"Hartwood Camp Fires and Country Music 2010" Personal Page by wise23girl

We met "mine hosts" Paul and Hele McCloud at a country music festival in Mildura, Victoria in the Year 2000 where he was taking part(Paul is an artist). We discovered that besides owning the property" Hartwood" in NSW( which we had never heard about ) they were also neighbours on the Sunshine Coast.

Since then at Easter time (when we are not dancing in Ireland) we drive down to the Hartwood Camp Fires and Country Music festival and do a bit of camping and listening to the music..

Yes you are welcome for a week, just the Easter break or for a day at a very reasonable cost.
Bush camping is available so you will need a tent or a campavan and you can bring your dog but only if kept on a lead.
There is no power but you can collect your own firewood on the property.
Drinking water is on tap and toilets are available).

We are lucky there is bore water . Will I tell you the story of when the toilet flushing demand was too great for the supply of water? Well you can guess who had the job of carting buckets of water. Still better than a spade.

Mine host Paul and Oscar

Hartwood is approx 160 kilometres southwest of Tamworth N.S W. If you travel to Gunnedah and then head west you will find the turnoff to Coolah Road on your left.

Pass through Tanbar Springs if coming from the north.

If coming from the south it is about 40k north of Coolah (look for Dunedoo on the map to get your bearings) You will know Dubbo NSW for another lead in....

There are very clear directions on the road to guide you into the farm about 1k either side.

We dance at Hartwood 2010

Well every year more seems to be happening. Down at the main camping site there are camp fire singalongs where you might like to do a bit of entertaining your self. Some of the artists join in too.
Then in 2008 there was the first "dance night" under the stars on the lawn near the main stage. Perter Horan played some gypsy taps and music you could jump around to ...a great success.

The main concerts begin Good Friday afternoon. You need to bring a chair. A number of well known artists will then entertain you all day Saturday and Sunday. And there is food you can buy so you do not have to return to your camp site to keep body and soul together.

Peter entertains in the treetops

Coolah folk love it when you shop in their town. There is everything there you will need for a camping holiday.( Le Shoppe opens in the campgrounds early in the week to provide bread, milk, pies, ice and so on.) Unfortunately this will not happen in 2010. NO Le Shoppe.

At Hartwood there is also light food available at the main stage area to make it easy for you. In 2008 for the first time there was a country show type setup with food, coffee, soft drinks and ice cream .

It has been known to rain for some festivals but we only experienced a sprinkle one year.

Sometimes it is a bit chilly and sometimes COLD. As the dates of Easter vary you need to be guided by that.

But on the other hand if you miss out on a shady spot for your chair it can be warm in the middle of the day.

Buying product

Of course the artists love it when you buy their CDs which they are always more than happy to autograph. There are usually TShirts to make you feel part of the place as well. Be quick these sell fast.

And this is Hele

Hartwood Campfires and Country Music
Coolah N.S.W. 2843

+61 2 6744 2158 (Hartwood direct)

+61 7 5445 5937 (enquiries)

www.paulmccloud.com

email: hmccloud1@bigpond.com

At last a photo of Paul's beautiful wife, Hele.

The crowd has grown.

PLease follow this link for photos and the story of Year25. Unbelievable how this festival has grown.