Welcome to the 2026 Capricorn Coast Writers Festival
Hello and a warm Cap Coast Welcome to Stories By The Sea 2026. We are delighted to be back for our fifth Capricorn Coast Writers Festival, to be held on Friday 29 May and Saturday 30 May 2026.
We are as keen as ever to bring a high calibre, welcoming and inclusive festival to our wonderfully creative community. We love that our readers and writers don’t have to travel far to attend a writer’s festival - it’s right here on their doorstep. Holding an arts event such as ours in regional Queensland is, we feel, an important step in addressing isolation and a major goal is to tell the world about this fabulous corner of the country. Sometimes described as a country town at the seaside, Yeppoon is full of friendly locals, excellent eateries, unique shopping and an array of accommodation options to suit all pockets. We have galleries on the coast, plenty of street art and an abundance of creativity. Our beaches are spectacular, and we are just a stone’s throw from the Keppel Islands - paradise!
The 2026 Festival Program
This year's festival has a focus on local history and local creative talent. The festival opens on Friday evening with drinks, canapés, live music, and a panel of local historians and authors. Bring your own curiosities to this event because there will be a Q&A at the end. On Saturday the student short story awards will be announced and there will be workshops for both student and adult writers. And from 9 -12 pm you have the opportunity to pitch your story to Hawkeye Publishing. Visit a local cafe or restaurant during the lunch break or browse the Festival Book Shop. After lunch there will be specialised workshops on writing dialogue, song writing and an introduction to Dungeons & Dragons, hosted by Millennium Comics and Collectables.
Keep up to date with the latest festival news. Sign up for the E Newsletter NOW!
MEET THE 2026 PRESENTERS
Paul Garrety
Kate Mahood |
James Manning
Amanda Hock |
Millennium Comics & Collectables |
Phil Hore |
Mark Avery |
Peter Roper |
Student Short Story Writing Competition
The Capricorn Coast Writers Festival is supported by Livingstone Shire Council and Keppel Coast Arts.
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government program through Arts Queensland and Livingstone Shire Council partnership to support local arts and culture.
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government program through Arts Queensland and Livingstone Shire Council partnership to support local arts and culture.
Join our Volunteers |
Donate or Partner |
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A great event doesn’t just happen, we need you too! We’ll need friendly faces to greet and assist festival visitors and help set up and pack away venues.
If you would like to volunteer your time over the festival weekend, please send us your details on this link. We can’t wait to meet you! |
The Capricorn Coast Writers Festival relies on the generosity and support of our business and local communities. To donate and help us engage the best and brightest in the industry to join the festival program please scan the QR CODE
Or follow this link https://www.trybooking.com/au/donate/ccwf |
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TAKE A PEEK AT THE 2025 HIGHLIGHTS Thank you to all those who attended or were involved in the 2025 Capricorn Coast Writers Festival. Follow our Facebook page to stay updated Capricorncoastwriters |
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We respectfully acknowledge the Darumbal people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and we pay respect to their elders past and present.