Mad March is looming. The Adelaide Fringe is almost upon us. And I am part of it.
My very first Fringe!
Time to tell you about a project I have been involved with. About six months ago, our writing group was invited to submit short stories or poems to an exciting project – A Trail of Tales – created by The Tea Tree Gully Writers Group, Tea Tree Gully Library and Gallery1855.
Our mission? Write and submit a short story or poem linked to historical Pine Park, based on local history, legend or fantasy set in Tea Tree Gully. Local artists were then invited to create a visual installation, based on their choice of written word.
We were given a guided tour of the local Pine Park (and Linea Park) at Tea Tree Gully. This included lectures on local history, by Carol Symons of the Preservation Society of TTG, and indigenous flora by historian, David Brooks. We learned about traditional Aboriginal and European history as well as local legends. (There was even some ghost stories.)
My story, Hunted, was acccepted for the project. It is set around the mid 1880s and was inspired by old newspaper clippings and based in historic Tea Tree Gully, including the Old Council Chambers, Pine Park, and various landmarks in Linea Park – an old gum and the creek. (And inspired further research into local history of the area.)
You can find more information and dates of the Trails of Tales installation in The Adelaide Fringe event listing.
The installation runs from 12th February to 14th March at Pine Park at 2 Haines Rd Tea Tree Gully 5091 SA. All of the accepted written works are listed on the website.
I’m crossing my fingers one of the artist’s liked my short story.
(All Photos: copyright 2015 Karen Carlisle)