Festival Lineup
Over 20 incredible authors, songwriters,
illustrators and storytellers
are coming to Newstead
for a weekend of writing!
Eliza Hull
Eliza Hull is an acclaimed Australian songwriter, musician and disability advocate known for turning vulnerability into music that's cinematic and deeply human, exploring identity, womanhood, disability, desire and self-worth. She has toured extensively in Australia and internationally, sharing stages with artists including Sarah Blasko, Dan Sultan, Jen Cloher, Maple Glider and Gordi. In 2023, she released the EP Here They Come, and in 2025 her reimagining of Silverchair's "Tomorrow" for Playing Gracie Darling drew national acclaim. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her contribution to music and disability advocacy.
MO’JU
MO'JU is a First Nations (Wiradjuri), second-generation (Filipinx), third-culture and third-gender artist, creating squelchy, glitchy, neo-soulful music, low-brow art and poetry. A prolific songwriter, performer and collaborator, their work spans music, film, television, theatre and visual art. They have performed with major Australian artists and orchestras, including the Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, and are always evolving, creating and imagining.
Sally Rippin
Sally Rippin is a best-selling, much-loved children's author with over ten million books in print worldwide, translated into sixteen languages! Her popular series include Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and School of Monsters, and she co-wrote The World We Can Build with Eliza Hull and illustrator Daniel Gray-Barnett.
Sally was Australia's Eighth Children's Laureate (2024–2025), championing reading and speaking up for kids who find reading tricky, including neurodivergent and dyslexic readers. She recently joined the new Writing Australia Council to help shape the future of Australian books. Right now, Sally is writing new stories and adapting her books for screen!
Join Sally for a special session for adults and families about literacy and the challenges of reading, from her book Wild Things. Free event!
Sally will then join her School of Monsters collaborator Chris Kennett for a special workshop with young writers.
Gabrielle Wang
Gabrielle Wang is a multi-award winning Chinese Australian children’s author and illustrator born in Melbourne. She has written and illustrated more than twenty novels for young readers. Gabrielle’s stories often blend Chinese and Western culture with elements of fantasy. Gabrielle draws on her rich heritage and love of art to create imaginative, heartfelt books for young readers.
Her latest middle grade novel is The Silken Thread published by Penguin in 2025 and has been named a Notable in the CBCA 2026 awards and long-listed for the Danz Award. Gabrielle was the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022 and 2023.
Chris Kennett
Chris Kennett has been drawing ever since he could hold a pencil, creating quirky characters as a professional illustrator for over 20 years. His work spans some truly "out of this world" projects, including the beloved Star Wars Little Golden Books, the international bestselling School of Monsters series with Sally Rippin (32 books and counting), and Mr Luke's Magic Library with internet sensation Mr Luke. Chris has also illustrated The Nerd Herd, Crossbones, Brunocorn and, most recently, Genie Snail. Now settled in Bendigo, he's currently working on a graphic novel series with Crossbones author Jack Henseleit, due in 2027.
Lucinda Gifford
Lucinda Gifford is the author and illustrator of many well-loved and award-winning books for kids. In the 90s, Lucinda studied architecture in Scotland, where she learned to draw fancy buildings and moody scenery. She then worked in advertising and graphic design for many years, before finally moving into her dream job - writing and illustrating children’s books. Lucinda Gifford has since illustrated over 50 books, eleven of which she has also written. She works from her studio in Melbourne’s north and especially enjoys making books about chickens, wolves, castles and magical creatures.
Adam Wallace
Adam Wallace loved writing when he was at school, then he did NOT like it in Year 12 and actually almost failed! He didn't write for ten years after that until someone dared him to write a children's book. He did it, and hasn't stopped writing since.
Adam has now written over 4000 stories, and 183 of those have been published. Over 15 MILLION copies have sold and some of the books have even been published in lots of different countries around the world and in different languages.
Adam loves writing funny stories, and drawing silly pictures, but also helping kids get better at drawing and writing, and realising that reading is fun and exciting and awesome and amazing!
Ann James
Ann James is an acclaimed Australian author-illustrator whose career spans 45 years and more than 70 books. Her playful approach to picture-making is reflected in collaborations with writers including Margaret Wild, Sonya Hartnett, Christine Harris and Janeen Brian, as well as her own Bird & Bear books. In 1988, Ann and her partner Ann Haddon established Books Illustrated, promoting Australian picture books and their creators through exhibitions and events in Australia and overseas for more than 30 years. Ann has served on the Australian Society of Authors Board and the Australian Children’s Laureate Board. She is an OAM, Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and 2024 recipient of the ASA Medal.
Penny Tangey
Penny Tangey writes humorous books for young people. Her middle-grade novel As Fast As I Can won the Readings Children’s Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards Children’s Book Award. Her most recent book, Music Camp, is about kids finding camaraderie through music in the climate crisis. Her first book for adults is a cosy mystery, What Rhymes with Murder?
Penny studied arts/science at Melbourne University, majoring in chemistry and Indonesian. She has worked as a researcher for television quiz shows Hard Quiz and The Chase, but she’s still terrible at trivia. She now works as a librarian.
Trace Balla
Local author-illustrator Trace Balla calls herself a story catcher and a story hatcher. She's the much-loved creator of the graphic novels Rivertime, Rockhopping, Leaflight and Landing With Wings. Her new graphic novel Treeshape explores the trees in her life, standing up for what you believe in, and what it means to be of place.
Her books have won awards including Australian Children's Book of the Year, Readings Book of the Year and Wilderness Society Book of the Year, and are published by Allen & Unwin. You may spot her around Castlemaine on her bike, up a tree, or sketching live musicians.
Dee White
Dee White is the award winning, international author of more than 30 books for children and young adults. She’ll do almost anything for a good story, including jumping out of a plane, touring the Paris sewers, and sneaking up on an elephant.
Dee runs writing classes and workshops at schools and festivals throughout Australia and online. Dee is cofounder of Author Pen Pals and believes that everyone has the right to see themselves and their lives represented in the books they read. She is passionate about history, the environment and storytelling.
Suzanne Ingelbrecht
Suzanne is an Australian children’s author, playwright, director and performance-maker.
She has been entertaining others since the tender age of nine when she wrote a play to cheer up her classmates during their sewing lesson. Always the drama queen, Suzanne has enjoyed honing her skills and techniques in dramatic storytelling through her plays and now loves to pass this passion on to the next generations of storytellers and fabulous imaginers of wonder.
As well as many plays, she has penned the Tumblagooda Trilogy for adventurous eight-to-twelve-year-olds curious about the world around them and all the mysterious creatures within it!
Bridget Farmer
Bridget Farmer is a printmaker creating original etchings of Australia's native birdlife. Originally from Northern Ireland, she trained in jewellery-making in Scotland before settling in Australia in 2005, where a weekend printmaking course sparked a lasting connection between drawing and craft.
Her books include the CBCA 2025 Shortlisted I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong, the lift-the-flap titles The Bush Birds and The Beach Birds, and the picture book Kookaburra Kookaburra, now celebrating ten years in print. She has also created companion card games, bird mobiles and enamel pins. Bridget lives on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Guildford, Victoria.
Simon Howe
Simon Howe is an illustrator and author with a broad appetite for children's literature, animation, storytelling and design. He has illustrated over 20 books for other writers, including Reece Carter's Elston-Fright novels, Richard Harris's Alfie stories, and the Teeny Tiny Stevies picture book series.
He came to books through animation, having produced over a dozen animated music videos for ABC Kids with ARIA-winning band Teeny Tiny Stevies. In 2026, he released three author-illustrated books: Going Home, The House That Walked Away, and Betsy & Bon. His work, grounded in childhood, family, hope and home, has been nominated for the Australian Book Industry Awards.
Lachlan Walter
Lachlan Walter is a writer and science-fiction critic, and the author of two books: the deeply Australian post-apocalyptic tale The Rain Never Came, and the giant-monster story-cycle We Call It Monster. Best described as a working-class intellectual, energetic daydreamer and outdoorsy bookworm, he possesses a PhD that critically and creatively explored the relationship between Australian post-apocalyptic fiction and Australian notions of national identity, and loves all things music-related, the Australian environment, overlooked genres and playing in the garden.
Christie Nieman
Christie Nieman is an award-winning author, essayist and playwright. Her novel Where We Begin (Pan Macmillan, 2020) was shortlisted for the Victorian and NSW Premier's Literary Awards and won the Davitt Award for Best YA Novel and a CBCA Honour Book Award. Her short fiction, essays and other writings appear in various anthologies, journals and magazines including Meanjin, The Sydney Review of Books, Overland, Canary, The Age and The Guardian. She has been commissioning editor on a number of anthologies for Pan Macmillan Australia, including the critically acclaimed #MeToo: Stories from the Australian Movement (2019). Her play, Call Me Komachi, received a Green Room Award nomination, multiple productions, and publication by the Australian Script Centre. She lives and works on Dja Dja Wurrung country.
Jasper Peach
Jasper Peach is a trans, non-binary and disabled author. They are passionate about equity and inclusion, playing with dismantling misplaced shame across written word, visual and audio mediums. Their first book, You’ll Be a Wonderful Parent (2023) was a groundbreaking and accessible parenting resource for rainbow families of all kinds. My Body is My Home (2026) is a picture storybook for young readers, illustrated by beloved Naarm artist Beci Orpin.
Published in The Guardian, The Australian Poetry Journal, The Big Issue, Powerd Media, SBS and ABC online, Jasper loves writing for all audiences. Jasper can usually be found in the beautiful chaos of life with their children and pets on Djaara Country.
Ella Mulvey
Ella Mulvey and John Roebuck are the co-authors of the Batthew Aromascent series — a dazzling mystery-adventure set in the rich world of fragrance, following 11-year-old "Nose" Batthew Aromascent as he investigates the mysterious disappearance of his parents. The pair have written three books in the series so far: Batthew Aromascent and the Missing Corpse Flower, Batthew Aromascent and the Phantom Ingredient, and Batthew Aromascent and the Stolen Sequels. The series was shortlisted for Hardie Grant's Ampersand Prize, and Ella and John live on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Castlemaine, Victoria
Katie Kilgour
Katie Kilgour is a multidisciplinary artist, educator and creative chameleon who has spent more than 25 years inspiring others to make, move and play. Her practice joyfully dances between soft sculpture, wildlife illustration, painting, textiles and found-object art, often transforming forgotten treasures into poetic new forms. Alongside her studio practice, Katie has danced, designed costumes, props and sets, and collaborated on puppetry and children's art workshops. A collector of stories, textures and curious objects, her work celebrates nature, nostalgia and the magic hidden in everyday things.
Amy Doak
Amy Doak writes mysteries filled with action, adventure, fun and heart. Her debut Young Adult novel Eleanor Jones is not a Murderer won the 2024 Davitt Award for Best YA Crime Novel; and the third book in the popular series: Eleanor Jones Is Playing With Fire won the 2026 Indie Book Awards for Best YA Novel. Amy’s novels have also been multiple recipients of CBCA notable and ABIA awards nods.
Amy released What Have They Done To Liza McLean? and her latest novel: Eleanor Jones Is Not Drowning has just hit bookstores and libraries. She lives in regional Victoria.
Ellie Marney
Ellie Marney is a New York Times bestselling author of thrillers for teens and adults. Her titles include the Aurealis-awarded None Shall Sleep series, new series starter No One Is Safe, and ARA Historical Prize-shortlisted The Killing Code. Her books are sold worldwide and have been optioned for the screen. Ellie has spent a lifetime researching in mortuaries, talking to law enforcement and autopsy specialists, and asking former spies how to make explosives from household items, and now she lives quite sedately near Guildford with her family, as she writes her next book.
Mary Anne Butler
Mary Anne Butler is a playwright and mentor. Her plays have won The Victorian Prize for Literature, Victorian Premier’s Award for Drama, Shane and Cathryn Brennan Prize for Playwriting, an AWGIE, five NT Literary Awards, and two NT Chief Minister’s Book of the Year Awards. As a mentor she works with writers across a broad range of genres both within Australia and overseas, and is employed by Varuna – The National Writer’s House to mentor their Fellowship recipients. Mary Anne is a Sidney Myer Creative Fellow, Winston Churchill Fellow, Arts NT Fellow, Regional Arts Fellow and an Asialink Fellow.
Uncle Rick Nelson
Uncle Rick Nelson is a Senior Djaara Elder within the Upper Loddon Region and son of Uncle Brien Nelson. Chair of Nalderun’s Board, Rick provides cultural leadership and guidance across Nalderun’s programs and the broader community. He coordinates Kuli Business, supporting young men through connection to Culture and Country, and leads Waaman Tours, sharing significant places and stories on Country.
Aunty Marilyne Nicholls
Aunty Marilyne Nicholls is a respected Elder with connections to Wadi Wadi, Barapa Barapa, Latji Latji, Jupaglak, Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta and Ngarrindjeri Country. A master weaver and painter, she shares traditional knowledge, stories and skills with grace. Her expertise encompasses Indigenous weaving, traditional ecological knowledge, plant uses, water and cultural issues, and she has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.
Bec Phillips
Bec Phillips is a Dja Dja Wurrung woman and a passionate artist, educator, creative and storyteller. Through her work, Bec shares stories of Culture, Country and connection, helping build understanding of Djaara cultural landscapes and values. She is Chair of DJAARA and actively supports the revival and sharing of Djaara language, songs and cultural practices.