For the third year in a row a Central Coast star busker has become a national champion at the Australian National Busking Championships 2024 held at Cooma on Saturday, November 30.
Belle Norman won the Primary-aged category for a second time and took home $600 in prizes and a big trophy.
Belle’s mother said she was excited to be a part of the competition, and to win was “just the best”.
“Belle will be adding the prize money from today to that she received at The Entrance (busking competition), to save up to be able to attend the Country Music Academy, she’s hooked on performing now,” she said.
Central Coast buskers Coral Renee (Open) and Maverick Leslie-Fitch (Secondary age) were Highly Commended and received substantial prizes in their categories.
The Australian National Busking Championships (ANBC) is an Australia-wide network of busking festivals.
This year heats were held in Queensland (Stanhope and Gladstone), the ACT at Braddon, Victoria (Kilmore and Rutherglen) and NSW (Cooma and The Entrance).
The annual event celebrates the rich diversity of Australian music and street performance culture.
Rotarians from Erina went to Cooma this year to join in the fun and show their support for the buskers who had won their categories on the Central Coast.
The judges included Central Coast 2022 heat winners, The James Brothers, who were looking for how buskers personified ANBC’s message about celebrating the rich diversity of Australian music and street performance culture.
The Rotary Clubs of Erina and The Entrance work together each year to host the Central Coast heat, held at Memorial Park.
“The theme of this year’s national festival was to encourage, mentor, promote and develop career pathways for emerging musicians and performing artists of all ages and all music genres,” a Rotary spokesperson said.
“Our two Rotary clubs, with the support of Central Coast Council, recognise that by hosting the regional heat here on the Central Coast we enrich our communities culturally and economically as part of a national network.
“The people of the Central Coast are very generous with their support of the buskers on the day and the closing concert, in which all the finalists perform, is a treat for everyone – including the performers who enthusiastically encourage each other, with cheers and genuine fellowship.”
Next year’s regional heat will be held at The Entrance in September 2025.
For more details and to become involved email erinarotaryclub@gmail.com
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