The inaugural Warrnambool Storytelling Festival 2021 launched at the Lighthouse Theatre on Sunday night with a Welcome to Country delivered by Jordan Gould and Peek Whurrong Elder Uncle Rob Lowe Senior.

Uncle Lowe shared a piece of his childhood on the Aboriginal Missions and early life in a segregated south-west.

Performances and stories from the beloved overall-clad Tin Shed Singers, Bruce Campbell & The CommonGround, Dirty Angel Comedy founder Aidan Nicholson and a guest appearance from 12-year-old singer Henrietta Barker were just a taste of events to come over the next two weeks of the festival.

The evening closed with a standing ovation after a moving set from south-west music royalty Shane Howard.

The former Goanna frontman, accompanied by Richard Tankard, took audiences on a journey through his winding and eye-opening musical career; from Dennington, New York, Ireland and back.

The stories shared were a preview of his forthcoming memoir, which he spent a majority of time writing during the pandemic lockdowns.

"Hopefully this is the first of many storytelling festivals," Howard said.

"One day this event will draw in writers from across Australia and the world."

See the full festival program here: Inaugural storytelling festival kicks off.

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