I was at a function the other night to launch the Back to Nambour Weekend on August 8-9.

It was also to debut the sensational Michelle Bradford Jones’ song about Nambour, and to be given a preview of a new play “Dangerous Curves”, which is a satirical look at the old sugar town. It was an interesting evening, particularly the rolling screen highlighting significant people born in Nambour.

More about all that later, but while I was there, someone asked me a strange question: “Did you ever hear people talking about Nambour?”

My answer, with all due respect to the sugar town, “well no, not good things anyway”.

We both agreed that it was totally unfair that people write off Nambour.

But it got me thinking. During the past 40 or so years when people have asked me where I was born, there were usually two reactions: “Yeah, me too, don’t forget it was the only place with a hospital in our day”, or “where is the scar from where you other head was?” I reckon that is totally unfair – a bit like comments about Tasmania or, a bit closer to home, Gympie.

I guess, though, stigma whenever it starts has a habit of sticking. Like poo on a shoe it goes right through the joint.

But let me be clear, not solely because of Rudd, Swan or any other important person who came from Nambour, like in any town there are good people and others.

Talking about stigma, being called Ashley and coming from Eudlo was a pretty rocky start to my teenager years. I think I learned to mumble because (a) there weren’t many kids around in the 60s called Ashley, and (b), Eudlo wasn’t even on the bloody map of the north coast. I always used to look, and be dirty because Mooloolah would be on the map but no bloody Eudlo.

What used to make me even madder was when I eventually mumbled out my strange name and where I was from, they would say “oh Eulo”, which is a town in south-west Queensland famous at some stage for opals.

I would then have to explain that there was a D in there and it was a town on the north coast, famous for being left off the bloody map and having a C grade cricket team that I played in and that didn’t win a game for over two years, but boy, could we eat the pancakes at afternoon-tea time.

So when we moved to Nambour, I knew a bit about stigma and I then had to decide which one I wanted, being from Eudlo or Nambour.

I quickly adopted the latter, probably because there was safety in numbers. But I will not have it that any of the places mentioned can’t stand up with the best of them as far as communities go.

“Back to Nambour” will be a resounding success in August.

It starts with street markets in Centenary Square on Friday night, and on Saturday moves to Quota Park – where there is loads of entertainment, food and even a speakers tent where everyone can have their say about why they love Nambour (of course you will have to push Doug Biggs out the way to get a go).

To add to the Nambour theme, “Dangerous Curves” will be on for three performances at the Civic Centre, and to quote the media release it is a: “Reckless adventure, passion and freedom! Three women and a tank full of petrol! Highways and byways! They’re like Toady, Willie Nelson and Jack Kerouac all rolled into one. Forget Thelma and Louise! Join Rainee Skinner, Glenda O’Sullivan and Marita Schlink on their original and hilarious musical journey of dangerous curves and emergency stopping beds. They travel to Kevin and Wayne’s heartland in search of a metaphor for life. What better place for an epiphany than Nambour High School.’’

Let me add that I saw a preview of this the other night – the ladies are talented, full of energy and a lot more fun than Kevin Rudd. Another observation was that the people involved are highly motivated to make the festival a success. For more information call Peter or Kris on 0417 620 828 or 0412 112 582.

Communities are what you make them, and most times it is not about where they are but who they are. Give me Eudlo, Gympie or Nambour any old day.