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Memories of Whare Flat

Thursday 14th May 2026

By Neil Adam.

For Judy and me, the greatest fun in 50 years of music was when we persuaded, cajoled or bribed our children to join us when we were playing in public. In 2003, our daughter Bec (she of the angelic voice) was 14, Gus (on sax and other things) was 16, and we started negotiations with each venue we were due to play at to see if it was OK for us to arrive with 5 people instead of just the two of us. It was before the kids were old enough to say No to us. The gigs went well, a new repertoire developed (as the kids didn’t want to play our old stuff!),  and we soon found ourselves playing at big festivals here in Australia. Then we were offered the chance to play at Wellington Folk Festival, and then …. Whare Flat. 

So the family entourage, with our best friend Pria on fiddle, and Bruce on double bass, arrived in Dunedin in time for New Year. Bec couldn’t be there, but the rest of us have the happiest memories of that week. It was our first Whare Flat experience, and I remember being part of a song-singing circle (try saying that fast) in the forest, and I remember that the gigs in the big hall went really well. But above all, it is more than the music which I remember about the festival….

We had met Bernadette and Mike on our biannual-ish trips to Dunedin, where we had played at the Folk Club. The first time Judy and I came to Dunedin it was to play there, but when the second opportunity came, we both knew that it was because we so loved Dunedin that we wanted to come back. We both have transportable qualifications, and we fantasized about moving to Dunedin to live. An afternoon watching an albatross off the coast, and watching sea-lions on the beach, made life in this part of the world seem even more desirable!

But then reality kicked in, and it became clear that we and all the kids were NOT going to move to Dunedin, regardless of our dreams. But that first family trip to Whare Flat gave us an insight into that dreamlike time and place, removed from real life, surrounded by lovely people and a great atmosphere. It was unforgettable.

So then last year we got that email from Siobhan inviting us to come back for the 50th anniversary festival, and Judy’s first reaction after such a long gap was ‘Oh they must have made a mistake, surely they don’t mean us’. So I sent a message to Siobhan saying that and the answer came back saying Yes We Do Mean You…at which point we were only too delighted to say Yes, please!

So this year, the joy was repeated. OK, so our kids weren’t there, (actually it’s been a long time since our kids were kids), but we were there, and that gave us the opportunity to meet and chat with great people in the the Whare Flat Village. The fact that there is little or no gap between performers and audience, that anyone talks with anyone, and that there is so much shared history, makes it a joy to be amongst. This time, we talked with so many people with camper vans, that in the end we came home and bought one! 

And for me, as someone who grew up in the UK, it was great to be in that fantastic folk community at Whare Flat. As Australian folk festivals move towards being more like world music events, understandably reflecting the demographic changes of our community, so the special vibe of Whare Flat becomes even more special for us. 

I’ll never forget Moose Rosser The Singing Policeman, in those mighty singing sessions in the bar, or Yujing Chi playing pipa with Judy in the Festival Orchestra. Great memories, and that’s just the start of them!

A big Thank You to Siobhan, Lindsey, Bernadette, Mike and all the gang for all their work and friendship.

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