Parramatta Literary Salon: Julie Janson in conversation with Cathy Craigie

Arts & Cultural Exchange presents Parramatta Literary Salon, a new literary event showcasing writers' body of work.

The inaugural session will feature acclaimed playwright and novellist Julie Janson in conversation with Cathy Craigie.

The in-depth conversation will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Sharleigh Crittenden, a proud Wiradjuri woman, writer and poet will read some of her latest works before the conversation.

About Julie Janson:

Julie is a Burruberongal woman of the Darug Aboriginal nation NSW. She is a novelist, playwright, and poet. While living in remote Northern Territory in Yolngu communities in her early years as a teacher, Julie wrote plays and made giant puppets, masks and costumes with Yolngu students. Her career as a playwright resulted in ten productions at various theatres such as Sydney St Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre and Sydney Opera House Studio. Black Mary and Gunjies was published by Aboriginal Studies Press. Her plays have been produced in Arizona, USA and Makassar, Indonesia.

Her Indigenous crime novel Madukka the River Serpent (UWA Publishing 2022) was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023 and the Davitt Award 2023. Benevolence, an Indigenous historical novel published by Magabala in 2020, and later published by Harper Collins in the USA and UK, was shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award 2022 and in 2020 was longlisted for the NIB Literary Award and the Voss Literary Prize. Compassion (Magabala 2024) is a sequel to Benevolence.
Julie wrote the Virtual Reality screenplay There Exists (British Museum 2023). As a poet she is co-recipient of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal Poetry Prize 2016 and winner of the Judith Wright Poetry Prize 2019.

Her books and plays include:- Black Mary (Aboriginal Studies Press, 1996)- Gunjies (Aboriginal Studies Press, 1996)- The eyes of Marege (2007)- The Crocodile Hotel (Cyclops Press 2015)- The Light Horse Ghost (Nibago, 2018)- Benevolence (Magabala, 2020)- Madukka the River Serpent (UWA Publishing, 2022)- Compassion (Magabala 2024)

About Cathy Craigie:

Cathy Craigie is a proud Gamilaroi and Anaiwon woman from Northern NSW and has worked in media and the arts for over 20 years. Cathy’s experience ranges across disciplines and she has worked in health, housing, environmental, legal, media and the arts. She is particularly interested in First Nations’ stories and their relevance today, and is currently developing a play transforming the Gamilaroi traditional story of the seven sisters constellation. Her previous roles include Executive Director of First Nations Australia Writers Network (FNAWN) and Deputy Director General of NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs. One of the original founders of Koori Radio, Craigie is also the author of “Reading the Bush” and “Odd One Out” from the children’s book series “Yarning Strong”, which provides authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives for educators to use in their classrooms without fear of causing offence or perpetuating inaccurate stereotypes (Oxford University Press). She has also authored several plays and essays.

This event is curated by acclaimed writer Yumna Kassab in collaboration with Arts & Cultural Exchange.

Our local bookstore Dymocks Parramatta will have books for sale available on the night at Arts & Cultural Exchange.

When: Wednesday 22 October, 2025 | 6.30pm to 8pm
Where: Arts & Cultural Exchange, Parramatta
Tickets: $10.

Free for First Nations or people experiencing financial hardship. Please feel free to email:

Lights refreshments will be provided.

This project has been supported through a City of Parramatta Council Community Grant.

Also check out other Arts events in Parramatta, Literary Art events in Parramatta, Theatre events in Parramatta.