Inspiration rarely arrives with a complete plotline. More often, it starts with a random, unscripted moment—like the frantic gabbling of turkeys at dawn or a pet duck unexpectedly laying an egg on a bedroom pillow.

What began as a chance meeting at a remote North Queensland roadhouse quickly evolved from a whimsical idea for a children's book into a deep, collaborative journey. As real-life biographies shifted into fictional landscapes, and a devastating Outback flood reshaped both the land and the narrative, a unique creative partnership emerged. Discover how a genuine meeting of minds redefined the writing process and brought the untamed spirit of the Gulf Country to life in the novel Long Stay at Ryan’s Waterhole.

Five decades ago, isolated on the edge of the desert with a newborn baby, I was completely drowning in the anxiety of early motherhood. I might have sunk entirely if it wasn’t for Tommy Vincent—a tall Aboriginal man whose gentle morning ritual of strong black tea and profound, oblique advice became my lifeline. When I wrote Long Stay at Ryan’s Waterhole, I poured that exact feeling into the pages: the journey of being utterly dislocated in the vast Australian outback, only to be anchored by the life-changing wisdom of the people who truly know how to read the country.

A friend recently asked how much of my writing is autobiographical. The truth is, most of my stories are sparked from a personal experience, a family memory, or a striking anecdote.

But what happens next is where the magic lies.

From Laetitia and Rick in Long Stay at Ryan’s Waterhole to Li Jie and Ming Lee in The Waterfall of Greater Understanding, my characters may have real-world origins, but they now inhabit a space entirely their own.

For my novel In Plain Sight, the journey of my protagonist, Penny Matheson, didn’t begin with a plot twist, but with a sense of place. The true catalyst was a weekend of sharp contrasts: walking the historic, enclosed Eastern Beach Baths in Geelong, noticing a quiet quarry sign, and then returning home to Mount Martha to find a beloved, wild stretch of bushland completely flattened for development.

Fused with real-world research into severe trauma—and an unforgettable tapas lunch at MoVida—these sensory fragments ignited the twin storylines that underpin Penny’s emotional and professional evolution.

I reckon it takes some kind of internal fire to commit to writing a novel. But every fire has to be lit by something – no matter how small a spark – and sometimes those sparks take a long time to land in the right place. In the case of my novel Finding Marco, the spark stayed dormant for over 10 years.

Celebrating Authentic Storytelling in the Age of AI

A loving childhood memory that teaches courage, persistence, and pride.

A reflection on encouraging young people to care for biodiversity through curiosity rather than guilt.

How an interest in an endangered butterfly led unexpectedly to writing a novel.

Reflecting on the differences between past and present childhood experiences.

A gentle exploration of the vital role wasps play in the natural world.

An honest look at building a sustainable writing practice through discipline and life experience.

A personal reflection comparing the challenges of golf with the creative process of writing.

The Coprosma, a weedy tree growing hard up against our bedroom window, had to go. But we hadn’t counted on the wattle birds.

A reflection on noticing fewer insects and what that loss may mean.

A reminder that even the most disliked insects can play important roles in science and nature.