Can you believe it’s now been thirteen years since the very first Southern Highlands Writers Festival?
That’s thirteen years of celebrating and learning from some of the best Aussie writers and thinkers around. It’s also more than thirteen years of putting the Southern Highlands on the map as a place with awesome local writers and thinkers of our own.
This year the festival will be held from the 26th to the 28th of July at the iconic Empire Cinema in Bowral.
With a stellar lineup of talented writers and performers, it’s a must-go for anyone interested in the written word.
Expect big names like Liz Hayes and Nicola Moriarty to attend, as well as loads of other incredible talent. PSA many of these sessions are likely to sell out so we recommend booking your spot stat.
Here’s a rundown of the festival with everything you need to know about each day and how to book your spot.
Aussie journalist Liz Hayes will be just one of the many amazing writers attending the festival.
Program:
Friday 26 July
The festival kicks off with the inaugural Writers’ Boot Camp run by Posie Graeme-Evans.
Posie is a highly respected Australian TV and film producer, editor, screenwriter, director, and author. She’s famous for creating and show-running McLeod’s Daughters and co-creating Hi-5
The boot camp will focus on character development, story arc and writer’s block.
Afterwards, there will be two ‘in conversation’ sessions.
The first is with Catherine McKinnon an author whose novel “Storyland” was shortlisted for multiple awards, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2018.
The second session will be with Caroline Overington. Caroline is currently the Literary Editor at The Weekend Australian and has written fourteen books. She has also interviewed many famous folks, like Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.
In the evening catch an exclusive live preview performance of STELLA: The Miles Franklin Story, a new Australian musical telling the incredible life story of Aussie author Stella Miles Franklin.
Fiona Sweet and Paula McLean will delve into the significance of supporting Australian women writers through the Stella Prize
Saturday 27 July + Sunday 28 July
Four ‘in conversation’ sessions will run through Saturday and three on Sunday including:
Glen Humphries: a senior journalist at the Illawarra Mercury, with over 20 years of award-winning experience in newspapers.
Nicola Moriarty: whose well-known books have graced bestseller lists in Australia, the US and the UK. Seriously, her latest novel, Every Last Suspect, is so thrilling and almost impossible to put down!
Liz Hayes: the much-loved correspondent for 60 Minutes who’s lit up our tellies now for over 40 years. In her new memoir, “I’m Liz Hayes,” Liz shares how, after years of reporting on others, she discovered that sometimes the hardest story to tell is your own, especially when tragedy strikes your own family.
Catherine Fox: A Walkley Award-winning journalist who has spent two decades at the Financial Review, writing the popular Corporate Woman column.
Andrew Ford: a composer, writer, and host of The Music Show on ABC Radio National with 11 books written under his belt.
Mark Dapin: His latest work is being called a future true crime cult classic. He’s also a journalist, author, screenwriter, and historian.
David Marr: a journalist, political and social commentator, and one of Australia’s most accomplished non-fiction writers.
Expect insight, advice, and eye-opening moments! Each session runs for one hour, and tickets are just $25 per person.
We think that’s a bargain for the wealth of knowledge and entertainment you’ll get!
Andrew Ford OAM will be discussing his most recent book, his most recent, The Shortest History of Music.
The Southern Highlands Writers Festival isn’t just for writers [although local writers can really gain loads of good stuff from attending] it’s also for locals who love literature in any way, shape or form.
It’s a way to celebrate words no matter in what way they come and it’s also a wonderful way to get the community together.
It’s a great opportunity to have deep conversations with both old pals and new faces, and to hear fresh ideas straight from the community. Engage with authentic voices, explore new perspectives—it’s all happening right here in our backyard, and we’re absolutely thrilled about it.
To find out more about each of these sessions as well as how to book you can head here.
As we said many of these events have sold out in the past and are likely to again in the future so make sure to grab your tickets ASAP.
And then prepare for a weekend full of celebrating everything writing and reading in the Southern Highlands.
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