Community
3 February, 2023
Australia’s best writers arrive in Cairns this February
THE countdown is on to the literary event of the year.
The 2023 Cairns Tropical Writer’s Festival (CTWF) has attracted some of the best writers, thinkers and speakers Australia offers.
The CTWF is finally back after three heartbreaking cancellations over the past three years. Over the weekend of February 24-26 at Pullman Cairns International, there will be a session and a speaker to suit everyone’s literary tastes.
CTWF President Julia Steer said that despite the disruptions, the festival would come bigger and better.
“Having been a sponsor of the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival since 2016, it was a complete honour to be appointed to the role of Chair in March of 2022,” Ms Steer said.
“If we can extract something positive from this disruption, the newly formed committee is focused and driven to take this wonderful grassroots festival and deliver something special for the readers, writers and thinkers of Cairns and the Far North.
“It’s my vision that the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival becomes the flagship cultural and literary event in the Tropics and a “must-do” event on the national and international Writers’ Festival trail.”
The star-studded lineup for this year’s Festival includes Stan Grant (Talking to my Country, host of QandA), Julia Baird (Phosphorescence, host of The Drum), Jane Caro (Accidental Feminists, The Mother) and Nikki Gemmell (Weekend Australian columnist, The Bride Stripped Bare, The Ripping Tree) amongst many other authors from across the Far North, Australia and worldwide.
“The word is definitely out - CTWF is back!” Ms Steer said.
“Critically acclaimed writers are contacting us asking if we can squeeze them into the program.
“When someone like Julia Baird says she wants to come to Cairns for our Festival, the answer is obviously yes.”
“The calibre of writers engaged in this year’s program is mindblowing,” she said.
“You’ve watched them on TV, read their books and newspaper columns. Who wouldn’t want to meet and chat with Stan Grant or Nikki Gemmell?”
“We’re delighted to welcome Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb to Cairns, the inspirational Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM, and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.”
From February 24-26, the best local writers join the best from the country. Whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, picture books or how to get your own book published, the Cairns Tropical Writers’ Festival has it all.
To purchase tickets and see the full program, visit https://ctwf.com.au/
