That’s a wrap! Highlights from the 2024 Whitsundays Writers Festival
Thank you to all that attended and supported the 2024 Whitsundays Writers Festival and participated in the Love Letter to Queensland community writing competition and Whitsundays Literary Heart Awards program.
The Festival set out to unite writers and readers to celebrate Queensland and Australian stories and authors through an engaging program that involved 18 guest speakers and 14 Featured Local Authors.
Some attendees have already shared with us highlights from their experience:
“How wonderful it was to engage directly with such a terrific group of speakers who were only too willing to share their time and expertise.”
“Each of the panel discussions was interesting with current issues such as AI up for discussion and valuable even to a non-writer. I couldn’t believe the quality of the writers attending too wonderful to have Christos Tsiolkas, Gary Disher, Graham Simsion all together at the one event.”
“Day one was a feast of ideas!”
Here’s what some of our guest authors had to say:
What a beautiful festival in a beautiful community of readers and storytellers. The intimacy of the setting and the thoughtful curation created an environment where writers and readers could have meaningful conversations and actually connect.
SHANKARI CHANDRAN
From start to finish, the festival had the kind of buzz about it that you can’t buy or manufacture, and that only comes when the organisers create the ideal meeting place for readers and writers.
NICK EARLS
The Whitsundays Writers Festival had it all: generous authors, lively debate, passionate readers, the turquoise beauty of Airlie Beach. Books in paradise, what more could you want?
MELISSA ASHLEY
The Festival also set the foundation for new beginnings, with some attendees establishing a local writers group and others kickstarting their writing journey by drafting submissions for writing competitions.
Finally, some highlights from the Festival President, Karen Jacobsen:
“Since the next level experience of attending the Whitsundays Writers Festival I have been asked about my favourite moment.
How to choose from experiencing the rich conversations and discussions between authors such as Graeme Simsion, Nick Earls, Joy Damousi, Chris Sarra, Melissa Ashley, the high tea delight of Sally Hepworth, Kirsty Manning and Karina, announcing the winners of the Whitsundays Literary Heart Awards and the pure joy of our local Whitsundays under 18 Best Short Story awardees, the community building of our local authors to the moving and profound From the Heart Festival Address from 2023 Miles Franklin award winner Shankari Chandran.
At the festival pre-event, Love Letter to Queensland, it was personally gratifying to be able to share my love letter to our state and region through music with two original songs; Under a Queensland Sky and Welcome to the Whitsundays.
If I did have to choose just one aspect of the event, it would be the light in the eyes of many attendees who expressed their gratitude that the hard working Whitsundays Writers Festival committee had created such a brilliant program and pleading for us to do so again next year.”
The appetite for arts and culture in the Whitsundays is well and truly alive, and we ask you to save the dates for the 2025 festival, September 13th to 14th. We welcome volunteers, sponsors and supporters to reach out to us, as plans are already underway.
Thanks to our 2024 sponsors and supporters
