Simply Australia has been online now since October 2001. We have been through a number of improvements over the years and our readership has steadily grown.
This year we have decided to dramatically change our design to allow visitors to join and comment on our articles. It’s more interractive, giving you the opportunity to comment on individual items on the site and to contribute your own thoughts and ideas on each subject.
With the addition of our Facebook page we hope even more readers can enjoy the music and articles etc. Please send us your contributions for possible inclusion here and don’t forget to visit us on Facebook !
Here are a few of the people who have made Simply Australia happen over the years:
Valda Low is the editor of Simply Australia. With a background in education, she has edited a number of small publications. She lives with her husband Jim overlooking the Kanimbla Valley in the Blue Mountains of NSW and has two creative daughters and 3 beautiful grandchildren.
CONTACT: editor@simplyaustralia.net
Jim Low is a singer/songwriter and published author. His background is in education and he has also developed learning materials for the NSW Department of School Education. His passion is Australian history. He has written many articles , produced 4 CDs of original songs and has 2 books for children on historical themes. He lives in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
CONTACT: jim@jimlow.net
WEBSITE: jimlow.net
Chris Woodland has had a life-long interest in Australian folklore. While his hair was still brown he worked on outback cattle and sheep stations and maintains those earlier associations. For many years he has made field recordings (housed in the National Library of Australia) of many bush personalities, including (Aboriginal and white) drovers, shearers, isolated women, poets, songwriters singers, veteran soldiers etc. Over the years Chris has been an active member of the Sydney Bush Music Club and Monaro Folk Music Society. He has been a presenter over many years on community radio 2XX in Canberra. Chris produced a book of historic photos with text on the old gold town of Araluen for the Braidwood & District Historical Society, which has sold well. It was published in 2015, followed by another book published in the same year titled Billy the Blackfella from Bourke, relating the fascinating life of his deceased mate. Chris now spends most of his time with grandchildren and singing and playing with friends. His group is called AusSongs.
John Low has been a teacher and a librarian and is a published author and poet. He was Local Studies Librarian at the Blue Mountains City Library from 1982 until his retirement in 2007. In his ‘senior’ years he continues to spend his time exploring the Blue Mountains and pursuing an antiquarian interest in the curiosities of local history.
CONTACT: john@simplyaustralia.net
Warren Fahey AM has been collecting, broadcasting and performing Australian folklore and bush songs for over 40 years. As one of Australia’s best-known folklorists he has written over 18 books, produced hundreds of recordings and countless radio programs. He continues to tour and give talks.
CONTACT: wfahey@bigpond.net.au
WEBSITE: warrenfahey.com.au
Ray Grieve was a vocalist and rhythm guitarist in 1960s Sydney rock and blues bands including the Elliot Gordon Union. He played flute and tin whistle in traditional Australian folk bands and was one of the founding members of The Rouseabouts within the Bush Music Club in the 1970s. In 1981 he began the research and collection of material on the history of the harmonica in Australia. The result of this research was his book, A Band in a Waistcoat Pocket, and the companion tape and CD sets. He has released a number of CD albums with his band Bushlark.
CONTACT: bushlarkmusic@yahoo.com.au
WEBSITE: bushlarkmusic.com
Keri Webb is a retired nurse, an artist and author with an interest in the lives and characters embedded in history.
CONTACT: very.keri@icloud.com