HISTORY OF STONE THE CROWS FESTIVAL and gReyVees AWARDS
Jim Haynes is responsible for the idea that became the Stone The Crows Festival. Among Jim’s other ideas over the years have been the creation of morning shows at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, the Australian Bush Laureate Awards, the school show ‘Singabout Australia’ and the musical play ‘Voices From Gallipoli’. Jim’s connection with Wagga Wagga is that he wrote and recorded three songs about the city, including ‘Don’t Call Wagga Wagga Wagga’ which was a hit about twenty years ago. He was also writer in residence at Charles Sturt University and often recorded at Grant Luhr’s ‘Flying Fox’ studio in Wagga Wagga. ‘I always thought Wagga Wagga was the perfect place for a festival,’ Jim said, ‘and the idea had been floating around in my mind for a long time.’
Grant has lived in Wagga Wagga since 1982 when he established Flying Fox Recording Studio. He has been involved in the local arts scene and festivals and events in Wagga Wagga for three decades, helped many local artists and groups, taught sound engineering at Charles Sturt University and works part time at ABC Riverina Radio. He was made the Citizen of the Year in 2012 for his charity and community work.
Chrissy Eustace met Jim when he entertained at a motorhome rally more than 10 years ago. Chrissy’s job was Official Photographer but she offered to help Jim with his CD sales and after the show they got chatting, and as the saying goes .. the rest is history. Chrissy and husband Bob tried all types of RV’s before settling on motorhomes. She started the ‘Craft Barn’ in 2003, an activity which continues at CMCA rallies and was director of Casino Village Resort for four years where she created events such as the National Camp Oven Festival and the Bushman’s Heritage Festival still going after 12 years. It was after one of these events that she and Jim threw around the idea of holding a Festival. In 2010 it became a serious discussion which resulted in Stone the Crows being created.
‘Grant and I had discussed the festival idea many times,’ Jim says. ‘We knew Wagga was the perfect place but until Chrissy came along, with her grey nomad connections, to actually do all the work and get things started – it was just an idea, now it’s a reality!’
Chrissy explained, “Stone the Crows is almost a year round job for a week of fun.” When not “crowing”, she is involved in the local community as a charter member of the local Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges, particularly organising the annual Art Show. She maintains her sanity by tutoring at Stitch Witches Patchwork group. Chrissy was made a Paul Harris Fellow by her club in 2019 for her teamwork, in particular the Art Show, grant writing and success and numerous administrative efforts.
“The guys and I are great mates plus we work really well together, bouncing ideas off each other, some come to fruition, others don’t. We all have the same enthusiasm to keep the Festival a vibrant living entity. The encouragement we receive from our grey nomad flock makes all the hard work worthwhile. With our team of volunteers, we have put together something really special and that was acknowledged with our Bronze Award at the 2014 NSW Inland Tourism Awards, behind two really established events, Tamworth Country Music Festival and the Canowindra Balloon Challenge and Festival,’ she added.
‘We don’t want to be the biggest Festival in the world – we want to be the one that people love, the one they want to come back to year a after year and most importantly, something they will feel proud to be part of when they talk to their mates and others.’
So to everyone who has worked with us to create the magic which is Stone the Crows – thank you – keep enjoying it and spreading the word!