The eagerly anticipated True Story Festival 2023 is just around the corner. Visitors can immerse themselves in the remarkable talents of renowned Australian non-fiction writers on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November 2023, at the Coledale Community Hall. 

Following on from the success of last year’s True Storytelling Festival, this year's True Story: Stranger Than Fiction brings together captivating memoirs that traverse the spectrum from humour to spirituality, together with engaging voices exploring topics like community resilience, cultural identity, local media, regional cuisine, Dharawal language, and First Nations knowledge sharing, and the courage it takes to become an investigative journalist.

On Saturday 18 November, Bronwyn Adcock will speak about the aftermath of the Currowan bushfire, and Dr Jodi Edwards teaches Dharawal words for food from her most recent book, and Wendy Harmer will reflect on her candid memoir, Lies My Mirror Told Me. Journalist Alan Sunderland also shares his ten rules of reporting in a two-hour, hands-on workshop, where participants will have an opportunity to pitch their story to the editor of the Illawarra Flame.

On Sunday 19 November, legendary figure in investigative journalism Chris Masters will start the day in conversation with one of Australia’s most beloved interviewers, Margaret Throsby. Eda Gunaydin engages in a conversation about belonging and other challenges with Sarah Ayoub, and Gerringong cheesemaker and farmer Fiona Weir Walmsley will share the story of running Buena Vista Farm with ABC Illawarra broadcaster Nick Rheinberger in a special lunch session in collaboration with Earthwalker Cafe. 

Later, Indira Naidoo will share how grief led her to find consolation and a new appreciation of life, and AIME Founder and CEO Jack Manning Bancroft will discuss his new book Hoodie Economics. To close out the festival, authors Siobhan McHugh and Jackie Dent will share with Malika Reese side-splitting anecdotes from their careers they'd rather keep to themselves. 

True Story is brought to you by The Illawarra Flame and South Coast Writers Centre, with funding from Culture Bank Wollongong and support from Coledale RSL and Collins Booksellers Thirroul. For tickets, session information, and author bios, visit southcoastwriters.org/true-story-festival