Aussie songwriter Mick Thomas and his band The Sure Thing, Northern Ireland's Brian Kennedy, former Men At Work frontman Colin Hay and American guitarist/songwriter Chris Smither are among the first wave of artists to be confirmed, although an official announcement is not expected until mid-November.

Also joining the line-up are Texan-based folk-roots group The Greencards, Australia's own Jim Conway's Big Wheel, and local lads The Tom Richardson Project.

Thomas has been a regular visitor to the festival over the years with The Sure Thing and his much-loved group Weddings, Parties, Anything, while Jim Conway's Big Wheel will return to the festival they last played in 2005.

Hay and his band were one of the highlights of the 2006 festival, which was the event's 30th anniversary, and his announcement comes in the wake of the release of his 10th solo album American Sunshine.

As Hay is now partly based in the US, he is classed as an international artist for the first time on the Folkie bill.

Kennedy may have the dubious honour of being the first Port Fairy Folk Festival act to have performed at Eurovision, but the Belfast singer is best known for his ballads and touching interpretations of classic and obscure songs.

Smither played to packed tents at the festival in 2000 and 2004 and has released his 11th album Time Stands Still, which features eight new songs and covers of a Bob Dylan and a Mark Knopfler tune.

The Greencards, despite comprising two Aussies and a Brit, are a hit on the Texan roots scene and will make just their second visit Down Under.

This will be their first performance in Port Fairy.