Words up: Sydney Writer’s Festival comes to Bondi
Image: The '60s surfing icon will discuss his life and experiences with editor Luke Kennedy of Tracks magazine on May 24
The Sydney Writers’ Festival will be hitting the shores of Bondi for the first time next week.
Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) artistic director and North Bondi local, Jemma Birrell, has added four major events to the schedule, to be held at the iconic Bondi Pavilion in collaboration with the Rock Surfers Theatre Company.
One event will be an interview with Bob McTavish, ‘60s surfing icon and author of autobiographical memoir Stoked!
Mr McTavish will explore his life and experiences in the surfing culture of the ‘60s through to the ‘80s in a discussion with editor Luke Kennedy of Tracks Magazine on May 24.
“We’ve put that [interview] there because there’s such a strong surfing community in Bondi. It’s a great fit for the area, and hopefully all those people who have a great love of surfing will come along,” said Ms Birrell.
Mr McTavish’s new book More Stoked! is a follow-up to Stoked! and as such, is a compilation of stories from his life, including original poetry and photography.
“I always make sure there’s something quirky in my stories. My motto is: ‘If it ain’t got the quirk, it ain’t gonna work.’”
One of these “quirkier” tales involved Mr McTavish finding a dead kangaroo near Yamba.
“[One night] I scraped a dead kangaroo off the road, put it up on the roof racks, and took it back to the house I was staying at near Yamba. I threw it into the backyard because we had 13 dogs. And they ate every bit of that kangaroo! I woke up the next morning and only their paws and the pad of their feet were left,” he said.
Mr McTavish is hoping the audience will not only enjoy the humour behind his work, but also find solace and encouragement in his spiritual journey.
More Stoked! explores Mr McTavish’s journey to become a Jehovah’s Witness, a path which involved examining faith and different religions before finally coming to find one that resonated best with him.
“It’s made a huge change in my life, but [it’s] a positive, wonderful change. I’m not preaching. I just hope that part of the book helps some others who might be searching or having a difficult time in life.”
Other events at the Bondi Pavilion include lyrical poetry by Inua Ellams, a live broadcast from the bedroom of poet laureate Telia Neville, and a collection of stories called Sunburnt: Six True Tales of Holidays from Hell.
The Sydney Writers’ Festival commences next Monday, May 19.
