Byron Writers Festival
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Terrorism, politics and betrayals collide Robert Drewe releases new novel, Whipbird in debut novel from Tony Jones Tony Jones was still at school when Lionel Murphy raided ASIO. After an ABC cadetship, he joined Four Corners as a reporter in 1985, and later Dateline at SBS in 1986. He subsequently was an ABC foreign correspondent, for a time in London and later in Washington. He also covered war crimes in Bosnia. Today he hosts ABC TV’s Q&A. The Twentieth Man is his first novel. The Twentieth Man is set in September 1972, when journalist Anna Rosen takes an early morning phone call from her boss at the ABC, telling her about two bombings in Sydney’s busy CBD. It’s the worst terrorist attack
Soon the arrival in Australia of Yugoslavia’s prime minister will trigger the next move in a deadly international struggle. The Twentieth Man will be published in August 2017 by Allen & Unwin.
Literary Dinner
in the country’s history and Anna has no doubt which group is responsible for the carnage. She has been investigating the role of alleged war criminals in the globally active Ustasha movement. High in the Austrian Alps,
Marin Katich is one of twenty would-be revolutionaries who slip stealthily over the border into Yugoslavia on a mission planned and funded in Australia. It will have devastating consequences for all involved.
Join Tony Jones in conversation with prize-winning investigative journalist and novelist Matt Condon at a special Literary Dinner at Byron at Byron at 7pm on Friday August 4 – $135pp includes dinner, a glass of Audrey Wilkinson wine on arrival and a copy of Tony’s new novel, The Twentieth Man. Supported by Brookfarm.
The Reef, trees and stars at Writers Festival This year’s Byron Writers Festival hosts a range of conversations for those interested in delving into the environment, astronomy and science, led by some of the world’s leading scientific minds. From discoveries made below the waterline, to those made looking at the stars, there is much to dive into in this year’s line-up of non-fiction writers. Kick-start your Festival weekend on Friday August 4 with a double-bill Feature Event at Byron Theatre when the master of conversation Richard Fidler interviews biologist and tree-whisperer David George Haskell (6.30pm). From trees to seas, that conversation will be followed by Charlie Veron, known
Left, Richard Fidler and right, Dava Sobel.
as the ‘Godfather of Coral’, introducing a special free screening of the lauded documentary Chasing Coral in which he stars (8pm). Chasing Coral has received standing ovations at international film festivals.
Also on Friday but on the other side of town, get your geek on for an evening of cerebral celebration when Tim Flannery, Dava Sobel and Adam Spencer present ‘Night of the Nerds’ with MC comedian Mandy Nolan.
TRAFFIC NOTICE THURS 3 AUG - SUN 6 AUG 2017 Notice to residents of Byron Shire Working closely with Byron Shire Council, a traffic management plan has been implemented to manage and minimise potential traffic impacts in proximity to the Byron Writers Festival site at Elements of Byron resort.
Saturday August 5 at the Festival is a big day for science-geeks and greenies. First up Charlie Veron speaks about a life spent underwater, while David George Haskell, Magdalena Roze and Emrys Westacott discuss the wisdoms of frugal living in ‘The Simple Life: Why Less is More, More or Less’. Kim Mahood, Bruce Pascoe and Nicolas Rothwell examine the role of landscape in their work, and Lawrie Zion discusses his new book, Our Weather Obsession, which lifts the lid on our insatiable appetite for meteorological media. Then, acclaimed scientist Tim Flannery tells us just how sunlight and seaweed might feed, power and clean up our world. On Saturday afternoon award-winning science writer Dava Sobel, Emrys Westacott and beloved ABC broadcaster Robyn Williams talk ‘Science, Philosophy and Ideas’. Indigenous Australian writer, Bruce Pascoe, whose book Dark Emu challenges the claim that pre-colonial Aboriginal society was essen-
Bangalow local Robert Drewe is an Australian literary legend whose more than 20 highly acclaimed books, including novels, short stories and memoirs have won state, national and international prizes, been widely translated, and been adapted for film, television, theatre and radio. His new novel Whipbird is a sharply observed, vividly imagined, satirical portrait of contemporary Australia and a modern comedy of manners. Kungadgee, Victoria, Australia. A weekend in late November, 2014. At Hugh and Christine Cleary’s new vineyard, Whipbird, six generations of the Cleary family are coming together from far and wide to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the arrival of their ancestor Conor Cleary from Ireland. Hugh has been meticulously planning the event for months – a chance to proudly showcase Whipbird to the extended clan. Among the more than 2,000 relatives gathered at the vineyard walks the ghost of Conor Cleary narrating events past and present through the eyes of his great-great-grandson Simon ‘Sly’ Cleary, former keyboard
player for the rock band Spider Flower, now suffering a delusionary mental belief that he no longer exists. As the weekend unfolds, the wine flows, family tensions rise – and then Hugh’s recently acquired painting, Miner with Pan and Shovel from Sidney Nolan’s Eureka Stockade series goes missing. Right on cue, a wealthy Chinese entrepreneur arrives with a view to investing in a new Australian winery. In Whipbird, Robert Drewe pulls no punches. Nothing is sacred as he takes on the mining boom and conservationists; everyone from investment bankers and real-estate agents to seachangers and tree-changers, vegans and paleo practitioners, First World smugness, global warming, retirement, divorce, death, sudoko and artisan brewers. And the nonchalant disrespect and disillusionment of the young. Robert Drewe will feature at Byron Writers Festival in conversation with Geordie Williamson (Friday August 4) and in the session Just Like Us: Creating Fictional Families with Sophie Hamley, Ashley Hay and Eka Kurniawan (Saturday August 5).
tially a hunter-gatherer society, joins author and long-time farmer Charles Massy to discuss regenerative agriculture in ‘Farming that Doesn’t Cost the Earth’.
On Sunday August 6 Dava Sobel, whose recent book, The Glass Universe looks to the stars to reveal the hidden history of female astronomers, will join Melissa Ashley and Ashley Hay for ‘Women in Science’. David George Haskell, Tim Flannery and Nicolas Rothwell will continue to marvel at the many nuances of nature, in ‘Stories from Nature’s Great Connectors’, and finally, David Gillespie and Kate Grenville explore the realities of a synthetic world, while asking what are we really consuming, and what are the repercussions?
Festival traffic will enter the site via Bayshore Drive from Thursday 3 til Sunday 6 August The Festival guests’ car park opposite Elements of Byron, accessible from Bayshore Drive, has been prepared for day patrons, all day parking is $5.00. There will be a drop off area for guests and parking set aside for disabled persons at the entrance of end of Bayshore Drive. There is a regular GoByron shuttle bus service that will run from Byron Bay Bus Terminal outside the Visitor Centre on Jonson Street. The cost will be $5.00 and please have the correct change. Byron Writers Fetival Hotline is : (02) 6685 5115 We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
16 July 26, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
The Godfather of Coral Charlie Vernon. Photo Louise Goggin
Q For the full program go to byronwritersfestival.com.
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo