SPECIAL EVENT

BELLINGEN MEMORIAL HALL

UNSCRIPTED

  • Unscripted

    MAIN HALL | Unscripted | SAM NEILL, BRYAN BROWN and VIRGINIA TRIOLI

    6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

SATURDAY

BELLINGEN MEMORIAL HALL

MAIN PROGRAM

  • Rooted in Resilience

    DAVID HOLMGREN, KIRSTEN BRADLEY, LINDA WOODROW

    9:00 am - 10:00 am

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    TARA JUNE WINCH with DEBRA OSWALD

    9:00 am - 10:00 am

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    DAVID MARR with CLARE WRIGHT

    10:30 am - 11:30 am

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Mortality & Mercy

    MARKUS ZUSAK, COURTNEY COLLINS, ADAM NORRIS

    10:30 am - 11:30 am

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Always Was

    MARCIA LANGTON, SHIREEN MORRIS, TARA JUNE WINCH

    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Pushing Boundaries

    NIKKI GEMMELL, NARDI SIMPSON, CANDICE FOX

    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    PETER GRESTE with DAVID MARR

    1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    DEBRA OSWALD with AMY LOVAT

    1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Past Pretending

    JOCK SERONG, EMILY MAGUIRE, HANNAH KENT, COURTNEY COLLINS

    3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Death in the Afternoon

    ALISON GOODMAN, JANE CARO, JAMES BRADLEY

    3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Democracy in Darkness

    VIRGINIA TRIOLI, PETER GRESTE, KUMI TAGUCHI

    4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    CHARLOTTE McCONAGHY with ADAM NORRIS

    4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    MARCIA LANGTON with SETH JORDAN

    6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Uniting Church Hall

  • Shaping Truths

    EMILY MAGUIRE, MALCOLM KNOX, SANTILLA CHINGAIPE

    6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Weight of Words

    DAVID MARR, GINA CHICK, KUMI TAGUCHI, WENDY HARMER

    7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Sea of Stories

    RICHARD FLANAGAN with ADAM NORRIS

    8:55 pm - 9:55 pm

    Sat 7 June 2025

    Main Hall

SUNDAY

BELLINGEN MEMORIAL HALL

MAIN PROGRAM

  • In Conversation

    HANNAH KENT with AMY LOVAT

    9:00 am - 10:00 am

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Undercurrents

    JOCK SERONG, MALCOLM KNOX, CANDICE FOX, ADAM NORRIS

    9:00 am - 10:00 am

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    MARKUS ZUSAK with TARA JUNE WINCH

    10:30 am - 11:30 am

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    DAVID HOLMGREN with JASON JOHN

    10:30 am - 11:30 am

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Reality, Roughly

    RICHARD FLANAGAN, NARDI SIMPSON, JOCK SERONG, ALISON GOODMAN

    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    AUNTY BEA BALLANGARRY with ARLIE ALIZZI

    12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    GINA CHICK with JANE CARO

    1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Ecofiction

    CHARLOTTE McCONAGHY, JAMES BRADLEY with RAE JOHNSTON

    1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    VIRGINIA TRIOLI with WENDY HARMER

    3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • The Bark Petitions

    CLARE WRIGHT, SHIREEN MORRIS

    3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • Women are Write

    DEBRA OSWALD, JANE CARO, NIKKI GEMMELL, ERNA WALRAVEN

    4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • Slavery in Australia

    SANTILLA CHINGAIPE with RAE JOHNSTON

    4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • State of Play

    PETER GRESTE, KUMI TAGUCHI, JANE CARO, MALCOLM KNOX

    6:15 pm - 7:15 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

  • In Conversation

    WENDY HARMER with SETH JORDAN

    6:15 pm - 7:15 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    The Studio

  • In Conversation

    TRENT DALTON with VIRGINIA TRIOLI

    7:45 pm - 8:45 pm

    Sun 8 June 2025

    Main Hall

THE FRINGE

A variety of FREE EVENTS for everyone!

At the Maam Gaduying Meeting Place Park (opposite the Memorial Hall)

SATURDAY

10am – 10.30am

MORNING WORDS
Get an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes with short interviews featuring festival organisers and special guests.

10.30am – 11am

LOCAL VOICES
Enjoy our gifted local authors as they bring their latest works to life through a short reading session.

1pm–1.30 pm 

THE BUDAABANG BARI DANCE GROUP
An Aboriginal dance group known for their performances in Bellingen and beyond

1.30pm–2.00 pm 

POETRY SLAM WINNERS SPOTLIGHT
Hear Jason John interview the Slam winners with a repeat performance of their winning poems.

2pm – 3pm

POETRY OPEN MIC
Be sure to sign up in the morning to be part of the very popular Open Mic session with Jason John as MC.

3pm – 4pm

LIVE MUSIC
Sit back and relax with Boo Tiki, the musical project of local artist John Ferguson.  Enjoy his blues-inspired melodies, blended with a dynamic mix of looping pedals & his distinctively raspy vocals.

SUNDAY

10am – 10.30am

MORNING WORDS
Get an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes with short interviews featuring festival organisers and special guests.

10.30am – 11am

GUMBAYNGGIRR STORY TELLING
Uncle Micklo takes us on a journey of myth and language.

11am – 12pm

*SEAFARING: CANOEING ANCIENT SONGLINES – CANCELLED
Join Gumbaynggirr/ Gamilaroi man Victor Briggs for an incredible story of Indigenous exploration across the Pacific Ocean.

1pm – 2pm

MILKWOOD SPOTLIGHT
Join this engaging discussion with Kirsten Bradley, author of The Milkwood Permaculture Living Handbook.  Facilitated by Kevin Evans.

2pm – 3pm

REGIONAL JOURNALISM PANEL
A lively discussion featuring a collection of local journalists from the Mid North Coast. Facilitated by Kye Ruigrok.

FRIDAY

BELLINGEN MEMORIAL HALL

POETRY SLAM