Legendary folk singer-songwriter Eric Bogle is performing at this year's Cobargo Folk Festival.
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Known for his protest songs, the Australian Performing Right Association named his work And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda among Australia's top 30 songs.
The anti-war song has been covered by countless artists including The Pogues and Joan Baez.
Mr Bogle has never regretted moving from Scotland to Australia in his mid-20s.
"It was the best ten pounds I ever spent," Mr Bogle said.
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Entertaining politicians
His feelings about Australia were cemented the time he performed at Parliament House in Canberra in 1988.
He was part of the entertainment program that Prime Minister Bob Hawke put on for the visiting Irish Prime Minister Charles Haughey.
After the offical celebrations Mr Bogle and some other musicians ended up in a Senator's office drinking with Mr Hawke and his wife Hazel.
"I thought here I am in the new Parliament House with the most powerful in the land singing The Red Flag.
"It would not happen in the White House, it would only happen in Australia.
"Yes, that is why I came here and why I love this country," Mr Bogle said.
Earlier in the evening however Treasurer Paul Keating did not love Mr Bogle's satire about a politician who put a tax on sex.
"I think he took it personally."
Mr Haughey may also have felt uneasy when Mr Bogle sang his song that asks what kind of man plants bombs which is what the IRA was doing at the time.
Raising a flag for people to fall behind
Mr Bogle has long been an avid supporter of community festivals like Cobargo.
"I have been doing this for 40 years and performed at some big, big festivals but without a doubt the best ones are those run by the community.
"You feel you are part of the community, not intruding, because of the love they have put into it and that is what makes them special," he said.
He has "to be very moved, humoured or irritated to write a song" because it is hard work.
"I sing about things that are important to me or should change.
"That is part of the remit of a folk singer', but adds "political song-writing is a dying art, in my genre of music anyway".
However, it is people, not music, that bring change.
"The only life that has changed is mine.
"It has been the best 40 years of my life."
Information about the festival program and tickets is here.
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