Behind the scenes on how Woodford works beyond the Festival with Chris Shervey
"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 onPeople interested in regenerative land management and large-scale sustainability projectsFolks who wonder how festivals actually work behind the scenesAnyone considering volunteering or working at WoodfordDive in to hear about why:A 500-year plan makes more sense than trying to fix everything tomorrowThe best role isn't always being the visionary - sometimes it's being the person who can find the timberKids building three-story pallet forts with power tools is actually good parentingLeaving 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 Join the Woodfordian Citizens:Perks -- Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets- Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk FestivalVisit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.orgFor the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Credits:Host: Harley BreenProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JameisonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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'Your Kids Belong Here' The Woodford Kid's Festival with Becky Wandell and Kate Day
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 Join the Woodfordian Citizens:Perks -- Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets- Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk FestivalVisit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.orgFor the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Credits:Host: Harley BreenProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JameisonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Small Halls, Big Impact and why our Regions deserve World-Class Music with Izzy Bartlett
"It's not their dream to be a touring musician because they're working hard on their farm, but there's so much soul and heart in their music and those stories are incredible."In this episode, Harley sits down with Izzy Bartlett, the producer of Festival of Small Halls, Woodfordia's regional touring project bringing world-class artists to some of Australia's most remote communities.Izzy's first Woodford was in her mum's belly, so she's a genuine Woodford baby, one of many who grew up in the Chai Tent, made lifelong friendships, and eventually found her way into making Woodford's magic happen behind the scenes.From her family's connection to the Toowoomba orchestra to having a hand in the producing of 47 touring shows across 13 years of regional Australia, Izzy's work is about far more than just bringing acts on the road. It's about access, community resilience, and the radical idea that people in towns of 500 or 5,000 deserve world-class art just as much as city dwellers.The conversation gets real about funding, regional touring costs, and why government support for arts isn't a luxury—it's essential infrastructure. They discuss the power of small venues, intimate performances with under 10 people, and how a show in a flooded community becomes about collective healing. Plus, Harley and Izzy get unexpectedly philosophical about craft. Who would have thought?This episode is for:Anyone curious about how regional touring actually works and what it costs to bring culture to remote AustraliaPeople from the cities learning about community from the regionsThose who believe small moments and small communities matter just as much as big festivalsDive in to hear about why:A woman who hasn't left her small town in years getting to see live music two doors from her house is worth the budgetIzzy's loves UNO with strangers who become best friends"Nothing too small cannot be done beautifully" is the motto that keeps the Festival of Small Halls running on humility and handwritten thank-you notesKeen to bring your kids to Woodford to maybe meet their new best friends who might become friends forever - https://www.woodfordfolkfestival.comKeep up to date with Festival of Small Halls here: https://festivalofsmallhalls.com/FOR MORE: Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen Guest: Izzy Bartlett Producer: Benny Wallington Executive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-Jamieson Video Editing: Nicholas HaddowAudio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers Recorded on Jinabara Country#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #FestivalOfSmallHalls #RegionalTourning #IzzyBartlett #CommunityArts #AustralianCulture #RegionalAccess #WoodfordBaby #ArtsAccessibility #RegionalAustralia #CommunityResilience #CraftMatters #HarleyBreen #WoodfordProgramJoin the Woodfordian Citizens:Perks -- Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets- Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk FestivalVisit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.orgFor the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Credits:Host: Harley BreenProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JameisonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How to get into Radio, the Sunny Coast Music Boom and Must-See Picks for Woodford 25/26 with Sarah Howells
"I've been discovering music my whole life, but every year Woodford brings a stack of stuff I've never heard of, that I know is going to become my next favourite thing."In this episode, Harley sits down with ABC's Sarah Howells / Aussie radio royalty with 21 years in the biz, including stints at Triple J and Double J. And would you believe, this was her first podcast ever!From winning Woodford tickets through her mum's competition obsession in 1998 to becoming one of the festival's most recognisable voices, Sarah shares her journey from small-town nerd in Murwillumbah to championing Australian music on a national stage.The conversation weaves through Sarah's origin story, her thoughts on Triple J's evolution and why she transitioned from music-focused programming to ABC Local Radio, falling in love with conversations in the process.They dive into the magic of discovering new artists at Woodford, the importance of regional music scenes like the Sunshine Coast and Sarah's role as vice chair of the Sunshine Coast Music Industry Collective. Plus, Sarah gives us the inside scoop on must-see acts from the freshly launched program. We'd tell you who but we'd prefer if you listened yourself.Sarah also reveals her pivotal Woodford moment and why maybe the sunsets deserve as much hype as the infamous sunrise on New Year's Day. This episode is for:People interested in how to crack into a career in radioMusic lovers who want the inside track on Woodford 2025/26's hidden gemsPeople on the fence about coming to Woodford and want some insights into what makes Woodford more than just another festival.Dive in to hear about why:The three minutes of silence on New Year's Eve is actually more important than the countdownRegional music scenes like the Sunshine Coast are thrivingThe best festival moments are the ones you can't plan forRadio careers can start with naivety, volunteering, and labelling CDs (well maybe not anymore - do they still have CD's?)Harley thinks he's one type of pumpkin when in fact we all agree he is another. Want to join Sarah, Harley and 450 other acts at this year's festival?TIX HERE: https://www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFOR MORE: Sarah Howells: https://www.instagram.com/sarahinthehowellsSunshine Coast Music Industry Collective: https://www.scmic.org/ Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/CREDITS:Host: Harley Breen Guest: Sarah Howells Producer: Benny Wallington Executive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-Jameison Audio mastering: Kieron Atkinson Music by: The East Pointers#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #WoodfrodFolkFestival25 #SarahHowells #TripleJ #DoubleJ #ABCRadio #HarleyBreen #WoodfordProgram #FestivalSeason #BobbyAlu #SpankieJackson #WilliamCrighton #FrankAndLouis #SunshineCoastMusic #SCMIC #AustralianMusic #FolkFestival #MusicDiscovery #FestivalCommunityJoin the Woodfordian Citizens:Perks -- Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets- Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk FestivalVisit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.orgFor the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Credits:Host: Harley BreenProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JameisonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Musicians, Makers and the Miraculous Inbetween with Linsey Pollak
"You could make a clarinet out of a carrot and a bagpipe from rubber gloves... The whole point is not taking the world around us for granted."In this episode, Harley sits down with long time Woodfordian Linsey Pollak, a musical wonder, craftsperson, and what Harley calls a "perpetual toddler" of endless curiosity and excitement.What starts as a conversation about the strange-looking instruments on the table becomes an epic tale of experimentation, craft, and following passion wherever it leads. Some would say, making your own luck with the opportunities life throws at you.With a lifetime of musical exploration, he shares his journey from picking up a secondhand clarinet at 11, through high school experimental bands to creating finely crafted renaissance instrument masterpieces and finding a mentor in Macedonia after a kombi breakdown.He talks about the beauty of being silly with your craft, why not taking things (or people) for granted matters, and how meeting the right people can completely reshape your creative journey.Linsey also brings his rubber glove bagpipe to demonstrate the instrument that perfectly captures his philosophy: function without pretense, silliness as serious art.Catch Linsey this Woodford with his band Gosti I Gosti serenading the Chai Tent.This episode is for:Musicians and makers asking themselves "is there another way to do this?"People who love craft and getting their hands dirtyAnyone who's ever felt called to drop their original plan and follow curiosity insteadPeople who believe you should question assumptions about what objects are "supposed" to doDive in to hear about why:A planned science career can completely pivot into something magical and unexpectedAustralian desert timbers like gidgey and mulga create instruments as unique as the makerCraft and playfulness aren't opposites - they thrive beautifully togetherFOR MORE:Linsey Pollak: https://www.linseypollak.com/Harley Breen: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Tickets to Woodford Folk Festival: https://woodfordfolkfestival.com/CREDITS: Host: Harley Breen | Guest: Linsey Pollak | Producer: Benny Wallington | Recorded on Gubbi Gubbi Country | Music by: The East Pointers & Linsey Pollak | Executive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-Jameison#RadioWoodfordia #WoodfordFolkFestival #LinseyPollak #MusiciansOfWoodford #InstrumentMaker #DIYCulture #ExperimentalMusic #Craft #FoundObjects #QueenslandMusic #IndependentMusic #HarleyBreen #CreativeCurious #MusiciansLife #CommunityOverCommerceJoin the Woodfordian Citizens:Perks -- Bi-Monthly emails sharing the ins and outs of the world of Woodfordia and the people who keep the heart beating. - Special invites to special events on site at Woodfordia. Super special. - Bonus podcast content - Early early bird access to Woodford Folk Festival tickets- Early access to workshop bookings at Woodford Folk FestivalVisit: woodfordia.org/woodfordia/become-a-citizen More information at www.woodfordia.orgFor the festival: www.woodfordfolkfestival.comFor Harley: https://www.harleybreen.com.au/Credits:Host: Harley BreenProducer: Benny WallingtonExecutive Producers: Cameron Scurrah & Bree Hickson-JameisonAudio mastering: Kieron AtkinsonMusic by: The East Pointers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What happens when Australia's biggest music and arts festival becomes home to a community of dreamers, builders, and storytellers?Join comedian Harley Breen as he uncovers the wild stories behind the biggest festival you just might never have heard of. Broadcasting live from Woodfordia: A 500-acre regenerated dairy farm on Jinibara Country that's hosted the Festival for the past 30 years.Expect cracking yarns from the visionaries who built this cultural phenomenon from humble Maleny beginnings, plus the artists whose careers launched from this hidden Queensland valley, just an hour from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. There are familiar faces and unsung heroes who come together to produce something many have experienced as a rite of passage. Like everything at Woodfordia, from the 136,000 trees planted, to our chai tent (one of the first places to serve chai in Australia), this podcast is unfolding, growing, expanding the Woodfordia Universe to invite more of us in. Many arrive at all ages of life and say 'I've finally found my people'. This is an invitation into the lives of our people who might just become yours too. To learn more visits www.woodfordia.org or www.woodfordfolkfestival.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Australia