Townsville’s First Nations Writers Festival to be held on May 30 and 31

Back for another year, a much loved NQ festival will once again showcase the voices of First Nations people from across the Greater Pacific in iconic Townsville locations. DETAILS.

Director of the First Nations Writers Festival Anna Borzi AM.

Returning for 2025, a much loved North Queensland festival will once again showcase the voices of First Nations people from across the Greater Pacific in iconic Townsville locations.

To be held across May 30 and 31 the First Nations Writers Festival gives Townsville locals a chance to connect with storytellers through art, literature and performance.

Andri Snaer Magnason, Anna Borzi and Peter Rockford Espiritu at the 2024 First Nations Writers Festival. Picture: Evan Morgan

Internationally recognised Disney choreographer and award-winning performer Peter Rockford Espiritu will return as host of the event.

Chair and director of the First Nations Writers Festival Anna Borzi said the event is a place for Indigenous stories to be shared and preserved for the next generation.

“We have award winners from across the Pacific coming along to launch their books because we only do that once a year,” she said.

“There’s five [authors], so that’s very exciting for us … The books are just magnificent.”

Four female Indigenous authors from across Australia will also be in attendance including Aunty Bea Ballangarry from northern NSW, a Gumbaynggirr woman, poet and community leader.

“Another one of the women is from Canberra and she is actually a weaver and she’s our artist. Each year we try to get somebody who is telling stories in a way that’s different,” Ms Borzi said.

Director of the First Nations Writers Festival Anna Borzi AM.

An event will be held at The Seaview Hotel on May 30 and the main event at the Queensland Tropics Museum on May 31, where eight new books will be launched and award-winning authors will be in attendance.

Awards will also be given out, with two writers to receive packages worth up to $5000.

Those interested in attending the festival should RSVP by May 19.

For more information visit firstnationswritersfestival.org

Originally published as Townsville’s First Nations Writers Festival to be held on May 30 and 31