George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): I am most fortunate to have constituents in my electorate such as country music legend Graeme Connors and his lovely wife Lyn, both of whom were born and bred in the North Queensland town of Mackay. After almost 40 years and having had his first album produced by Chris Kristofferson, Graeme Connors has produced 18 albums and received 14 Golden Guitars and an ARIA award, as well as numerous other singing and song-writing awards. Graeme's first major hit came 25 years ago with the song A little further north, which was inspired by feelings of homesickness when he was living in Sydney. Songs on the North album are powerful insights into his home town, Mackay, and the North Queensland lifestyle. The album certainly found broad appeal across Australia but there is a special connection for local in songs like Let the cane fields burn, Mango shade and Cyclone season.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the North album, which was voted the No. 3 best Australian country album of all time, Graeme Connors will be performing the album in its entirety at a special concert at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre in Mackay on 11 July. He is also performing it elsewhere across North Queensland. Graeme has always been a great ambassador for the city of Mackay and for North Queensland through his music. I am sure his songs have inspired many cold southerners to 'head a little further north each year' themselves.