Returning and newcomer talent plus new events feature in Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival program

Tickets have gone on sale this week for May’s Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, which is boasting a mix of new and returning talent and an expanded program.

The festival is scheduled to run across the region from May 2 to 4 and will be headquartered at the Margaret River Heart where beloved writer, broadcaster and emcee Jane Caro will return to host the official opening.

She will be working with ABC partner Claire Nichols from Radio National’s The Book Show as well as talking up her new offering Lyrebird.

In what will be the 17th iteration of the popular literary festival — billed as regional Australia’s biggest — a who’s who of Australian and overseas talent will make their way to Margaret River.

The international line-up features 2024 Booker Prize winner Samantha Harvey from the UK, award-winning Irish writer Marian Keyes, American journalist and former war correspondent Peter Godwin, and British “rockstar philosopher” A.C. Grayling who is back for his second festival in a row.

Professor Grayling, Harvey and Irish-Australian author and critic Chris Flynn will feature on the opening night, after which a slew of workshops, talks and events will convene at the Heart as well as other locations.

Artistic and festival director Sian Baker said promoting the power of words in 2025 was “more important than ever”.

“This festival isn’t just about celebrating a love of literature, it’s about championing big ideas, challenging our perspectives, and creating a space to think and reflect,” she said.

“At a time when book bans and censorship threaten the free exchange of ideas, literary festivals are vital in upholding the transformative power of words and championing free speech.”

The theme for this year’s festival — “the universe is made of stories” — was appropriate for such a star-studded program.

Other notable guests included Markus Zusak, Charlotte Wood, Hannah Kent, Craig Semple, Jock Serong, and Australian broadcast legend Stan Grant who will discuss his new book Murriyang: Song of Time, among too many other big names to mention.

One of the key events for those curious about the transition of stories from book to screen is a talk about the recent production of Stan series Silver, filmed in Augusta and fittingly set for Centennial Hall as part of the festival’s expanded program.

Novelist and journalist Chris Hammer and screenwriter Serong will host The Making of Silver soon after the second season has aired.

As well as the return of the popular Writers Room program, local high school students will have an astonishing opportunity with journalist Godwin and Prof. Grayling.

On the main stage, Margaret River Senior High School students will be involved in a forum called Voices for the Future as part of a panel discussion with the two notables on democracy, human rights, and the state of the world.

This year’s festival also unveils a space called the Discovery Tent described by organisers as a “dynamic hub” featuring a curated program of free activities for children and families, including interactive storytelling sessions, writers’ workshops, and talks.

Topics for exploration included sustainability, the future of energy, mental health, neurodiversity and Aboriginal language and heritage as well as environmental issues.