Ron Edwards and the Fight For Australian Tradition

Ron Edwards (1930—2008) had a passion for recording and safeguarding for future generations Australia’s unique folk heritage. In 1950, at a time when popular wisdom had it that Australia had few folk songs, Edwards and poet John Manifold produced the Bandicoot Ballads, trailblazing broadsheets which marked the beginning of Australia’s folk music revival. He also published the first book of Australian folk songs with music. Moving to far North Queensland he made his living painting nudes, horses and bush landscapes. Discovering tradition-bearers all around him he became an irrepressible field collector making Cairns the folk song, yarnspinning and bush craft capital of Australia. He also documented meticulously a wealth of ancient Aboriginal rock art.

A passionately independent free spirit and sole proprietor of his Rams Skull Press for over fifty years, Edwards published over three hundred titles, mostly on Australian folklore and traditional craft, the overwhelming majority of which he wrote and illustrated himself. Over forty years on, his pivotal publications The Big Book of Australian Folk Song, The Australian Yarn and Traditional Australian Bush Crafts remain standard references. His monumental twelve volume Index of Australian Folk Song warrants recognition as a national treasure.