2026 Festival

Speaker Profile

Helen Trinca

Helen Trinca is a journalist and author of two biographies – Madeleine: A Life of Madeleine St John; and Looking for Elizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth Harrower- and co-author of two non-fiction books, Waterfront: The Battle that Changed Australia; and Better than Sex: How a Whole Generation Got Hooked on Work. She is an Associate Editor at The Australian where she has held senior roles as an editor and writer over many years. 

Elizabeth, We Hardly Knew You: In Appreciation of Elizabeth Harrower

Thursday April 23
Hotel Sorrento (Cooper Room)
1.30pm / 60 mins

Helen Trinca and Susan Wyndham with Laura Macdonald

The brilliant Australian post-war novelist and short story writer Elizabeth Harrower was private and guarded, and for many years readers knew little about her. With the arrival of two new biographies about her life, a new 21st Century fan club is emerging.


In Praise Of Australian Women Writers

Friday April 24
Sorrento Bowls Club
3.00pm / 60 mins

Helen Trinca, Nadia Wheatley, Geordie Williamson and Susan Wyndham with Jason Steger

Under The Skin: How biographers cope with living someone else’s life

Saturday April 25
Sorrento Bowls Club
1.00pm / 60 mins

Peter FitzSimons, Jock Serong and Helen Trinca with Michael Cathcart