Vale Ted Egan – a national treasure

Everyone involved with the Illawarra Folk Festival is devastated by the news that Ted Egan AO died on December 4, aged 92. Ted was a larger than life character who graced our festival around a dozen times, the most recent in 2024 aged 91. Ted, whom the National Trust labelled a “National Living Treasure” was famous for his songs about Australian life, particularly songs with an Indigenous theme such as Gurindji Blues, which he wrote in 1969 with Vincent Lingiari after the famous walk-off from Wave Hill Station by Aboriginal stockmen and their families.

Ted was also famous for accompanying himself by tapping out a rhythm on an empty beer carton.

Illawarra Folk Club President Russell Hannah was both a friend and fan of Egan, and has said he was one of the two performers (with Eric Bogle) who really put the Illawarra Folk Festival on the map.

“We held our first festival in Jamberoo in 1986, and it was a tiny affair,” Big Russ said when Egan performed at Bulli in 2024. “The next year we put on two big shows in Wollongong featuring Ted and Eric, and they sold out. So we asked them to perform at the next festival , sold 1000 tickets, and we never looked back.”

Our deepest sympathy to Ted’s wife Nerys Evans and their family.