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June 22, 2026
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Road warriors hit the road for Byron Writers Festival 


By The Echo

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According to numerologists the number five is the most dynamic and energetic of all single digit numbers.

That is undoubtedly why the Byron Writers Festival 2016 is again hosting the Five Writers Road Trip.

Five writers will head to five towns in five days, talking writing and reading for free at pubs, clubs, cafes, galleries, schools, libraries, service stations, bus stops… wherever there are readers, the fearless 555 will go.

This year’s Fab Five are Luke Carman, Kate Forsyth, Gabbie Stroud, Jesse Blackadder and Miles Merrill, captained by evil genius and holder of an unblemished van license, Zacharey Jane.

Miles Merrill
Miles Merrill

They’ll hit the road in the region on Saturday, 30 July, stopping in at Mullumbimby, Ballina, Brunswick Heads and Lennox Head, before ending up at the Byron Writers Festival on Saturday 6 August.

Festival director Edwina Johnson said ‘word has spread since last year’s fantastic “Five Writers” tour sparking requests from readers throughout northern NSW for the 555 creative crew to visit their town’.

Kate Forsyth
Kate Forsyth

‘The Fab Five have a full coastal itinerary planned that’s bound to enthrall and entertain,’ Ms Johnson said.

‘The 555 tour is tasked with carrying good books and fine writers to places no writers’ festival has ever gone befor.’

Luke Carman
Luke Carman

The Five Writers Road Trip will be beaming in to:

Mullumbimby: Saturday 30 July, 6.30pm, Courthouse Hotel

Ballina: Sunday 31 July, 1.30pm, Ballina Library; and 6pm at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery

Brunswick Heads: Monday 1 August, 7pm, Brunswick Picture House

Lennox Head: Tuesday 2 August, 7pm, Club Lennox

This year’s Five Writers Road Trip is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts and the Byron Writers Festival.

News of their exploits will be broadcast on local ABC Radio by Jo Shoebridge.

Jesse Blackadder
Jesse Blackadder

For more info, visit the Byron Writers Festival website www.byronwritersfestival.com or follow on Twitter at #555roadtrip or visit at Facebook The Five Writers Road Trip.

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