Surf Coast Writers Festival

06/07/2026

One of the most special parts of the writers festival was our free community event at Torquay Library. The session hosted author and - Jessie Clarke. It was a room filled with curiosity, conversation and a shared love of books. Here’s to many more conversations! Thank you for hosting this wonderful session.

03/07/2026

A huge thank you to the Surf Coast Times for supporting our festival from its very inception all the way to the finish line.

The Surf Coast's newest festival has made a strong first impression, with hundreds of book lovers attending the inaugural Surf.

30/06/2026

What an incredible day! We’re still on a high and have absolutely loved reading all of your wonderful feedback.

Here’s a little glimpse of some of the beautiful moments captured by throughout the day… more to come!

28/06/2026

What a day! We are all so thankful to everyone who joined us for the inaugural Surf Coast Writers Festival. It was a great day filled with incredibly talented authors, fantastic volunteers and of course our wonderful attendees. Get ready for 2027!! 📚📚📚.

26/06/2026

The stage is set… we can’t wait to welcome you all tomorrow. ❤️

25/06/2026

☀️ ONLY ONE DAY TO GO! ☀️ Final preparations are now underway at the RACV Torquay Resort as we prepare to welcome attendees to tomorrow's inaugural Surf Coast Writers Festival.

While several of our sessions have officially sold out, tickets remain available for sessions throughout the day. We highly encourage securing your seating in advance to ensure you don't miss out.

How to Purchase Tickets:

Online: You may browse the final schedule and purchase tickets via our website at any time prior to the event or on the day.

On-Site Box Office: For those requiring personal assistance or wishing to make last-minute bookings on the day, our ticketing staff will be stationed at the Festival Box Office desk located in the main foyer of the RACV Torquay Resort.

We’ve poured our hearts into bringing this inaugural festival to life, and we cannot wait to share it with you tomorrow. Let's make it an unforgettable weekend of stories and community.

www.surfcoastwritersfestival.com.au

25/06/2026

How does a sheep station manager from the red dirt of Broken Hill end up conquering the icy waters of the English Channel?

We are incredibly honoured to welcome Brendan Cullen to the stage this Saturday for an unforgettable and deeply inspiring session.

Brendan has spent his life on the land, but his greatest journey began when he faced his own battle with depression. By taking the brave step to seek help and share his story, he became a powerful voice for rural mental health—serving as a Lifeline Ambassador and a peer-support champion through the We’ve Got Ya Back initiative.

Living by the mantra "fit body, fit mind," Brendan tackled the ultimate physical test in 2022: swimming 64km across the English Channel in 17 hours. He backed it up with a team swim the following year, and recently conquered a gruelling 100km ultra-marathon.

This session is a raw, honest look at breaking down mental obstacles, finding resilience, and discovering what the human spirit is truly capable of when we support each other.

🎟️ This is a must-see session for our final festival lineup this Saturday.

Secure your seats now via our website!

https://surfcoastwritersfestival.com.au/brendan-cullen-2026

25/06/2026

We can’t wait to welcome you to the first-ever Surf Coast Writers Festival this Saturday at the RACV Torquay Resort.

To make your day completely seamless, we’ve wrapped up all the essential info you need, from parking tips and our foyer box office to book signings and exclusive festival merch, in this quick guide.

🎟️ Final remaining tickets are available via our website. We can't wait to see you there! 🌊📚

24/06/2026

How do you unearth the untold stories of history and breathe life into exceptional women who changed the world? Find out in our powerful Writing the Past session featuring multi-award-winning, bestselling author Alli Sinclair!

With seven acclaimed novels (and her highly anticipated eighth book, Daylight, coming in early 2027), Alli is an absolute master of emotionally rich, sweeping historical fiction.

Her life behind the pages is just as fascinating—she’s a film and TV producer, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, and the founder of the Writers at Sea cruise retreat. Oh, and did we mention she’s a former South American mountaineering guide? Alli truly finds her most compelling narratives at the very edge of the map.

Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of rich storytelling, or an aspiring writer looking to master the craft of historical fiction, this session will leave you deeply inspired.

https://surfcoastwritersfestival.com.au/alli-sinclair-2026

24/06/2026

As we head into the final countdown for the inaugural Surf Coast Writers Festival this Saturday, we want to shine a massive spotlight on the incredible local businesses and organisations helping us bring this event to life.

A community festival takes a village, and we simply couldn’t do it without the generous support of our amazing partners:

Supporting Partner: a huge thank you to Stretton Torquay for backing our vision from the very start.

Community Partner: we're grateful for the fantastic support of Ruth Arnett Chartered Accountant.

Our Event Partners: thank you to the brilliant teams at Times News Group, Gruff Design, DBM Signs, Destination Surf Coast, RACV Torquay Resort, Torquay Books, and Geelong Regional Libraries.

From helping us spread the word and design our look, to providing stunning spaces, delicious lunchboxes, and making sure our shelves are stocked with amazing books—you are the backbone of our creative community!

To our partners and our wonderful Surf Coast community: thank you for believing in the power of bringing people together through stories. We can't wait to celebrate with you this weekend! 🎉📚