Mid West Maritime Mutiny Shanty wins award
The rollicking rhythms of the Rum Jungle Shanty Singers from Champion Bay, Geraldton’s own sea shanty ensemble, echoed across Bunbury’s coastline last weekend as the group travelled south to perform at the second annual Bunbury Sea Shanty Festival, held from July 4 to 8. With a full program of live music, workshops, craft stalls, rousing sing-alongs, and more than a fair share of rum and beer (excise taxed, in modern Aussie style), the festival celebrated the rich maritime traditions that continue to connect communities across generations.
Rum Jungle received high billing among the festival's headline acts — a nod to both their musical talent and the growing international interest in sea shanties as a form of cultural expression. Once confined to the decks of working ships, these rhythmic work songs have found new life in community choirs, TikTok trends, and contemporary festivals — a testament to their enduring power to bring people together through folk songs.
“Twenty years ago, The Geraldton Shantymen were the only shanty group in WA, but with the recent shanty revolution, of which Geraldton’s “Rum Jungle” is a part of, has seen an explosion of creative maritime storytelling and WA now heralds over 15 sea shanty groups”
- Fraser Adam, Rum Jungle performer
In the lead-up to the festival, Rum Jungle held regular rehearsals at Regional Sounds in Geraldton, refining a set that would ultimately earn them fourth place in the shanty writing competition for their performance of ‘Wiebbe Hayes’. This original sea shanty, written by Mid West creatives Mic and Wendy Payne, recounts the gripping story of the Dutch VOC soldier who led a brave stand against mutineers on the remote islands of the Houtman Abrolhos in the 1600s — a tale deeply embedded in the maritime history of the Mid West.
As a cultural export, the shanty ‘Wiebbe Hayes’ exemplifies how regional songwriting can illuminate historical narratives that are both locally significant and globally compelling. Through a driving deep foot-stomping rhythm and evocative lyrics, Rum Jungle brought this lesser-known chapter of Western Australian history to life, transporting listeners through song to the treacherous shores of the Batavia shipwreck and its dramatic aftermath.
A filmed performance of Wiebbe Hayes at the statue of its namesake on Foreshore Drive stands as a tribute to the region’s maritime past. Captured as part of the Historic Shanty Walking Tour — a collaboration between Euphorium and the Museum of Geraldton for the WA Living Histories exhibition.
Whether performed on a coastal stage, in a pub or a seafarer’s mission, Rum Jungle’s work reminds us that regional voices — especially those sung in harmony — have an essential role in keeping history alive and culture thriving.
You can join the Rum Jungle Shanty Singers from Champion Bay Group on Facebook to see what’s coming up next.