Jim Haynes

Poetry and history Haynes wrote his first book in the early 1990s and has since published more than 30 books. His first publications were bush poetry and centered on the imaginary town of Weelabarabak and its residents. His subsequent books focused on Australian history, including the anthology The Book of Australian Popular Rhymed Verse (2008), which the Australian Bush Poets Association claimed was the "largest collection of Aussie rhymed verse ever", exceeding 800 pages. It was nominated for an award in the Australian Rhymed Verse (Book Form) category at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Haynes joined 2UE's George and Paul show, hosted by George Moore and Paul B. Kidd, in 2001 as an Australiana expert. Haynes also leads History and Heritage tours in different parts of Australia through Travelrite.

Haynes arranged the first Bush Poetry Fireside Festival in 1993 and co-founded the Australian Bush Laureate Awards in 1995. Both events are held annually at the Longyard Hotel in Tamworth.

Personal life Haynes and his wife Robyn McMillan curated an art show about the Sydney Harbour together in 2023.

1990: Jim Haynes Live 1991: Sleepers and Rails 1997: It's Nothing Serious (ABC Music) 2011: The Complete Jim Haynes Collection 2012: Galah Occasion (Singabout Australia)

Books 1997: I'll Have Chips!' - The Weelabarabak Ballads, Singabout Australia. 1999: Memories of Weelabarabak – Stories of a Bush Town, ABC Books. 2000: An Australian Heritage of Verse, ABC Books. 2002: An Australian Treasury of Popular Verse, ABC Books. 2003: Great Australian Drinking Stories, ABC Books. 2004: All Aboard – Tales of Australian Railways, ABC Books. With Russell Hannah. 2005: Cobbers – Stories of Gallipoli 1915, ABC Books. 2005: Great Australian Racing Stories, ABC Books. 2006: Great Australian Aviation Stories (with Jillian Dellit), ABC Books. 2008: The Book of Australian Popular Rhymed Verse, ABC Books. 2009: The Big Book of Verse for Aussie Kids, Allen & Unwin. 2009: The ABC Book of Australian Country Music, ABC Books. 2010: On All Fronts – Australia's WW2, ABC Books. 2010: The Great Australian Book of Limericks (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2001. 2012: The Best Australian Sea Stories, Allen & Unwin. 2015: The Best Gallipoli Yarns and Forgotten Stories, Allen & Unwin. 2015: The Best Australian Yarns (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First published 2013. 2016: Australia's Best Unknown Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First published 2014. 2017: The Big Book of Australian Racing Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2015. 2017: Great Australian Scams, Cons, and Rorts, Allen & Unwin. 2018: The Best Australian Trucking Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2011. 2018: Best Australian Drinking Stories, Allen & Unwin. 2018: Best Australian Racing Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2010. 2018: Australia's Most Unbelievable True Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2016. 2019: The Best Australian Bush Stories (second edition), Allen & Unwin. First edition published 2013. 2019: The Big Book of Australia's War Stories, Allen & Unwin. 2020: Adventurers, Pioneers and Misfits: Australia's Most Amazing True Life Stories, Allen & Unwin. 2022: Great Australian Rascals, Rogues and Ratbags, Allen & Unwin. 2023: Heroes, Rebels and Radicals of Convict Australia, Allen & Unwin. 2022: Great Furphies of Australian History, Allen & Unwin. 2024: The Big Book of Australian Yarns, Allen & Unwin.