Behind the scenes: The volunteers that drive Royal South Street

EACH year, thousands of performing artists take to the stage across Ballarat in Australia’s oldest and longest running eisteddfod.

However, it is the more than 200 Royal South Street Society eisteddfod volunteer discipline chairs, committee members, ushers, security, writers, timers, back-stage crew, stage managers, and masters of ceremonies who make the competition possible.

Luke Harbour was among this year’s new volunteers, and he has more than 16 years of experience working backstage.

“I went to watch one of my friends do singing and one of the staff members at South Street said ‘what are you doing today, we need your help’,” Mr Harbour said.

“[Stage managing includes] keeping side stage quiet, getting the kids organised, and making sure everyone’s happy and it’s running smoothly.”

Mr Harbour is hoping to study sound engineering, and he said Royal South Street was a great way to meet people involved in the industry.

“It’s really been like a big passion for me,” he said. “My older sister does it as well, so she’s trained me a lot in what I know.

“It’s meeting all these people backstage and learning how the different venues do it.”

Marian Waldron began volunteering with Royal South Street when her granddaughters were competing in calisthenics.

Now 25 years on, Ms Waldron said she has tried most volunteer positions.

“Nothing on stage but everything backstage or front-of-stage I think I have done,” she said.

“I really enjoy interacting with all the people… and helping all these young people get a start in dancing.”

Ms Waldron encouraged the community to consider volunteering and said Royal South Street’s reputation is what makes the competition so special.

“Her Majesty’s is an absolutely fantastic place and out at [Federation] uni too,” she said.

“[Royal South Street] is an institution… if I go anywhere and people ask me what I do I say ‘I volunteer at South Street’ and most people know what that is.

“All the volunteers do a fantastic job, people you don’t ever see but they’re always doing things.”

To become a volunteer, visit the Royal South Street Society website, call 5332 1054 or email [email protected].