TimeOut Backbone of community

Play reveals rich tapestries of Queensland Country Women’s Association

l FAR NORTH | Isabella Guzman Gonzalez

OVER two years of research, interviews and stories have come to fruition as playwright Angela Murphy’s More Than Tea and Scones tours CWA halls across the Far North.

More Than Tea and Scones began its tour last Friday at the Freshwater CWA Hall and is now on its way to Port Douglas this Saturday, Tolga on Sunday, Cooktown on June 3, Mareeba on June 4, Tully on June 10 and closing in Millaa Millaa on June 11.

The play is the result of Ms Murphy’s journey across the Far North, revealing the testimonies and feats of the Queensland Country Women’s Association members.

More Than Tea and Scones director Rachel Terry said the play had been a learning experience for the all-women cast and crew.

“The women involved are tremendous actors that bring the voices of the CWA women to life through song, clowning and serious monologues,” she said.

“I’ve learned so much about the CWA. I did think it was about tea and scones, so it’s informative and uplifting to know that there’s an association like this that is the backbone of the community.

“It’s a story about community and friendship and the stories of the women that live amongst us and give their time to make the community a better place.”

Playwright Angela Murphy said she began her journey in 2021 with the uncertainty of how the project would end up, so she was excited to see it fleshed out on stage.

“Last year, we did three little mini versions of the show and all of those have led into the space now where it’s a really lovely piece of theatre,” she said.

“With Rachel’s direction, it’s got heart and honesty, and it’s also very funny, so it delivers a lot of things.

“This play shows that all these women, even if they’re under the umbrella of the QCWA, all bring individual pieces of what their community needs and what they can contribute.”

Actress Sarah Speller, who will interpret three different CWA women, said these stories needed to be told.

“For those that come, they’ll see that there’s way more than tea and scones,” she said.

“It’s really important that

Lumholtz book and exhibition

l TULLY these stories are told. Many women in the community quietly do their thing, so it’s nice to tell these stories and for people to recognise what they do because they do so much.”

TULLY artist and author Dr Valerie Keenan has created a new exhibition and publication called Drawing YOU in – Carl Lumholtz in the Herbert.

The creative, historical, scientific, environmental and cultural exhibition and publication has involved four years in research and development, taking Dr Keenan to Norway and across the Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland looking at birds and mammals in museums and in the wild following in the steps of Norwegian explorer and naturalist Carl Lumholtz (1851-1922) who spent time in the Herbert River Gorge from August 1882 to July 1883 and discovered the Lumholtz tree kangaroo.

To buy tickets, visit Try Booking and search More Than Tea and Scones.

“The exhibition and hardcover colour book are filled with a rich combination of stories, photographs, scientific and environmental information,” she said. “They include original ink drawings of birds and mammals in the Wet Tropics, landscape and portrait photographs, details about hunting tools and oral histories narrated by traditional owners.”

The exhibition runs at Tyto Gallery in Ingham until Sunday, May 28, 10am-4pm.