Julie Janson’s Miles Franklin-shortlisted Compassion is the dramatised life story of one of her ancestors who went on trial for stealing livestock in New South Wales, an exciting and violent story of anti-colonial revenge and roaming adventure. I Am Nannertgarrook, based on the true story of one of Tasma Walton’s ancestors, is a powerful, heart-wrenching novel about maternal love that endures against pitiless odds.
Join these generous, accomplished authors as they explore the emotional landscape and political complexity of fictionalising their pasts, considering ancestral connections, and the complex and dangerous lives of Aboriginal women across the last two centuries. Offering counter narratives to the dominant colonial histories too often taught, Julie and Tasma share the wealth of their knowledges with Blakfulla Bookclub’s Merinda Dutton.
Julie Janson is a Burruberongal woman of Darug nation, born in Sydney, now living on Brinja Yuin Country. Her novels include the Miles Franklin Award shortlisted Compassion and Miles Franklin longlisted Madukka the River Serpent, as well as Benevolence, which was shortlisted for the ASA Barbara Jefferis Novel Award 2022 and nominated for the NIB and VOSS Literary Awards. Julie was runner up for the Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize 2025 and winner of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize 2016 and Judith Wright Poetry Prize 2019.
Tasma Walton is a proud Boonwurrung woman from the saltwater country of Melbourne and surrounding coastlines. As an award-winning actor, she has won numerous awards for her work in film and television. Tasma’s first novel, Heartless, was nominated for an ABIA Award for General Fiction, and the first book in her children’s series Nerra: Deep Time Traveller was longlisted for the DANZ Children's Book Award. Her latest novel is I Am Nannertgarrook.
Merinda Dutton is a Gumbaynggirr and Barkandji woman, lawyer, writer, and co-founder of Blackfulla Bookclub. You’ll find her words in Sydney Review of Books, Griffith Review, the Australian Poetry Journal and the anthology, Words to Sing the World Alive. Her work moves through Indigenous motherhood and matriarchy, kinship and the everyday rituals of resistance.
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This event is part of the Main Program and included as part of Platinum, Gold, Silver and Saturday Bronze Passes.
Subject to availability, a limited number of single tickets may become available 9 September.
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This venue is wheelchair accessible. Please visit our Accessibility page or email hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au if you have any other accessibility requirements.