The people of Stanthorpe donned their glad rags and turned up in force to welcome local resident, celebrated bush poet and author, Mr Jack Drake.

CQU Press was the host for the launch of its new title, 'The Wild West in Australia and America' by Jack Drake.

Local Stanthorpe wines and a sumptuous spread by the author’s wife, Stella Drake, fuelled the celebrations.

Jack Drake is also the author of the book of bush poems, 'The Cattle Dog’s Revenge', which won the coveted Golden Gum Nut Award at the Tamworth Festival in 2004.

The launch speaker was local member and Leader of the Opposition Mr Lawrence Springborg.

Publisher Professor David Myers told the crowd that he and CQU Press were more than ever dependent on their spreading the word about CQU Press’ Outback Books and letting the bush and outback inhabitants of Queensland know that CQU Press was a not-for-profit press dedicated to publishing the pioneering history of outback Australia.

He invited everybody to become members of Old Silvertail’s Outback Book Club, which already has over 4500 people on its subscription list.

Mr Lawrence Springborg was generous in his praise for the work being done by the University Press and said: “It is small, patriotic presses like CQU Press that serve to stop the monopoly of the huge multinational publishers and to maintain vital diversity in our culture".

Mr Springborg praised Jack Drake for his research into Australia’s wild outback history and commended the book for its treasury of exotic and exciting stories, which proved that the history of the Australia outback was every bit as wild as the American Wild West.

The book launch was part of the Sex, Lies and Bush Poetry Festival, which was being staged this year in Stanthorpe.

Photo: At the Stanthorpe book launch of 'The Wild West in Australia and America', launch speaker Mr Lawrence Springborg, Leader of the Opposition (centre), Mr Jack Drake, author (left) and Professor David Myers, publisher, CQU Press.