Carrie Tiffany – Mateship with Birds

Age: 15 plus

$100

Carrie Tiffany and Geoff Park in conversation followed by creative writing workshop

Mateship with Birds is a 2012 novel by Australian novelist Carrie Tiffany which won the inaugural 2013 Stella Prize. The book was inspired, in part, by the 1922 book of the same title by Alec Chisholm – acclaimed naturalist, conservationist and writer.

The event will open with Carrie in conversation with Geoff Park about her transition from park ranger to writer and the ideas behind her novel, Mateship with Birds. How does Carrie approach nature writing? How does she use science to inform her imagination?  

After a short break Carrie will lead a bird-themed creative writing workshop. No writing experience is needed. Participants will explore how our experiences in nature can be shaped and given life on the page.

Carrie Tiffany was born in West Yorkshire and grew up in Western Australia. A former park ranger, she has twenty years’ experience as a researcher, writer, editor and teacher of creative writing.

Life with Birds is an immersive celebration of the birds and woodland ecosystems of central Victoria curated by Geoff Park, presented by Newstead Arts Hub in partnership with Castlemaine State Festival.

Life of Birds brings together a distinguished range of collaborators – writers, artists, photographers, sound recordists, field naturalists and scientists. The various events enable participants to enjoy and learn whilst on the path to deeper appreciation of the richness of our birdlife – which is facing many challenges, especially that of global climate change.

The proceeds of this diverse and rich program of events will be dedicated to a community designed citizen science woodland conservation project in central Victoria, and to the Newstead Arts Hub.