Writers Retreat 2026

Unplug and focus on your craft at our Writers Retreat.

Set at the stunning Godshill in the Bunya Mountains, this retreat offers a day of inspiration and creativity in nature. 

Choose from two immersive workshops – or book both for a full-day experience (including lunch). 

Writing between Worlds with Merinda Dutton

Explore spaces where boundaries blur. This creative workshop invites you to navigate liminal perspectives, tensions between worlds, and the synchronicity that emerges when identities, desires, and geographies intersect. Through guided exercises, readings, and discussion, you’ll discover how uncertainty can become possibility. 

Ginko: A Haiku Walk with Matt Hetherington

Step into the natural world and let poetry flow. Matt will guide you through the art of haiku with a leisurely ginko walk, practical techniques, and group workshopping. Learn the essentials of haiku, write in response to nature, and share your creations in a supportive setting.

Delivered in partnership with The Suburban Review.

Where and When

Saturday 21 June
Godshill
29 Lillypilly Place, Bunya Mountains

Morning Session: Writing Between Worlds
9am-12pm
Cost: $60
Includes admission to workshop and morning tea.

Afternoon Session: Ginko Walk
1pm-4pm
Cost: $60
Includes admission to workshop and afternoon tea.

Full Day Package
9am-4pm
Cost: $120
Includes admission to both workshops, lunch package, morning and afternoon tea. 

Merinda Dutton is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Barkindji woman, lawyer, writer, and the co-founder of Blackfulla Bookclub, and online community celebrating First Nations stories. Her work has appeared in multiple Australian publications and she brings a wealth of experience in helping writers explore new perspectives and develop their voice. 

Through her workshops, Merinda encourages participants to embrace creativity and curiosity, guiding them through practical exercises and discussions that spark fresh ideas and deepen their writing practice. 

Matt Hetherington is a writer, music-maker, and teacher living on Bundjalung Country in Murwillumbah, NSW. He has been writing poetry for over 40 years, and his seventh collection, ‘About Alone Away’, was published by Walleah Press in December 2024. He has performed his poetry in all parts of Australia other than the Northern Territory, including the Tasmanian Poetry Festival, The Perth Poetry Festival, The Queensland Poetry Fesitval, and the Melbourne Writers’ Festival. He was also Co-editor of the Australian section of the first World Haiku Anthology, and has previously run Haiku Walks in Queensland in places as diverse as Mount Isa, Bribie Island, and Goondiwindi.

About The Suburban Review

The Suburban Review is a vibrant journal dedicated to publishing bold, diverse, and innovative writing and art. Based in Australia, it champions emerging and established voices across fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art. Known for its commitment to inclusivity and creative risk-taking, The Suburban Review offers a platform for work that challenges, delights, and inspires readers. 

About the Bunya Mountains

The Bunya Mountains are one of Queensland’s most enchanting natural teasures – a place where time slows and creativity flourishes. Rising over 1,100 metres above sea level, this ancient range is home to the world’d largest natural stand of bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii), towering giants that have stood for centuries. Their presence speaks to a deep cultural history, as the mountains were once a ceremonial gathering place for First Nations peoples, who came together to share stories, food, and connection under these majestic trees. 

Today, the Bunya Mountains National Park offers a serene escape with lush rainforests, cool mountain air, and sweeping views that stretch to the horizon. The park features over 40 kilometres of walking tracks, ranging from short strolls to longer hikes through subtropical rainforest and open eucalypt forest. Wildlife is abundant – look out for a wallabies grazing in the grasslands, vibrant parrots and kingfishers in the canopy, and the occasional echindna along the trails.

Located just 1 hour from Dalby and around 3 hours from Brisbane, the Bunya Mountains are an accessible yet unforgettable destination. Wander beneath ancient bunya pines, listen to the calls of native birds, and breathe in the crisp, pine-scented air. It’s a landscape that invites reflections and sparks imagination – the perfect setting for writers seeking inspiration and renewal. 

Visiting the Western Downs? Secure your accommodation early as rooms will book quickly!
Visit Experience Western Downs for more.