West Australian Folk Federation

Welcome to the pages of the WA Folk Federation.
The WAFF was established in 1970 with the principle aim of promoting Folk Music and Dance in WA and attracting the National Folk Festival to WA which we hosted in 1978 in Fremantle & 1985 at The University of WA. The National Folk Festival, held over the Easter Weekend, is now located in Canberra with a featured state each year.
We became an incorporated body in 1974. We serve the entire state, although predominantly the Perth Metro area, and have done so for more than five decades. The WAFF is working now to reinvigorate itself and redefine its role in promotion of folk performing arts in Western Australia, including music, dance, yarns and poetry. In the coming months we promise many new and exciting developments. Join us as we work to elevate understanding and appreciation for folk music, poetry, dance, and story-telling.

26th April 2025
— Here’s to the West Concert – History & Heritage in Song
Welcome to Australia’s largest community-driven celebration of heritage. As part of this festival the WAFF is presenting a concert to celebrate our WA Heritage.
Come and Join performers from the West Australian Folk Federation for an afternoon of Western Australian original and traditional music, bringing to light lesser known stories through song and spoken word performed in the Heritage Listed Christ Church in Claremont, one of the oldest suburban parish Churches in Perth featuring the song writing talents of: Bernard Carney OAM, Warralakin, The Western Songbirds, The Rambling Bilbies & John Ralph.
The church was built of locally quarried Cottesloe limestone the foundation stone was laid on the 10th September.1892. This combination of Folk music in a beautiful heritage building is not to be missed.
Artist info:

Bernard Carney is an accomplished craftsman in song, a master guitarist and a fine versatile entertainer, celebrating 50 years working full time in the Australian entertainment industry. Bernard’s songs tell of Australia, its people, and its history, interwoven with story , humour and his deep connection to family. He is a past Artist of the Year at the Port Fairy Folk Festival , is thoroughly involved in community cohesion through music , and received the Order of Australia Medal in 2019 for services to music. He currently coordinates and hosts the weekly Holly Wood Tuesday Morning Show at the Perth Town Hall , is the musical director of the Spirit of the Streets choir which he founded 18 years ago , and also directs the St John of God Hospital Choir.
Warralakin Hear the Music, Smell the Dust, Listen to the Stories. Phil and Yvonne Gray are Warralakin, have lived and worked in the places less travelled and have a lifetime of Story, Song and Verse that reflect an Australian way of life. Warralakin will take you with them on an authentic Australian Folk journey. Songs, verse and stories of seafarers, pirates, whalers, shearers, drovers, farmers and many other Australians (with the occasional song from foreign parts). Much of Warralakin Music is their original material, and paints a picture of our Western Australia ….. Please climb on board.
The Western Songbirds are Carmel Charlton & Lynda Martin. Carmel is a singer, songwriter and musician with a fine voice. She grew up on a farm in the Central Wheatbelt of W.A. Her songs reflect the unique history and heritage that we share in Western Australia. Songs of the West, an album of Carmel’s songs is a favourite with travellers when driving throughout Western Australia and many have been sent overseas to remind expatriates of home. Songs you’ll hear at the concert include C.Y. O’Connor I Wish You Were Here, Up, Down South about the wonderful First Nation place names ending with ‘up’. Also Carmel’s composition Spirit of Mokare, a song about Noongar Aboriginal man Mokare from the south-west corner of Australia, who was pivotal in aiding European exploration of the area. Here’s to the West is a catchy song Carmel wrote with Ruth Marchant James a well – known West Australian historian. www.carmelcharlton.com Carmel will be joined by Lynda Martin a singer guitarist with many years playing and writing songs.
John Ralph’s songs and tunes reflect the diversity of music influences from a lifetime of playing in Folk and Irish Country and Rock, Bands. He has played at Cambridge Folk Festival and Ely Folk Festival UK and Fairbridge, Denmark, Folk in the Forest, Albany Folk festivals, Illawarra, Kiama and the Wintermoon Festivals in Australia. He writes songs influenced by Western Australian History played with a contemporary feel but with roots firmly in the tradition. He is currently researching the Music of the Swan River Colony for a Master’s degree in Musicology at WAAPA.
The Rambling Bilbies are a Western Australian based duo of Rob & Jill Oats. We have burrowed through the music archives to present a variety of unplugged style of music genre hopping from self penned contemporary ballads through to almost all styles including acoustic folk/rock, blues, celtic, ballads, Oz, Country/folk etc. Some are well known favourites, others are obscure songs from our varied background and strange listening habits combining original material with classics and modern songs as well as a wide range of instrumentals. We have been performing together around WA for many years at clubs, festivals, schools, dances, concerts, birthday parties. We have both played extensively in various bands over the years www.thebilbies.com.au

Currently two clubs are officially run under the banner of the WAFF (Wanneroo Folk Club Swan Acoustic) and a number of others are affiliated.

Wanneroo Folk Club (in Warwick) 2nd Friday of the month Dorchester Hall, 2 Dugdale St, Warwick. Find us on Google Maps here Entry price varies: Guest Nights $12 ($10 WAFF Members). Special event concert nights $15 ($12 WAFF members) Come-All-Ye nights $8 ($5 WAFF) Doors open: 7:00pm, Music from 7:30pm For more info and performers Email: Rob Oats

Swan Acoustic (3rd Friday of the month), was launched on Friday February 21st, 2025, at the Swan Bowling and Recreation Club on the corner of James and Attfield Streets, Guildford. As this is a NEW venture, in the initial stages we will be running this along the lines of a Blackboard ‘Come all Ye” Folk Club with 3 song/15 mins each act. It will operate in a side room off the main area, and will have a small p/a with vocals and instruments playing through 2 x large diaphragm condenser microphones (if required)- just so as to lift the sound slightly. Operating under the banner of the WAFF, in addition to seasoned performers, it offers an opportunity for acts (young and mature) starting out, learning to perform in an intimate, live audience atmosphere. This offers a unique opportunity to develop the skills required to engage with the audience, and present music in a safe and supportive environment. Original music is encouraged – both song and instrumental. The music commences at 7:00pm and will conclude around 10:00pm. The bowling club is run entirely by friendly volunteers and they offer an economical single choice meal available from around 6:00pm, but be early as there only a set number of meals and they disappear quickly! You’re welcome to bring your own snacks. Be aware that this is a licensed venue and so NO BYO drinks and any minors are to be accompanied by an adult. Club nights will be the 3rd Friday of each month, unless otherwise advertised. Come along and help us kick this year along the road. If you have any queries at all, call or message Phil Gray on 0404 629 125.

Ken’s Drawing Cindy’s Drawing The combination of Ken’s & Cindy’s drawings the colourised version

How our logo/banner came about Prior to 1997 there was a new “modern look” logo in use which didn’t really say much about who we are or what we do. After the the Joondalup Festival the committee decided that we needed to go back to basics a bit. As the new Town Crier editor at the time I was looking through the WAFF office and unearthed 2 items. One was a drawing by the late Ken Ferguson which was used as the logo for the National Folk Festival in 1978. The other was a silk screen of Swans and instruments which was used for a tee shirt design for the 1990 Toodyay Folk Festival. I had no idea who had designed the T-shirt art work but at the Wanneroo Folk Club a couple of years ago I discovered that this mystery artist was a lady by the name of Cindy Stonor-McClean, a long time supporter of the WAFF and folk music in WA. I liked the look of both drawings since they had a connection to both folk music and Western Australia. So after much scanning and fiddling on my computer I combined the two drawings into one and a new logo was born. Over time it evolved with the adding of a bit of colour. The banner at the top of our new pages has better definition and is the latest version.