Bjelke Blues

Comedian, writer and social provocateur Mandy Nolan was born in Kingaroy, the Heart of Joh Country and has been in recovery ever since. The author of four memoirs, host of Mamamia’s latest podcast The Split and with three decades in the spotlight as a stand up, Nolan is believes it was the place of her birth that seeded her downright disruptive soul!

Nicky Peelgrane is a writer, Drama teacher and actor. In 2019 she was awarded a Creative Writing Fellowship at the University of Queensland and is currently writing a play, 'Prospero's Dukedom' about touring Shakespeare in Queensland. 'Ghosts of Down Under', a play she co-wrote in 2018, toured schools throughout Queensland with Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe. In 2017, her play about the first year of motherhood, 'Whatever Gets You Through the Night', played to sold out audiences in New South Wales. She co-authored 'Commedia Oz' (Currency Press 2008) with Steven Gration, a Drama textbook in use in Education throughout Australia. As an actor, she does voiceover work for children's picture book apps - she was the voice of Joanne Curtis in the hit true crime podcast, Teacher's Pet.

Paul Richards was admitted as a solicitor in 1973 and assisted in the beginning of the Aboriginal Legal Service. His private practice largely involved the Indigenous community and construction workers as clients. He worked for the Queensland South Native Title Services– his last major achievement being a native title determination for the Kullilli people of south-west Queensland.