Dunkeld Writers Festival, 17-20 August 2023

By Jenny Hurley & Victoria Spicer

Could there be any better way to spend a wintry weekend than in historic Dunkeld with a hundred or so fellow readers and writers? The second Dunkeld Writers Festival boasted a stellar line-up of writers, journalists and public intellectuals, including Geelong Writers very own S.D Hinton! Serena was in great company with legends such as Marcia Langton, Barry Jones, Jock Serong, Garry Disher, Margaret Hickey, Mark Brandi, Gideon Haigh, Marieke Hardy, and Jason Steger.

The Festival kicked off on Thursday evening with Marcia Langton in conversation with Barry Jones for the James Dawson Oration, named in honour of Dawson’s advocacy for Aboriginal people in the early days of colonial settlement in the Western District. The session concluded with the launch of Professor Langton’s new book, written with Professor Aaron Corn, First Knowledges Laws: The Way of the Ancestors.

Friday presented the opportunity to learn in a peripatetic style, with several walking tours on offer: a town history walk, a tour of the Arboretum and historic sawmill, and a Gariwerd (Grampians) wildflower walk. There was also a bus tour of three of the region’s iconic properties lead by renowned garden designer and author, Michael McCoy.

The official Festival launch took the form of a Friday Night Book Club, with Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger sharing literary insights via the skilful facilitation of Margaret Hickey.

Saturday began with three award-winning authors—Margaret Hickey, Mark Brandi and Garry Disher—celebrating and signing their new books, before Marcia Langton, Aaron Corn and Barry Jones discussed the dangers of silences in relation to indigenous history. Lunch and the afternoon sessions took place in the historic Mount Sturgeon Woolshed. Gideon Haigh and Marion Stell discussed the ethical dilemmas inherent in sports journalism; S.D. Hinton and Garry Disher shared insights into their writing; and the afternoon concluded with a panel composed of Australian wine maker, Hamish Thomson, chef and pioneer of native Australian cuisine, Andrew Fielke, and the authors of First Nations foods cookbooks, Damien Coulthard and Rebecca Sullivan.

The Royal Mail Hotel delighted us with a three course Saturday night dinner where local and organic produce was lovingly paired with local wines.

Sunday began with Mark Brandi, Garry Disher and Jock Serong exploring the Australian landscape as a background to their crime novels, before all things sport took over. Bernard Whimpress presided over a cricket quiz before he joined Sam Lane, Gideon Haigh and Marion Stell to discuss sporting history, outstanding sportspeople and their journey in sports journalism.

Dunkeld Writers Festival was, for us, a standout in an increasingly crowded literary festival calendar. It featured a diverse program, great venues, and excellent writers. What made this festival exceptional, though, was the way it created a community of its participants. There were country-style morning teas—pastries one day, scones the next—and opportunities to mingle with writers, local volunteers, and other attendees between and sometimes during events. Perhaps we’ll see many of them again next year. The date—22-25 August 2024—is in our calendar.