Past Special Events

Write Around Rotto

The weekend of July 31 - August 1st 2010

Write Around Rotto Details

Hi Trish, Pat and the Rotto Retreat crew,

Thank you for helping to organise/be part of Write Round Rotto! We had a lovely relaxing writerly weekend enjoyed by all!! The Bathurst Cottage location was amazing, stunning views, right on the cliff edge with the lighthouse high up to our left. We even had a big verandah overlooking the ocean with the sound of the waves, what perfect ambience for a writer's retreat! And so much history. We did some exploring, caught the bus around the island, climbed the big lighthouse and found some great eateries in the settlement. Now we all can't wait for next year!

Written sitting on the verandah of Bathurst Cottage.

Writing on Rotto

Immerse my senses
In rock and water
Waves gently lap and gurgle
Chewing cliffs jaggard

An afternoon sun
Bathes our northern verandah warm despite the cold
Beneath a lighhouse spearing white
Into the clearest sky

Blue and white
Ocean and beach
This island of sand and stone
Yet tenuous in sheltered hollows
Clusters of tea-tree ever green
Shelter soft furry mammals in shady arbours

Inspire me with your contrasts
Island of dreams
Thrill me with your west-end edges
Enchant me with your turquoise bays
Teach me all your history
Brush me with your fragrant heath
Soothe me with your winter sun
Take my city cares away
I have become
Undone

Y. Topham

Monthly Get Together

Remembering Randolph Stow - A Tribute By Peter Jeffrey

Date: July 4th

The guest speaker for the Monthly Get Together on Sunday July 4th, 3.00pm at Tom Collins House was Poet and academic Peter Jeffrey. He was a long-time friend of Randolph Stow and this was an intimate portrayal of the writer and his work.

At present, Peter Jeffrey is Co-Chair at WA Poets Inc, among many other engagements. He was educated at Perth Modern School, Claremont Teachers’ Training College, and the Universities of Western Australia, London, and Birmingham. He was also a Senior Lecturer of Film and Television at Murdoch University.

Article for An Evening With Sue Woolfe

Writers and would be writers were inspired to create after attending An Evening With Sue Woolfe, held at Mattie Furphy House in the evening of the 2nd March.

Read more..

An Afternoon with Professor Philip Mead

Held on Sunday October 18th 2009 at Tom Collins House

FAWWA congratulates Professor Philip Mead, the newly appointed Chair of Australian Literature at the University of Western Australia. He has recently completed a monograph study of Australian poetry, Networked Language: Culture and History in Australian Poetry and is currently editing, along with FAWWA Patron, John Kinsella, a collection of statements in Australian poetics. Professor Mead’s special interests include literary regionalism in Australia, poetry and poetics, Australian literature in education, national bibliography, representations of Australian space and Shakespearean heritage in Australia.

All members and friends are invited to meet Professor Philip Mead who holds the inaugural Chair of Australian Literature at UWA. This is only the second Chair for Oz Lit in the country (the other is in Sydney), so it was a great affirmation of the vibrancy of the literary world in WA to have it based here. RSVP 9th October. No charge but could members please bring a plate.

The Journey

although the road is lengthening, there is no need for sanctuary

although there is no need for sanctuary, the book is opening

although the book is open, history is hard to remember

although fiction is durable, our dreams are freighted with dreams

although our sleep is abstract, the map is in the brain

although the map is there, the journey is darkening around us.

Philip Mead

A Book in a Day keeps the Doctor away..

The ‘Smiley Team’ of writers from Tom Collins House in Swanbourne retreated to the Perth Hills in May to ‘Write a Book in a Day.’ to raise money for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

Smiley Team;L to R. Karen Dixon, Martin Chambers, Lynne DePeras, Glenn Hunting, Geoff Chambers, Yeeda Topham, Trisha Kotai-ewers.

The competition pits teams of writers against the clock, to create an illustrated story for 10-14 years olds around given characters and keywords. The finished books then go into the hospital library and a panel of judges decides the best entry.

Smiley Team leader, Martin Chambers of City Beach, said 'it really is a grueling task to produce a complete book when several writers are involved, they couldn’t even agree what brand of Chi Tea to take!'

'But I am amazed with the result,' he said, 'and Graphics Source in Jolimont have kindly printed 200 copies to be sold to raise more money for the PMH Foundation.'

The team's entry, ‘Didge Magic,’ takes the reader on a mysterious journey with a young botanist into remote north of WA ending up desperately lost, cold, hungry and thirsty. Just when all seems hopeless, she is rescued by a boy with a ‘magical’ didgeridoo.

‘Didge Magic’ was launched at an open function at the historic Tom Collins House on Saturday 4th July at 4.30pm. Graphics Source in Jolimont have kindly printed 200 copies to be sold to raise more money for the PMH Foundation.

We've nearly sold all the 200 copies printed free of charge and raised around $2,800 for the PMH Foundation! The price of $10 goes to the writers' centre and PMH. RSVP to Martin on 0400837157 or buy copies online at www.smileyfaceaustralia.com.