Phil McManus - Country Campfire

Known to many as “Phil Inn”, Phil McManus is a bush poetry performer and long-time lover of Australian bush poetry.

I first met Phil at the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, where he handed me one of his business cards. On the back was a quote he often shared, and after hearing it I asked him to write it down for me:

“Poetry is the passion from within that deals with life’s crap.”

That simple quote has stayed with me ever since and captures Phil’s genuine love of poetry and storytelling.

Phil is best known for his recitals of classic Australian bush poetry, particularly the works of Henry Lawson. For the past several years he has also portrayed Henry Lawson at the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra, helping bring one of Australia’s most celebrated poets to life for festival audiences and visitors.

While he may not describe himself as a professional poet, Phil is a passionate advocate for the bush poetry tradition and the stories, characters and values it preserves.

Over the years, Phil has made numerous contributions to Country Campfire and the Bush Poetry Podcast. Through his recitals, encouragement and ongoing support of the bush poetry community, he has helped keep Australian bush poetry alive for new audiences. Several podcast episodes featuring Phil’s performances and contributions have been preserved as part of the Country Campfire archive.

Through festival appearances, community events and his YouTube channel, Phil continues to share Australian bush poetry with audiences around Australia and around the world.