original music byMike PerjanikfeaturingThe Bushwackers

(cast)The Bushwackers BandRoger Corbet

Michael HarrisLuis McManusDobe NewtonAnthony O'NeillFred Strauks

Traditional compositions, original arrangementsby The Bushwackersall arrangements are the subject of copyright.

The Bushwackers appearance by courtesyCBS Productions Pty. Ltd.Original sound track availableCBS Records - logo

The Bushwackers in publicity poses for the film:

The Bushwackers perform only one song on screen in the film, and then they have to put up with John Howard singing and playing the lagerphone:

The film's press book provided details of the band. Fore more recent information about the band, see its wiki here, and it also had at one time an official site, but at time of writing, this

seems to have gone offline. (Inevitably the band has been through a number of line up changes since it appeared in this film back in 1983).

The music turned up in a number of forms, on LP and as a promotional 45:

LP CBS SBP 237975 (CA PC 7975) 1983

Warrigal MorningMusic from the film 'Bush Christmas'Recorded at TrafalgarProduced by Tommy Emmanuel and BushwackersEngineered by David Cafe except “Princeʼs Theme”, “The Race” and “Stir The Pudding”, recorded at Richmond Recorders, MelbourneProduced by Mike Perjanik and BushwackersEngineered by Martin BengeThe Bushwackers are: Dobe Newton - lagerphone, vocals; Roger Corbett - bass guitar; Danny Bourke - violin; Tony OʼNeill - guitars, mandolin; Tommy Emmanuel - guitars; Freddy Strauks - drums; Louis McManus - guitar; Michael Harris - violin

SIDE 1: 1. Princeʼs Theme (Mike Perjanik) (ATV Northern Songs)2. Warrigul Morning (Theme From The Film “Bush Christmas”)(Mike Perjanik, Arr: Bushwackers) (ATV Northern Songs)3. Lachlan Tigers (Trad. Arr: Bushwackers) (Tombola)4. Silent Night (Trad. Arr: Bushwackers) (Tombola)5. Waltzing Matilda (A. B. Paterson, Arr: Bushwackers) (Allens/Control)6. Goanna Stew (T. Emmanuel) (MCA/Gilbey)

SIDE 2:1. The Fishing Reels (Trad. Arr: Bushwackers) (Tombola)2. Billy Of Tea Travelling Music (Trad. Arr: Bushwackers) (Tombola) (Mike Perjanik) (ATV Northern Songs)3. Stir The Pudding (Mike Perjanik) (ATV Northern Songs)4. Augathella Station (Trad. Arr: Bushwackers) (Tombola)5. The Race (Mike Perjanik) (ATV Northern Songs)

45 CBS BA 233130 1983

Side A: Warrigul Morning (Mike Perjanik, Arr: Bushwackers) (ATV Northern Songs)Recorded at Paradise No. 1, produced by Tommy Emmanuel & Bushwackers, engineered by David Cafe.

Side B: Goanna Stew (Tommy Emmanuel) (MCA/Gilbey), recorded at Trafalgar,produced by Tommy Emmanuel & Bushwackers, engineered by David Cafe.

2LP CBS 460860 1 1988 GatefoldCelebration - BushwackersSide one - track two: Warrigul Morning (Theme From The Film “Bush Christmas”)(Mike Perjanik, Arr: Bushwackers) (ATV Northern Songs)

The music also found its way into a book of reminiscences from past Christmas celebrations, edited and compiled by one of the Bushwackers, Dobe Newton:

Mike Perjanik worked with the band on the musical numbers and on the film's score.

Mike Perjanik first came from Dargaville, NZ, and then moved to Auckland, where he became a member of the Embers in 1963. In1964, he formed the Mike Perjanik Band, with some former members of the Embers, and the band was active in the Auckland recording scene for the next few years.

Perjanik later hooked up with rising singer Allison Durbin. She became the band's featured singer in their live gigs. In October 1966, Durbin and the Mike Perjanik Band moved across the Tasman for a residency at Sydney's Coogee Bay Hotel, and then moved on to the Latin Quarter night club in May 1967.

After nine months with the band, Durbin left to pursue a solo career. Thereafter Perjanik and various iterations of his band released a number of singles and an LP which covered Lennon and McCartney tunes (the band used the name Synthesis, and the album "Lennon and McCartney: Today and Yesterday" was released in 1973 on the Drum label).

In 1977 Perjanik turned his attention to television, and as the Mike Perjanik Orchestra, did the theme to a new Australian television series, "The Restless Years". This was released on a single, with Renee Geyer singing the vocal version on the A-side.

Perjanik's company Mike Perjanik Productions Pty Ltd has long produced original music for the TV series Home and Away. Perjanik has also been active on industry bodies - he has been a writer member of APRA since 1970 and has acted as a non-executive writer director on its board since 1985. (here at time of writing).

For more details on Perjanik, especially his early period, see here.Composer and musician Mike Perjanik has a wiki here.

The invaluable Milesago site had a detailed piece on Perjanik, but at time of writing, it was only available, and readable, by way of cache, here.

There is also a tribute to Perjanik, and his work for APRA, here.

(Below: Mike Perjanik in 1965)

(Below: Perjanik in later years, and with his partner Vicki Perjanik)