAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East PointersRecorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #KatieNoonan #George #WoodfordFolkFestival #JeffBuckley #AustralianMusic #HarleyBreen #Woodfordia

"You can still dream. And I think that's what keeps me coming back."In this episode, Harley sits down with Chelsea, the circus programmer who's been shaping what happens under the big top at Woodford for the past decade.She's someone who's seen the festival from every angle, first as a punter drawn in by friends working the pedal-powered juice bar, then as a performer touring her own contemporary circus company (Scotch and Soda, Cantina), and now as the one deciding who gets to step into that big top circular space at Woodfordia.Chelsea's story is about choosing creative freedom over institutional validation.. These days she splits her time between programming aerial acts and teaching the fundamentals of being human to five-year-olds, and somehow both jobs make perfect sense.This episode is for:Programmers and curators navigating the messy reality of building festival programsCircus artists wondering what it takes to startParents who build carts for their kids and are looking for tipsDive in to hear about why:The buggy meet is a legitimate highlight of the festival where families line up to discuss their carts like hotted-up carsA 16-year-old aerialist who came as a punter five years ago, stayed in the circus tent the entire festival, and is now performing at WoodfordProgramming is a puzzle where "it still seems a bit out of order and I'm a bit unsure... but it all kind of works"To come to the Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/To learn more about the circus programme: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/programme/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auCREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Chelsea McguffinProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-JamiesonVideo Editing: Nicholas HaddowAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East PointersRecorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #CircusProgrammer #TrashTestDummies #Astrodinotto #ContemporaryCircus #FestivalLife #HarleyBreen #Woodfordia

"Never play for exposure is a big piece of advice that we've taken... It makes a big difference."In this episode, Harley sits down with three members of Dizzy Days (Aisling, EJ, and Bridget – with Mikaela absent in Melbourne), Brisbane's disco-dance-pop-band, who came together through unlikely connection: a mysterious Facebook post and an awkward audition.The band is a unique blend of each member's cultural influence, but the artists have found cosmic chemistry in their unlikely network. The trio shares their stories through the years, and how they've mastered the art of staying in haunted prisons and national park bungalows to keep within tour budget.They're aware about what it takes to survive as emerging artists: never playing for exposure, making the most of resources provided (airport bikkies), and accepting that being a musician now means being an influencer, whether you like it or not.This episode is for:Emerging bands learning the economics of touringMusicians wondering if formal training helps or harms creativityArtists navigating the pressure of algorithmsDive in to hear about how:You should accept that random friend requestPost-COVID crowds have changedPlaying for exposure doesn't pay rentTo learn more about Dizzy Days: https://www.instagram.com/dizzydaysband/?hl=enTo come to the Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auCREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuests: Dizzy Days (Aisling O'Byrne, Bridgette Dabinet, EJ Carey)Producer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Jack Tindall, Georgia ShawVideo Editing: Nicholas Haddow, Amelie BarhamAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East PointersRecorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #DizzyDays #AustralianMusic #DIYTouring #EmergingArtists #WoodfordFolkFestival #HarleyBreen #Woodfordia

"There's something magical here. If you don't believe in magic or serendipity or whatever, you will by the time you leave."In this episode, Harley sits down with comedian and old friend Jen Wynter, who is a mother of six, a grandmother, and a Woodford veteran since 1998, back when she was throwing mud with hippies.Jen's story is about trust, timing, and the cosmic connections that so many Woodfordian's have experienced from the festival. From losing her wallet (and getting it back with extra cash) to having her mum's folk music legacy unexpectedly intersect with a stranger's memory, Woodford has given her lifelong memories that defy logic.Also, Jen shares her incredible story of meeting a British mum in a children's sandbox at Woodford, who just happened to be childhood friends with comedian-musician, Bill Bailey. Fast forward through years of friendship, and a wild leap of faith, now Jen is writing a TV show starring her comedy hero.This episode is for:Comedians navigating improv, standup, and live performanceWoodfordians with a festival connection storyArtists wondering if they should pitch their heroesDive in to hear about how:Improv saved Jen's sanity when she was raising her childrenThe kindest heckle she ever received was "improvise!"Woodford is the only place you'd lose your wallet and expect it back with moreTo learn more about Jen Winter: https://www.jennywynter.com/To come to the Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auCREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Jenny WinterProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Jack Tindall, Amelie Barham, Georgia Shaw, Eliza CowanVideo Editing: Amelie BarhamAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East PointersRecorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #JenWynter #JennyWynter #BillBailey #WoodfordFolkFestival #ComedyMagic #Serendipity #HarleyBreen #Woodfordia

"I think the thing that has struck me the most is that if you just trust yourself and do the thing that feels the most honest to you, it always goes better."In this episode Harley connects with Georgia Mooney, who landed in Brisbane just hours before this conversation after a 60-hour journey from Prince Edward Island, Canada.She's a solo artist now, but you might know her from All Our Exes Live in Texas, the band that graced Woodford's stages and toured relentlessly for years.Georgia's story is about transformation, from studying jazz at WAPA (where she encountered the rigid, male-dominated world of jazz school), to finding her voice in a four-piece harmony band, to now stepping out on her own with her debut solo record, Full of Moon and her follow-up on the way.She's someone who's done the work. The unglamorous reality of being a touring musician, the loneliness of hotel rooms, the immediate consumption of complimentary biscuits, the strange intimacy of band life that's part marriage, part small business, part creative collaboration.This episode is for:Musicians navigating the shift from band to solo workAnyone interested in what the reality of touring feels likePeople curious about the Festival of Small HallsArtists wondering if formal training helps or hinders finding your voiceDive in to hear about why:Jazz school taught Georgia music theory but she had to unlearn the rules to find her creative voiceRegional audiences bring something to a performance that city crowds simply can't replicateThe stage is the one place you absolutely cannot fake it and that might be what saves live performance from AITo learn more about Georgia: https://www.georgiamooney.com/ To come to the Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/To keep up to date with Small Halls Tours: https://festivalofsmallhalls.com/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.auCREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Georgia MooneyProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah, Bree Hickson-Jamieson, Jack TindallVideo Editing: Nicholas HaddowAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #GeorgiaMooney #FestivalOfSmallHalls #AllOurExesLiveInTexas #AustralianMusic #RegionalTouring #harleybreen #woodfordia

Just a heads up: There's going to be some chainsaw action, tree-dropping sounds and reversing of a crane thing during this chat. An arborist decided mid-interview was the perfect time for some timber work above our heads. An example of living and working on an ever-evolving site in the middle of a valley. "Everything we do in a modern society is to pull us away. So we forget how much we're just truly... a piece of the puzzle."Harley sits down with Joe H. Henry, a Métis musician from Nova Scotia who's returned to Australia for the Festival of Small Halls tour after falling in love with Woodfordia at our last Folk Festival.Joe's story is steeped in the Red River Valley, where his grandparents walked 260 miles with oxen and Red River carts to settle. He grew up between two worlds – his father's Métis community of fiddle music, trapping, and self-sustaining bush life, and his mother's world of horses. Music isn't just what Joe does; it's "the Henry curse," running through generations of riders, singers, and instrumentalists.He left home young with just his dog and his guitar, busking outside liquor stores and bars to survive. But that transient lifestyle was embedded in his DNA – the Métis people were always the storytellers, carrying songs and poems from community to community.The conversation moves between the profound and the practical, from raising five kids (aged 17 to 3) without screens dominating their lives, to the trapping industry keeping remote communities alive, to why we all need to feel our insignificance in nature.Joe explains why Woodford showed him the consciousness level of all Australians, how technology is changing the valley he once knew, and why he makes music.This episode is for:Anyone who needs reminding that we're magnificently insignificantPeople interested in Indigenous culture, storytelling traditions, and how communities preserve identityParents navigating the wilderness of raising teenagers in the digital ageMusicians and artists wondering if following their frequency is actually a viable life choiceDive in to hear about why:Feeling small in nature might be the most important thing we can doWoodford just might be proof of who we all can be in the "real world"Sometimes the best parenting advice is "be water" and ALSO know your kid's best friend's parentsKeen to come to Woodford: https://www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor more Joe H. Henry: https://joehhenry.com/ FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/CREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Joe H. HenryProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JamiesonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #JoeHHenry #MetisMusic #FestivalOfSmallHalls #IndigenousStories #metis #canada #novascotia

"I love being surrounded by people that know about all this stuff - soil scientists, regen' people, and learning myself. That's how this place sort of works, isn't it? You get involved. You get pulled in."Harley sits down with Chris "Shervo' Shervey, Woodford's Site Manager, who oversees 500 acres with a team of five full-time staff and conservation land management trainees. It's a conversation about sustainability, slowing down and the surprising way a metalhead punk rock folky ended up finding purpose in his work at one of Australia's most ambitious environmental projects.Chris first came to Woodford as a patron in 1997 and returned as a volunteer before bringing his background in construction and bridge building to complement his passion for trees, plants, and regenerative land practices.He's the guy who can turn visionary dreams into timber, steel, and working infrastructure. His journey mirrors Woodford itself: someone who arrived for the music and stayed for the mission.This conversation digs into the philosophy behind a 500-year plan, the challenge of being patient when you want to fix everything at once, and why the best infrastructure is the lives on well after you.This episode is for: Anyone curious about what happens at Woodford when the festival isn't on People interested in regenerative land management and large-scale sustainability projects Folks who wonder how festivals actually work behind the scenes Anyone considering volunteering or working at WoodfordDive in to hear about why: A 500-year plan makes more sense than trying to fix everything tomorrow The best role isn't always being the visionary - sometimes it's being the person who can find the timber Kids building three-story pallet forts with power tools is actually good parenting Leaving things better than you found them is part of the essence of WoodfordiaLearn more about what's on this year including hearing Chris on a sustainability panel: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/programmeJag your tickets here: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/tickets/ FOR MORE:Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/CREDITS:Host: Harley BreenGuest: Chris SherveyProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JamiesonVideo and audio: Coeur Visual Music by: The East PointersRecorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #Sustainability #RegenerativeLand #FestivalLife #SiteManagement #thankyouforyourshervice #shervology 

Excuse the microphones at the start. Small Malfunctions, appreciate your patience."My passion is the environment, and plants and the animals and everything. So each venue (at the children's festival) has a different feel to it, and I place artists in the space that match that feel."In this episode, Harley sits down with Becky Wandell, who's been running the Children's Festival (now Tin Lids) for 34 years, and Kate Day, a storyteller who first performed at the festival when she was 19 and is returning this year.Becky's journey started in the Burnett River Folk Club in Bundaberg in the 1980s, where she and a group of friends created a space for people who didn't quite fit anywhere else. That germ of an idea grew through the magical mystery tours and folk festivals, eventually becoming what we now know as Woodford Folk Festival.She's been there since the very beginning, working from the bottom up literally cleaning toilets at Maleny before helping to shape what the Children's Festival has become.Kate represents everything the festival nurtures. A theatre student with dreams of changing the world through art, she walked into Woodford as a young performer and found a community that believed in her storytelling when she didn't yet believe in herself. Now, she's a public servant and teacher who return to remember she's an artist at heart.The conversation gets beautifully personal about mentorship, legacy, and what it means to see potential in people before they see it in themselves. Harley and Becky reflect on the importance of people who sit behind the scenes, the facilitators who recognise talent and create the conditions for it to flourish. They explore the structure of the eight-venue children's program, the magic of creating spaces where kids feel genuinely respected, and why Professor Wallace's return to do Punch and Judy is such a big deal.This episode is for:Anyone curious about what goes on in the Children's Festival and why it's unlike anythingPeople interested in mentorship, legacy, and how communities nurture artistsParents wondering if Woodford is for familiesPerformers considering getting involved in kids entertainmentDive in to hear about why:The Children's Festival is structured chaos, eight venues all with different feels, each place strategically curatedSometimes the best moments happen when someone believes in you before you believe in yourselfKids are brutally honest critics who can smell inauthenticity from a mile awayKeen to bring your kids to Woodford—https://www.woodfordfolkfestival.comLearn more about Tin Lids Kids: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/programme?genres=TinLidsFOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen Guests: Becky Wandell & Kate Day Producer: Benny Wallington Executive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-Jamieson Video Editing: Nicholas Haddow Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinibara Country#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #TinLids #ChildrensFestival #FestivalLife