I found Margaret River when I was researching my bestselling novel Canopy of Silence for Heinemann some years ago now. I flew over from the UK and took the bus down from Perth, Western Australia to seek out descendants of the Group Settlers. I found Dinkie Sutton, who was the relative of the guy who ran the post office in my Somerset village, where I lived then. She introduced me to others.
I fell in love with the Sutton family and Margaret River. I think of it as my second home. It is a place of great beauty and initially, of great hardship for the settlers, who were enticed out by the British and West Australian governments after the 1 World War to create dairy farms.
The settlers were shown films of established dairy farms in New South Wales typical, it was said, of the farms they would go to.
The reality on the western side of Australia was different. South of Perth there were sandy tracts, and further down, near Margaret River, the soil was just not capable of producing grazing land sufficiently nutritious for dairy herds.
Before they reached that stage the settlers had to fell the huge trees, with a mattock and a saw, sometimes walking a couple of miles to collect water for their young families. It’s the stuff of heartbreak, but the Poms were a tough lot, just as are the Australians.
They endured, and latterly it was discovered that the Margaret River area is suitable for wine growing. It’s worth a visit just to tour the vineyards which produce the most superb wines. Trust me, I remember the hangovers. Even those were of a superior variety.
I have many tales to tell of the area and will dig out a few as we get more news from the region, because I’m delighted to tell you we have the first of many items from the region. Bring ‘em on, please.
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The Margaret River Readers’ and Writers’ Festival 2015
SEASONS is the theme for the seventh annual Readers and Writers Festival to be held in the beautiful Margaret River wine region in Western Australia next year, so those of you in the UK have time to plan your trip. Those of you in Australia, get ready to clear your diaries and give yourself a real treat.
Festival director Helen Allan tells me the annual festival will be held over the May long weekend 29-31 2015 and the festival has already secured a huge line-up of famous authors to excite readers of all genres.
“We are focussing on the environment, nature and the seasons of our lives – the theme `Seasons’ encapsulates all of those things, and Autumn is such a beautiful time in Margaret River, we should celebrate that – when Keats wrote that Autumn was the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ it almost seems like he wrote it for our region.”
The festival committee had lined up around 20 authors and the festival will, once again, run over three days.
“From Tomorrow When The War Began author John Marsdon to science fiction author Isobelle Carmody, comedian and authors Sami Shah, Justin Heazelwood and Luke Ryan to romance authors Fiona Palmer, Michelle de Kretser and food/nature author Sophie Zalokar, we have something for everyone,” she said. As both a reader and writer I was already hooked.
“We will be letting more names out of the bag as the time draws nearer, we have had a huge amount of interest from authors wanting to take part in next year’s festival, given the outstanding growth and success of the festival last year.”
The festival, while small, is steadily growing and the organisers are keen to have a big-name international authors to headline their event.
“We don’t have a huge budget, but what we lack in funds we make up for in warmth and hospitality, our authors are treated like royalty and thoroughly spoiled when they come over.
“We had hoped to have some British writers participate in next year’s festival and had invited Stephen Fry and Michael Palin, but to no avail. Hopefully as our festival gains more of an international standing more English authors will come forward. Our wine region is an exciting and beautiful place to visit and what could be better than combining a look at our natural wonders with a celebration of literature?”
I can vouch for all of that, and what a wonderful time to be south of Perth, in the lovely Margaret River area. While you’re there, have a good look around. See the wonderful surf, and give it a go. My son-in-law promises himself the opportunity one day. Perhaps head out to see the Prevelly Chapel, a monument to the monks of Crete who helped save so many Australian Servicement in the 2nd World War, at the expense of their own lives. Returning servicemen raised the money to raise the Chapel in tribute. It’s moving, but that’s an understatement. Go and see for yourselves, and make it in May so you can catch the Festival.