SUPPORTING WRITERS
IN CAIRNS AND FAR
NORTH QUEENSLAND
Tropical Writers
was founded in
2004 by a small
group of local
Cairns writers
for the purpose
of mutual
support and the
encouragement of
emerging writers
in the region.
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| w w w. o a s i s m a g a z i n e . c o m . a u
I
n that time, it has grown to 55
members who meet on the last
Saturday of every month, January
through November, to network, support
and promote the craft of writing. They
gather to inspire each other, to critique
each other’s work and to respect the
unique voice of each writer. Their goal
is to share their passion for writing and
nurture the creative muse in each of them.
Beginning in 2008, they have run a
biennial Writers Festival in Cairns as both
a showcase and learning experience for
both readers and writers in the community
and beyond. It has grown in stature every
Festival and is now a highly respected,
premium event in the Cairns cultural
calendar. Within each Festival, the main
event is the Literary Dinner. This presents
the latest work of a well known author
through interview and allows a personal
look into the thoughts of that author. It has
always been highly acclaimed, by having
presented writers such as Geraldine
Doogue, Magda Szubanski and Matthew
Reilly to appreciative audiences. Their
Festival motto is “Readers writing. Writers
reading.”
Although they run many workshops during
the Festival, they also present events of
interest to their members and the public
during the year. Guest speakers are often
invited to their monthly meetings, with
workshops and retreats being run on
subjects relevant to the craft.
In addition, the group has produced
anthologies of short stories by their
writers. This has proved popular, with the
group’s next book due out in the first half
of next year.
Additional information on the groups
goals and activities can be found at www.
tropicalwriters.com.au.