This year's Byron Writers Festival witnessed a remarkable lecture from the legendary and much-loved journalist Kerry O'Brien, now a Northern Rivers local, on 'Lessons From History'.

Byron Writers Festival spoke with poet, musician, writer, singer, producer, and former Goanna frontman, Shane Howard. Speaking to Shane is like mining for gold. If by mining you mean reclining on a lilo in a pool with a cocktail, and the person doing the hard graft is handing you nugget after nugget of the good stuff.

A rich program of free events runs across Byron Writers Festival’s 30th anniversary weekend from 14 to 16 August.

With a number of special free sessions proudly presented in partnership with Southern Cross University, the 2026 Byron Writers Festival is celebrating 30 years of partnership, storytelling, and community.

As Byron Writers Festival marks its 30th year this August, some of the country’s sharpest minds turn to the defining question of our time: the future of the planet.

Award-winning filmmaker, directors and photography team, Catherine Marciniak and Stephen Axford have combined their expertise in art, science, and storytelling through their film Follow the Rain and are co-authors of a new book, Planet Fungi: A Photographer’s Foray.

With just two weeks until the Byron Writers Festival throws open its doors, there’s still time to get your tickets and see writers from around Australia and the world in one place on 14-16 August.

Award-winning journalist Antoinette Lattouf’s case against the ABC became central to debates on free speech, employee rights, institutional accountability, and the consequences of challenging media power.

For writers with a manuscript in the drawer or a story taking shape, the 2026 Byron Writers Festival offers a rare and practical window into the world of professional publishing.

If the state of the world has you searching for answers, Byron Writers Festival’s 30th anniversary program delivers three days of urgent conversation on the forces shaping our future, from artificial intelligence to the housing crisis.