Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Whitsundays Writers Festival will close its 2026 program with Stories by the Sea, a free community event celebrating books, creativity, and connection on Sunday 13th September at the Whitsunday Marine Club, Cannonvale.
The waterfront afternoon will feature more than 20 regional authors alongside live music, author readings, children’s activities, and a community book exchange. Visitors can meet local writers, purchase books, enjoy a “Blind Date with a Book,” and connect with local writing groups and book clubs.
Festival Director Richard Evans said the event was designed to make the festival accessible to all. “It is a chance to bring people together through creativity and celebrate the incredible talent in our region.”
Featured authors include D.M. West, Lorie Brink, Phia Damsma, and Suzy Gordon, showcasing a diverse range of genres from children’s literature to thrillers and poetry.
Stories by the Sea runs from 3:00pm to 4:30pm and is free to attend. Full program details are available via the Whitsundays Writers Festival website.
D. M. West
Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Horror
North Queensland author D.M. West writes horror, fantasy, science fiction and thrillers, with her latest novel, Beneath Blue Waves, set across Townsville, Cairns and the Whitsundays.
Lorie Brink
Fiction
Inspired by an eclectic career, Lorie Brink writes fiction filled with colourful characters, humour and heart, drawing on her love of travel and life's adventures.
Phia Damsma
Children's
Creator of the Padam children's series, Phia Damsma is an award-winning writer and Sonokids co-founder recognised with a Dutch Knighthood and an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Southern Queensland.
Suzy Gordon
Poetry
Whitsundays writer and educator Suzy Gordon mentors young writers, runs an online magazine for emerging voices and is the author of the poetry collection Sunbathing in the Rain. She is currently working on a second collection and a book about creativity.
Tickets and full programme details are available via the festival website.
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