"We are hoping that Gympie will be the launch pad for many careers in the country music industry," he said. Country is the second biggest-selling style of music in Australia, according to the Country Music Association. Mr Walton said country music was more popular than rock and pop in many parts of Australia because of the "frontier mentality" of outback inhabitants, similar to that which produced the US country music scene.
"They associate it with twangy, hillbilly music and don't realise there are many different styles within the genre," he said. Classes will teach young people the basics of song-writing, video production, marketing and management alongside their usual curriculum studies. Gympie, two hours north of Brisbane, is well-known for its country music associations - the city hosts the annual National Country Music Muster every August.
The festival has 12 venues featuring country, blues, and bluegrass performers. Australia's most famous country star, Slim Dusty, died last year. Most famous for his hit song A Pub With No Beer, he sold more than five million albums during his 58-year career.
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