All activities will be held on site at Wirrina Cove Holiday Park. Please book camping/accommodation either on or off site separately, and bring your own food.

Volunteers

Many many thanks to our volunteers from music camp last year who helped things run in a very big way—particularly Jan Foreman and Tony Schick, but all of the volunteers, and those who stepped up quietly to assist with various tasks around the site when they saw need. These people are too many to name! Also, thanks to friends who have assisted in previous years—Angus, Chris, Glen, Linda & Ian, and others.

As we grow and extend our activities, we need more volunteer assistance to help run the camp week activities, and also to help with publicity and planning beforehand (from now on).

This year’s tutors

Billy Black

Billy is a well-rounded and respected guitarist/multi instrumentalist from the Northern Territory with a serious groove and a passion for helping players develop flexibility and expand skills. The skills he teaches can apply as easily to bluegrass country music as to the African roots- inspired repertoire he often plays.

Billy is seen regularly around Alice Springs playing with many different acts in many genres; Gleny Rae Virus (bluegrass/country), Katanga Junior (African roots), King Marong (afro beat) and Cassii Williams (FN singer-songwriter). Not just a brilliant guitarist, Billy is a jaw-droppingly great singer/solo performer. His fluid acoustic techniques have been honed over many years, including around the East Coast.

Theo Vandersman

This Dutch troubadour apprenticed at the “school of entertaining London bar crowds”, after studying classical violin, obsessively working on six-part Baroque harmony arrangements with his family ensembles, and routinely slinging his double bass around between gigs on his bicycle. He now lives in Tasmania, where he is discovering amazing folk tunes and working on his second album of original songs.

Over the years, Theo has taught in adult education, community orchestras and many, many schools, while working in rock bands, bluegrass & folk groups, bush bands, classical ensembles and musical theatre. He loves making music accessible to as many as possible, and engaging others in playing together, while sneaking in bits of useful music theory along the way. He plays anything from kazoo and percussion, through the range of stringed instruments to his collection of “basses great and small”.

Theo joins us this year as tutor for bass skills, plus ensemble development and music theory.

Paul Cooper

Multi-instrumentalist Paul Cooper will be returning to teach 5-string banjo. Having studied under 6-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year Kristen Scott Benson, Paul’s specialty is bluegrass banjo, but he is not bound by genre, with proficiency in all 33-finger techniques. Regularly performing nationally and internationally with bands such as The Cherry Pickers, Axe & The Ivory and Kelly’s Wayke, Paul is also an in-demand session utility player.

Sally Carter

Sally performs as Sally’s Ukulele. Styles include bluegrass, Celtic, gypsy jazz, ragtime, classical, jazz, old favourites, originals and folk, from fast toe-tapping tunes featuring daredevil acts of musical bravery to beautiful, soulful songs and melodies played from the heart. Sally performs and runs workshops around Australia and internationally. Her ukulele workshops are fun, inclusive and informative. You are guaranteed an enjoyable learning experience.

Sally has written six ukulele books. These include ensemble books for beginners through to more advanced, solo and duo ukulele music, and her latest book ‘Campanella Ukulele’.

More tutors will be announced as we build the program. Please get in touch if there’s something you’d like to see on the program.

Program information

• One-to-one consultations will be available at the music camp.
• Your time with tutors will focus on developing skills with your instrument, as well as structured time to work in elective classes. This may include completely new skills or ideas
• Tutors are keen to offer teaching sessions and activities that build skills in improvising, working together, and offer challenge.
• The Tuesday night barbecue will be happening and is a fun social time at the camp.

Tickets & Prices

We’d love for people to book ahead, and this year that means saving money. So, we have a discounted ticket price for those booking now.

The money raised is used directly for paying tutors (who you will often also see playing at the festival), providing assistance towards their travel and accommodation, and paying for other costs of the camp.

2026 Full Price: $355 (includes $75 non-refundable deposit)

2026 Discount Price if booked before October 24th: $300 (includes $75 non-refundable deposit)

Tickets include all instruction and activities but do not include accommodation, which you should book separately through the Wirrina Cove Holiday Park website.

This year, tickets for the festival and music camp will be available through Trybooking (same as last year). The link will open very soon. However, if you’re able to book for the
MUSIC CAMP ONLY by bank deposit, we will save on booking fees, and you save on credit card fees (NOTE: This does not apply to people wanting to enrol in ukulele class with Sally).

Paying for your Wirrina Music Camp 2026 ticket via Bank Deposit

Please email us at wirrinabluegrass@gmail.com to ask for payment details.

Other information will gradually be coming out on this website.