Trent Dalton and Geetanjali Shree lead Byron Writers Festival’s first line-up reveal
Byron Writers Festival has unveiled a first look at its 2026 program ahead of its milestone 30th anniversary year. Celebrated Australian icon Trent Dalton and New Delhi-based Geetanjali Shree lead a talented line-up of novelists, poets and leading thinkers that are set to descend on Byron Bay from August 14–16.
The first announcement brings together a compelling mix of voices across fiction, poetry and commentary, offering an early glimpse at what’s in store.
Trent Dalton will appear with his latest novel Gravity Let Me Go, while Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand made literary history as the first book written in Hindi – or any Indian language – to win the International Booker Prize.
Also joining the program is Goorie and Koori poet Evelyn Araluen, known for her award-winning collection Dropbear and follow-up The Rot. Miles Franklin Award-winning author Siang Lu will feature with Ghost Cities, while Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Steve Toltz brings his new release A Rising of the Lights. Actor and writer Zoe Terakes joins the festival with debut book Eros, which reworks ancient Greek mythology through a contemporary lens.
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Local talent is firmly in focus, with acclaimed author Melissa Lucashenko set to appear with new work Not Quite White in the Head, while economist and commentator Richard Denniss brings timely ideas to the table with his latest essay More Fool Me: How the Gas Industry Tricked Australia.
For its 30th year, Byron Writers Festival will unfold across a dynamic, multi-venue precinct woven through Byron Bay, transforming the coastal town into a lively meeting point for readers, writers and curious minds. Expect a packed program of conversations, book signings and free community events, designed to be accessible, engaging and easy to explore.
Three-day passes have been released, alongside single-day and feature event options. Tickets are on sale now, with more of the program set to be revealed soon.
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