Reviving a Literary Festival: A Journey of Stories

Every meaningful festival starts with an idea and a handful of people willing to make it real.

In 2010, visionary author Gloria Burley, supported by an enthusiastic team of volunteers, launched the inaugural festival with a clear purpose: to celebrate storytelling, elevate local voices, and create genuine connections between readers and writers. From the beginning, it attracted high-profile speakers, and each year the audiences grew in size and enthusiasm.

In 2017, due to Gloria’s declining health, the festival came to a close. It wasn’t an ending born of failure or fatigue, but of circumstance.

In 2024, the festival was relaunched — stronger, broader, and more ambitious. Award-winning and internationally recognised Australian authors returned to Queensland stages. New initiatives were introduced, including the Heart Awards, recognising excellence and contribution to storytelling, and the Love Letter to Queensland, celebrating place, voice, and identity.

The program expanded to include practical workshops and intensive writing sessions, creating space not just for listening, but for doing. True to its roots, the festival continues to champion local authors while offering rich experiences for both readers and writers.

This is a festival shaped by history — but driven by what comes next.