StoryFest – Milton-Ulladulla’s biennial celebration of storytelling – is back for 2025 with a program packed with leading Australian authors, musicians, broadcasters, cooks, poets, playwrights and thinkers.
Held across four big days and nights from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 June, StoryFest will bring the magic of storytelling to more than 15 venues across the region including the historic Milton Theatre and local foodie favourites Milk HAUS, Rick Stein’s Bannisters at Mollymook and Cupitt’s Estate.
Program Director Adam Jeffrey says the 2025 event is all about celebrating the rich, diverse and ever-changing ways in which we create and share stories. “StoryFest 2025 brings together some of Australia’s most important storytellers and thinkers to tackle some of the biggest issues of our time,” said Adam.
Few issues have generated more discussion, speculation and concern in recent times than artificial intelligence. Toby Walsh is a world-leading AI expert, a winner of the Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science, and the author of four acclaimed books on the subject.
In his StoryFest debut, Toby will share fascinating insights into how this transformative technology is reshaping the way we live, work, learn and of course create stories.
Adventurer, writer and ‘rewilding facilitator’ Gina Chick became a household name after winning the first season of reality TV show, Alone Australia, broadcast on SBS in 2023.
Gina will join social activist, radical entrepreneur and founder of the Moroccan Soup Bar Hana Assafiri for a thought-provoking conversation on ‘the kindness connection’. Following the session, audience members will get to enjoy a special soup menu co-created by Hana and the team from much-loved local Middle Eastern restaurant, Nomah.
The soup will be served by volunteers from Milton Ulladulla District Soup Kitchen, with all funds raised going towards their important work supporting vulnerable people in the local community.
Much-loved broadcaster Richard Glover will be on deck to help audience members chew through the news in these strange times with Lech Blaine and Holly Wainwright, as well as leading an insightful discussion on how storytelling can create change for good.
Katie Noonan is a five-time ARIA award-winner and one of Australia’s greatest singers. In a special performance at the Milton Theatre, she’ll be performing some of her favourite songs by artists like Karen Carpenter, Jeff Buckley and Joni Mitchell, and chatting with local music maven Tina Broad about why they resonate with her so strongly.
As always, there’s plenty on the StoryFest menu for the book worms to sink their teeth into. International best-sellers Candice Fox and Fiona McIntosh will be sharing some of their secrets to creating quality popular fiction.
Chris Hammer and Candice Fox are two of the biggest names in Aussie crime fiction. They’ll be joining debutant Mitch Jennings for a discussion on the keys to success in the genre, and how to keep it fresh and interesting for readers.
Romance writers Amy Hutton, Saman Shad, TL Swan will be discussing how to bring love to life on the page. Markus Zusak, Inga Simpson, and Debra Oswald are just a few of the other literary luminaries who will be part of thought-provoking discussions across the weekend.
StoryFest runs from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 June 2025. Tickets on sale Wednesday 16 April. For more information and full program, visit: www.storyfest.org.au for details.
Image: Gina Chick (supplied)