Jude and Jess get together at the launch

We’re still buzzing from the launch of the Bundaberg Story Project stories collection at the Bundaberg Library last week. Fifty or sixty people turned up, including – we were overjoyed to see – almost everyone who had recorded with us when we spent a week in Bundy last year. (Check out all the launch pics here).

The launch was a warm, chatty celebration of people’s stories and experiences. People stood up and told the crowd about the story they had recorded, and they seemed proud and happy.

Kirsten couldn’t wait to share her story

Later on, after the formalities were over, people sought one another out saying, “I loved your story – tell me more”. The buzz in the room was audible as conversations continued and connections were made. It was music to our ears. This is what we love about The Story Project. At its core is the sharing of stories, and, through hearing one another’s stories, we connect. Amen.

Ross and Geoff found more stories to talk about

There were some lovely spinoffs from The Story Project up in Bundy. The Bundaberg Library, who had collaborated on our project, told us the momentum they gained from that helped kick start their own story recording venture, “Bundaberg Stories”, which they launched on the night. A few people sought out local ABC radio producers at the launch and told them about stories they’d like to see picked up (nice one). And we chatted with groups who were keen to bring us back to Bundy for another run of recording, which we would love.

Checking out the Library’s heritage pics for ‘Bundaberg Stories’

A warm and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all who supported The Story Project in Bundaberg. Many thanks to the Regional Arts Development Fund, a Queensland Government and Bundaberg Regional Council partnership to support local arts and culture, for funding the project. Thank you to Bundaberg Regional Council for your support and for providing the recording venue last year. And thanks to ABC Wide Bay for promoting the project and for broadcasting some of the stories.

Bundaberg Regional Councillors Lynne Forgan and Judy Peters – Thanks for your support!

More thank yous! To the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery for letting us be artists in residence for a week (we will expect this kind of treatment everywhere we go from now on.) To Bundaberg Regional Libraries for making the stories so easily accessible online (click here) and for organising the launch. To Creative Regions for promoting us. And last but not least, special thanks to Bundaberg U3A and Nina Higgins, who partnered with us to make the project happen. We are grateful to you all, and we’re glad to have shared with you the experience of capturing and sharing some of Bundaberg’s diversity and history through stories.