In 2025 the Central Coast’s first and only writers’ festival, Words on the Waves, will celebrate its fifth year! Since the festival first launched in 2021 we have welcomed more than 13,000 attendees to our events and we’re excited to celebrate this milestone.
This year authors and journalists will descend on the Central Coast for author talks, headliner conversations, literary readings, storytelling soirees, writing workshops and more, all illuminated by the theme: burning bright.
Reflecting on the choice of theme, festival director Angela Bennetts says: “As we celebrate our fifth year, we do so with our eyes lifted to the horizon. We acknowledge the swirling forces that darken our world. But we look forward with hope – with a deeply held conviction in the human capacity to share, create and blaze a path forward. Over each swell, a new horizon rises.”
Author Kate Grenville
Joining us for the 2025 festival will be literary legend and author of The Secret River Kate Grenville who is returning to the home of Hawkesbury River, while political journalist Peter Greste will share his story of 400 days wrongly imprisoned in Cairo. Acclaimed broadcaster and Wiradjuri man Stan Grant will be joined by many familiar faces from our favourite TV shows and news segments… Julia Baird, Virginia Trioli, Kumi Taguchi and David Marr to name a few.
Also sharing their literary light, poets Maxine Beneba Clarke and Anne-Marie Te Whiu, and their vision for a better future: investigative reporter and anti-domestic abuse advocate, Jess Hill, and historian of Australian democracy, Clare Wright. Geoff Raby and others will explore the state of the world today while fiction favourites Charlotte McConaghy, Nardi Simpson, Jessie Tu, Emily Maguire and Gail Jones will stock up our to-read piles.
Join us at The Dip’s Free Family Fun Day
In addition to our popular main weekend program we will once again be running a program of free and low cost events aimed at increasing the accessibility of writers festivals. Known as The Dip, this program will run on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday will be a full day of events for adults while Sunday will once again see us hosting the joyful, entertaining and slightly chaotic (in the best way possible) Free Family Fun Day!
Alongside the weekend events there will be a host of individual events, including the opening night address, industry panels, book launches for local authors, writing workshops, storytelling events and so much more.
What: Words on the Waves Writers Festival
When: May 28 – June 1, 2025
Bookings: wordsonthewaves.com.au/buy-tickets-2025/
Words on the Waves Festival Highlights
Opening night address with Stan Grant, Hugh Mckay and Kumi Taguchi. Wednesday 28 May, The Art House, Wyong.
An evening with Kate Grenville – Saturday 31 May at The Dip marquee, Peninsula Recreation Precinct, Umina Beach.
Story Club – the hit storytelling sensation returns to the Central Coast with hosts Zoe Norton Lodge and Osher Gunsberg. Friday 30 May, 7.30pm, Ocean Beach SLSC.
Saturday Day Pass and Sunday Day Pass – two full days of author talks, combined with stunning coastal views, Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1 from 10am – 4pm. Ocean Beach SLSC and Umina Beach SLSC.
The Dip – a weekend of free and low cost events held in a marquee in Jasmine Greens Park. Saturday is a day of engaging events for adults and Sunday is our famous Free Family Fun Day!
Writing Up Stream – a weekend of professional development sessions for writers in partnership with Writing NSW and Faber Academy. Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1 from 10am to 6:30pm.
5 Years of Word on the Waves at a Glance
Launched in 2021
13,000 attendances over 5 years
5,500 students have attended our schools program
130+ events in 2024
Growth from 4 locations to 14 locations
82% powered by volunteers.
