It’s been 3 years since Storyfest took its literary festival Out West. Based on the regional festival’s success, 2024 is the first year that Storyfest adds two more locations to the festival roster: St George and Emerald. Get to know the woman without whom Storyfest South West would not be possible!
St George is a quiet town of about 3,500 people, located 513 kilometres west of the Gold Coast. Melanie Mills had moved here to work as a librarian, bringing with herself a dream of making a children’s literary festival happen, when COVID hit. Luckily for her – and for Storyfest! – her aspirations put her in touch with Storyfest CEO Andrea Lewis, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Read on to find out a little more about Melanie and the role she has played in bringing Storyfest South West to life.
Storyfest: Tell us a little bit about yourself – what do you do and where are you from?
Melanie Mills: After a long career in education as a teacher and teacher-librarian, and with a passion to help find that hook for a new or seasoned reader, the lure of a brand-new purpose-built public library encouraged me to move from the coast to the country. It has opened up a whole new world of literary awesomeness.
Being a member of your local public library is such a great thing to do, as you have access to so much free ‘stuff’ – books ordered in just for you, databases to use, free wifi, spaces to relax or work, tech help, groups to join, and of course super-helpful and friendly staff!
S: Growing up, what sort of a role did books play in your lives?
MM: I have always loved books and stories. My parents read to me, but I actually can’t remember not holding my own book! Losing yourself in the worlds and lives of characters in a story is just the best. Being a librarian, I still have the collections of books I grew up with – Golden Books, Enid Blyton, Trixie Belden, Agatha Christie, and my mother’s Doctor Dan the Bandage Man (complete with bandaid!). I’m proud that my own children have followed in my footsteps as readers with their own book collections.
S: How did you first get involved with Storyfest? What does your support of Storyfest entail?
MM: Storyfest’s CEO Andrea Lewis was the most supportive person we could have met as a group of teacher-librarians trying to get a children’s literature festival up and running just before COVID! We kept in touch during my career change and Storyfest South West is the result! Along with generous community groups and Storyfest ‘Champions’ we cannot wait to support Andrea and her team at the inaugural Storyfest South West 2024 in St George.
S: Why do you believe that it’s essential for organisations like Storyfest to venture further into more regional or rural areas?
MM: Being able to introduce the children of rural and remote areas to events that their city counterparts may take for granted, can be life changing. That organisations like Storyfest embrace and act upon the support they can give to our children by bringing these events to them, means that we in St George can extend the invitation to our festival to ensure children on properties and schools further afield, both in South West Queensland and in Northern New South Wales have the opportunity to attend. For our children to be able to enjoy being in an audience together with their mates at an event showcasing some of the best in children’s literature cannot be regarded highly enough.
S: What do you think some of the challenges have been for bringing the festival to St George?
MM: The big one of course is distance. Whilst the Storyfest team based on the Gold Coast has the task of coordinating flights from around the country, hire cars, programming, marketing, ticket sales etc, Balonne locals and Council have been fantastic in organising enough chairs, tables, AV and PA equipment to service the festival – if one person/organisation doesn’t have it, they know who does!
S: What are you the most excited for coming up to this year’s inaugural South West festival?
MM: I’m probably most excited to see the looks on the faces of the children when they are in the audience of one of the fabulous presenters we have on our Storyfest South West program, or when they come face-to-face with them at a book signing – priceless! And for the adults to enjoy their panel, lunch and workshop sessions; and for the Young Writers’ Dinner at The Anchorage Homestead; and to mingle with the presenters; and to have a bookshop in town for a couple of days; and…everything else!!
S: How do you hope this partnership will evolve going forward?
MM: It goes without saying that my hope is for the Storyfest family to become embedded in the Balonne community, and that Storyfest South West is an event locals eagerly await from year to year, and one that becomes a ‘festival of choice’ for our author and illustrator friends to attend.
