About Us

Walcha Road was formed when Jeff (button accordion) and Julie (fiddle) decided it was time to start playing in public and sharing their passion for Australian traditional music. They had both played alongside other musicians in the early 1980's when old timers such as Charlie Batchelor made an appearance in the folk music scene. This was largely due to the work of collectors, notably Chris Sullivan who, amongst others, had embarked on a last minute project to find and record surviving old time musicians. Playing with Charlie and his Horton River Band was a seminal experience. Pictured here are Julie and Jeff with friends playing with Charlie at the Bush Music Club Annual Festival (Marrickville 1983). Julie is the fiddle player pictured standing behind Jeff.

Brendan Munns (guitar) was their first recruit. Sandy Grey (anglo concertina, flute) then came on board.

The band has evolved with changing circumstances. Julie withdrew due to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis in her hands. Kate Andrews (fiddle) stepped in. Sandy then retired to the mid north coast. Kate's husband, Pat Eyre joined the group playing banjo and providing his expertise on the sound desk. Long-time friend Gerry Harris also joined the band on tin whistle. Lastly, Harold Von Finster (bass fiddle) arrived.

Julie has returned to join the band again after miracle surgery enabled her to tackle the fiddle once more.

With Jeff at the helm the band plays in various iterations according to who's available. In addition, Mark Rummery (fiddle) and Tom Rummery (english concertina) sometimes travel from Armidale to play with us for dances.

Why are we “Walcha Road”? Much of the music we play derives from northern New South Wales. Walcha Road is a hamlet which features a train stop on the northern rail line. Drivers would stop there to allow the passengers an extended smoko, and for urgent engine repairs. If it wasn't for the railway few people would hear of this little town. Just like this little village, in the rush towards the future our own old time music has been largely overlooked.

We were looking at this for a band name when Jeff reminded Julie of something else.

In 1981, local folklorist Brad Tate, in company with Chris Sullivan, recorded a varsovienna from Jack Hannaford at Teralba (Lake Macquarie). Jack recalled that he'd learned it somewhere up near Walcha Road back in the 1930's, so Brad gave it that title. How appropriate, with our band members mostly settled in Lake Macquarie, to find this link. Our old time music travels well.