6-8 November 2026

The Berry Writers’ Festival acknowledges the Dharawal and Dhurga language-speaking groups who are traditional owners of this area. We acknowledge their customs and culture, which have nourished, and continue to nourish, this land. And we extend our respects to Elders, past, present, and future.

BWF SOCIALS

Don’t miss the good stuff – follow us on socials for ticket drops, event news and author announcements as they happen.
The Titanic Story of Evelyn
Berry School of Arts | Sun 8 Nov, 2–3pm

Evelyn Marsden was a brave young nurse and the only Australian-born survivor of the Titanic. Her story nearly slipped through history’s cracks until now.

Lisa Wilkinson joins Lisa Davies to discuss the exhaustive research behind her book, tracing the drama that unfolded on board, and the chain of human errors that sealed the ship’s fate and Evelyn’s.

And there’s more to come: The Set Up TV has announced a collaboration with Lisa to bring Evelyn’s story to television. Be one of the first to hear more about this fascinating book.

Australian storytelling at its finest. Don’t miss this one.

🎟 Tickets via the link in bio
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#BerryWritersFestival #TitanicStoryOfEvelyn #LisaWilkinson #AusLit #BerryNSW #ShoalhavenNSW
2 WEEKS TO GO.
Berry Writers’ Festival returns 6–8 November, so if you haven't already, it’s time to start planning your weekend details.

✅ Book your sessions. Popular sessions fill fast, so lock in your favourites now.
✅ Plan your Berry weekend. Explore the shops, galleries and countryside between sessions.
✅ Reserve your table. Dinner after a day of great conversation is part of the experience, and local restaurants will be busy.
✅ Book your stay. Make it a long weekend on the South Coast.

Three days of stories, ideas and some of Australia’s best writers, all in one beautiful village.

🎟 Full program and tickets via the link in bio.
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#BerryWritersFestival #BerryNSW #ShoalhavenNSW #WritersFestival #AusLit #VisitShoalhaven
SESSION SPOTLIGHT | Past Perspective: Bringing History to Life
Studio 34 | Sun 8 Nov, 3:30–4:30pm

Historical fiction lets us escape into other worlds and learn about our own along the way. Join three outstanding novelists as they take us from the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, to the Torres Strait in the 1930s, to Scotland’s first witch trials:

🖋 Emma Pei Yin, When Sleeping Women Wake
🖋 Lenora Thaker, The Pearl of Tagai Town
🖋 Kate Forsyth, The Changeling

Moderated by Suzanne Burdon (Almost Invincible), this conversation explores the resilience and resistance of their protagonists, and the depth of research it takes to bring them so fully to life on the page.

🏆 Congratulations, Lenora! The Pearl of Tagai Town has just won the 2026 Queensland Premier’s Literary Award for a Work of State Significance. Lenora is the first Torres Strait Islander writer to receive this award with her debut novel.

A Meriam and Wagedagam woman from Gimuy (Cairns), Lenora writes short stories and longer narratives that weave in Torres Strait Islander languages and shine a light on stories still too rarely told in Australian literature.

🎟 Tickets via the link in bio
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#BerryWritersFestival #HistoricalFiction #QldPremiersLiteraryAwards #TorresStraitIslander #AusLit #BerryNSW

Our Authors Say…

MEET THE TEAM

the 2026 Berry writers festival team

BWF PRIMARY DEVICE

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

PRINCIPAL DONOR

PATRONS

Annie Crawford & Simon Buckingham

Justine & Damian Roche

Mrs Lee Schimann

Ms Felicity Youl

FOUNDING DONORS

Roger Allan & Kathryn Lovric

Fiona Beith & Ross McLean

Wendy & Chandu Bindhi

Ornella Botter & David Kearney

Suzanne & Steve Burdon

Lucy & Frank Calabria

Anna Cleary

Cherry & John Corr

Suzanne & Mike Daniel

Diana Eilert & Gary Schiller

 Alyson & Joseph Galea

Helen & Michael Gazal

Alex & Richard Harris

Joanna & Lee Hopperton

John Allan and Darren Howard

Jane & Mark Kehoe

Caroline & Tony McDonald

Kate Mason

Jo Norman

Sally & Steve Paridis

Liz & Paul Parnell

Amelia Ramsden & Kamill Kreiser

Tynaya Redman

Isobel & James Robinson

Julie & Geoff Rosenberg

Emily Simpson

Henriette & Geoff Summerhayes

Lisa & Andrew Tracy

Kate Towey & Ross Drinnan

Louise Walsh & Dave Jordan

Anonymous

SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL

Berry Writers’ Festival is largely volunteer run, our generous sponsors and donors help make the festival happen. 

If you’d like to donate as an individual you can give a tax-deductible donation (via the Australian Cultural Fund) and become listed as one of our donors. 

If you’d like to talk about sponsorship opportunities please get in touch.

CONTACT US

To Contact the festival please

E-MAIL
info@berrywritersfestival.org.au

Ticket enquiries only: 0488 667707