For more than 30 years, Bill Hauritz has led a small team of staff and an army of volunteers to deliver one of the world’s biggest folk festivals. Woodford brings around 120,000 people together each year to engage in a week long celebration of music, arts, dance, circus, comedy, cabaret, provocation, education, films and children’s activities. And along the way, Bill and his team have been slowly and methodically rehabilitating the 300-hectare site, previously a dairy farm, to return it to its original rainforest vegetation. To manage the festival’s impact, they have built in sustainable environmental practices.

Bill’s leadership, vision and hands-on approach are commendable. He is a long-time supporter of the University’s education programs, hiring interns and graduates, and working in close partnership to offer research opportunities for students in areas such as climate change adaptation and GIS mapping. With a joint focus of promoting sustainable futures for sustainable communities, the productive partnership between Woodford Folk Festival and USC will continue to provide outstanding research and educational opportunities for our students and our community for many years to come.