news from the island
recent newsletters
January 2026
2026 is upon us! Now more than ever, it’s vital for our young people to have the skills and confidence to tell their own stories – to help make sense of the world around them, and who they are. As always, that’s what Story Island is here for. We’re really excited about what we have planned for 2026. As well as our core program of school workshops in the Clarence Plains community, we're also looking forward to working with the Island team to deliver the schools program of the inaugural Nipaluna/Hobart Readers and Writers Festival. And we have a few surprises up our sleeves as well! … Read more
December 2025
We can't believe that another Story Island year is over! In the last few weeks, the team popped in to Clarendon Vale Primary to celebrate the Sense in Nonsense book launch with a very proud bunch of young writers, and also finished our Little Mysteries of Me program with some fantastic Grade 8 writers and illustrators at Bayview Secondary College … Read more
November 2025
We've hit that part of the year where our attention is evenly split between winding up our programs and book launches (two weeks to go in our Little Mysteries of Me program at Bayview Secondary College, two weeks until our Sense in Nonsense book launch at Clarendon Vale Primary), and planning all our exciting 2026 workshops. It's all happening! Also, check out part 2 of our interview with Sandra Gattenhof and Donna Hancox … Read more
October 2025
It's great to be back at Bayview Secondary College for our final workshop series of 2025! Meanwhile, the Dymocks Beyond Words creative writing competition is over for another year, with the 2025 winners announced at an awards ceremony earlier this month. Finally, get to know Sandra Gattenhof and Donna Hancox, the QUT researchers who’ll be working with us next year … Read more
September 2025
As well as launching A Trunk Full of Stories with Rokeby Primary this month, we also wrapped up our eight-week Sense in Nonsense program at Clarendon Vale Primary School. And we received a lovely surprise in our final workshop! Meanwhile, some very special visitors spent time with us last week … Read more
August 2025
We're six weeks into our eight-week Sense in Nonsense program at Clarendon Vale Primary School, and it’s been a really fantastic term so far. Find out more how it’s been going, and why volunteer Jess thinks that stories are ‘pure magic’ … Read more
July 2025
Save the date for an exciting new chapter: Story Island is a project partner in the inaugural Nipaluna / Hobart Readers and Writers Festival, being organised by our friends at Island! This month, we’d also like to introduce our new Board Chair, update you on our Term 3 Sense in Nonsense workshops at Clarendon Vale Primary, and let you know why Story Island volunteer Meg thinks reading is like eating! … Read more
June 2025
Our Rokeby Primary students are on the home stretch with the written and illustrated stories they've been creating week by week in our A Trunk Full of Stories workshops. See what they’ve been up to, and meet our new Board members! … Read more
May 2025
Story Island is excited to be back at Rokeby Primary School this term for our A Trunk Full of Stories workshops! The Rokeby kids have really hit the ground running with their stories. Find our more about how this term’s workshops are going, and meet our new guest artist, Alexander Polkansek. … Read more
April 2025
Mix, Match, Make! was a LitFest hit! Check out the gallery of work produced by the 80 students who came along to our biggest workshop day yet, and find out more about Story Island volunteer, Sarah … Read more
March 2025
While Term 1 is mainly a program development time for Story Island (our regular, term-long school workshops kick off in Term 2), we're in the midst of an exciting few weeks of workshops run in collaboration with some great local partners. Plus, get to know our Relief Story Leader, Angie! … Read more
February 2025
In just a few weeks, Story Island is teaming up with Kickstart Arts and Libraries Tasmania for a fun event – and the young storyteller in your life is invited! And it’s that time of year again: in the name of fitness and fundraising, we're putting together a Story Island team to take part in the 2025 Hobart Marathon Festival. Will you step up with us? … Read more