History of 'The Shack'

The Shack thrived in Narrabeen during the sixties and early seventies. After its initial residence in an old ambulance shed in the Narrabeen Camping area it eventually moved to a permanent residence in a shop in Narrabeen where it presented folk music three nights a week and saw many a well-known performer, some of whom have made their careers in music. Some of its well-known acts were the likes of Jeanie Lewis, Margaret Roadknight, Greg Quill and Country Radio, radio legend Bog Hudson, The Stovepipe Spasm Band, Al Head and New York Public Library.

The spirit and aims of The Shack continued into the 1980s with the Twentieth Century Folk Club. This, another Folk Music Association dedicated to presenting live music and local artists, began in 1982 as a co-production with Majick Theatre at their venue The Old Gym in Nararabeen. The club, having moved to The Stroll Inn Coffee Lounge in Dee Why, continued in the tradition until 1988 of presenting legendary musicians. Now it's the twenty first century and The Shack lives on!

In 2003 the first of the annual Shack reunions was conceived by an original Shaky, Rhonda Mawer and together with a few friends presented music at Ken and Alison Horrell's home in Newport. Many of the original Shackys as well as many new faces have been coming to the reunions and great nights of performance and jamming have been had by all. Photos of these events taken by Wayne Richmond can be viewed on his website: humph.org/shack.

Based on the success of these concerts, The Shack has been reborn and reconstituted, with regular monthly folk music nights beginning on Saturday 4 March at 7:30pm and thereafter on the first Friday of every month at the new venue, The Tramshed Arts and Community Centre at 1395a Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen.

The Shack, unlike other folk clubs is carrying on the tradition of functioning as a non-profit making organisation and is inviting membership for those who want to support it and have a say in the running of the club as well as receiving regular newsletters.