A Country Campfire Bush Poetry Preservation Project
Bush poetry has long been part of Australian life — shared around campfires, kitchen tables, shearing sheds, country halls, pub verandahs, stock camps, truck stops and out on the road.
Some poems are performed in front of a crowd.
Some are recited into a microphone.
Some are written quietly in notebooks, emails, desk drawers and old folders, waiting for somewhere to belong.
Keeping The Verse Alive is Country Campfire’s project to help preserve and share Australian bush poetry in all its forms.
This is not about chasing trends or filling a website with content for the sake of it. It is about giving bush poetry a permanent home online, and helping keep an important part of Australian country culture alive for the next generation.
Some poets recite.
Some simply write.
Some have published books.
Some have never had their work online.
All deserve a place around the campfire.
Preserving Written And Recited Bush Poetry
Country Campfire began sharing bush poetry through the Bush Poetry Podcast, but the tradition is bigger than audio alone.
Many poets write beautiful pieces that may never be performed publicly. Others may have poems tucked away in handwritten books, old computer files, emails, folders or printed pages.
Keeping The Verse Alive exists to make space for both.
Through this project, Country Campfire will preserve and share:
- written bush poems
- recited bush poems
- poems from established poets
- poems from everyday Australians
- works from contributors who may not have a website, podcast or social media presence
- selected poems that may later be recorded, recited or shared through the Bush Poetry Podcast
The goal is simple: to help Australian bush poetry remain visible, accessible and respected.
A Permanent Place For Poets
Where possible, each contributing poet will have their own permanent Country Campfire page.
These pages may include a short biography, photo, background, links, books, recordings, social pages, and a list of poems published through Country Campfire.
Each poem will also be published as its own individual piece, rather than being buried inside one long collection.
That means every poem has room to stand on its own.
Every poet has somewhere to be found.
And over time, Country Campfire can build a growing archive of Australian bush poetry that remains useful, discoverable and meaningful for years to come.
Do You Have A Bush Poem Sitting Somewhere?
If you have written bush poetry, or know someone who has, Country Campfire would love to hear from you.
You do not need to be famous.
You do not need to be a professional writer.
You do not need to perform on stage.
You may have one poem, a handful of poems, or a lifetime of writing sitting quietly in a drawer.
If your work carries the spirit of Australian country life, bush humour, hardship, history, characters, places, family, working life, mateship, memory or the old storytelling tradition, it may have a place here.
Keeping The Verse Alive is about preserving the voices that might otherwise be missed.
Permission And Copyright
Poems shared through Country Campfire remain the copyright of their original writers.
By sending a poem for consideration, you are giving Country Campfire permission to publish it on the Country Campfire website and to share links or short excerpts when promoting the piece.
You are not giving away ownership of your work.
Where possible, each poem will be credited clearly to its writer, with links, books or background information included if the contributor would like them shown.
Country Campfire will not knowingly publish work without permission from the poet, family, estate or rights holder.
Around The Campfire
Country Campfire exists to become Australia’s Digital Campfire — a long-term home for preserving, celebrating and sharing Australian country culture.
Keeping The Verse Alive is one part of that mission.
One poem at a time.
One poet at a time.
One story at a time.
The flame keeps burning.
