2023 Festival Gallery

Browse our highlights reel from the 2023 event below!

Photo credit: Syl Marie Photography

Opening Address

The Art House Wyong

The inaugural Words on the Waves Opening Address, held Wednesday May 31

Claire G. Coleman signing books

Diana Reid signing books

Happy attendees clutching book purhcases

Central Coast local MC Emily Taylor

Diana Reid speaks to the festival theme ‘the mind swims’

Tracey Spicer speaks to the festival theme ‘the mind swims’

Claire G. Coleman speaks to the festival theme ‘the mind swims’

Q&A after the addresses

Diana Reid, Tracey Spicer, Claire G. Coleman & MC Emily Taylor

Words on the Waves Programming Committee

Primary & Secondary School Programs

Jeremy Lachlan presents at the Secondary Program, University of Newcastle Ourimbah Campus

Students participate in STEM and history workshops

Samantha Tidy at Umina Beach SLSC

Students at Umina Beach SLSC

Ripples Program

Craig Silvey at the Primary School Program at Umina Beach SLSC

Jeremy Lachlan takes student questions at the Secondary Program, University of Newcastle Ourimbah Campus

Primary School Program at Umina Beach SLSC

Student reading at a session

Family Fun Day

Nathan Luff at Family Fun Day

Family Fun Day at Everglades

Volunteer at Family Fun Day

Family Fun Day at Everglades

Late Night Lit

Crowd at Late Night Lit, Bar Toto Thursday June 1

Poet Felicity Plunkett

Open mic performer Liz Macnamara

Open mic performer Emily Taylor

Speaker Cadance Bell

Open mic performer Nadia Townsend

Host Donné Restom

Slam poet Samantha Turnbull

Story Club

Story Club speakers: Duncan Fellows, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Rob Carlton, Zoe Norton Lodge, Kaya Wilson, JP Pomare

Central Coast local and actor Rob Carlton

Story Club crowd

Kaya Wilson

Ashley Kalagian Blunt

Central Coast local and actor Duncan Fellows

JP Pomare

Host Zoe Norton Lodge

Saturday June 3

Festivalgoers getting ready for a day at Words on the Waves

Heather Mitchell in conversation with Rob Carlton

A Radical Rethink: Eve Vincent, Jess Scully, Claire G Coleman & Alice Workman

The Good Life: Pip Williams, Rachael Mogan McIntosh, Todd Alexander & Caroline Overington

Pip Williams

Thriller Instinct: JP Pomare, Anna Downes, Dinuka McKenzie, Petronella McGovern

Thriller Instinct

Crowd at Words on the Waves

Words on the Waves Volunteer

Eve Vincent

Kath Koschel & Kaya Wilson

Sunday June 4

Shaping Australia: Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Om Dhungel, Shankari Chandran, Ryan Butta

Om Dhungel

Shankari Chandran

Survivors: Fiona Kelly McGregor, Jennifer Down, Madeleine Gray

Fiona Kelly McGregor

Question time

Crowd at Words on the Waves

Lunch break at Words on the Waves

Bertie Blackman

Jonathan Seidler

Outlook from Umina Beach SLSC

Outsiders & Outcasts: Kate Evans, Pip Williams, Eleanor Limprecht

Audience questions

Louis Nowra, Meg Vertigan, Mandy Sayer

Mandy Sayer

MC Benny Agius

Writing Up Stream

Inside Publishing Panel: Jane McCredie, Nerrilee Weir, Vanessa Radnidge

Audience questions

Vanessa Radnidge

An Evening with Craig Silvey

Crowd at Craig Silvey, Naughty Noodle Fun Haus

Kaya Wilson signing books

Craig Silvey signing books

Craig Silvey in conversation with Kaya Wilson at Naughty Noodle Fun Haus

Literary Cruise

Jennifer Down on the Literary Cruise

Literary Cruise

Literary Cruise audience

Julie Janson on the Literary Cruise

Host Ian Hoskins on the Literary Cruise

Jennifer Down

Jennifer Down & Julie Janson

Book signings

Book Launches

Faber Anthology Launch

L.L. Hunter, Philippa Kaye & Hazel Paton