Stories, Spirit and Community: A Heartfelt Look at the Scone Literary Festival 2025
What an incredible weekend. As a literary festival newbie, I was blown away by the thoughtfulness, warmth, and seamless flow of this event.
From thought-provoking panel discussions to the magic of storytelling with young readers, every moment was filled with inspiration. A huge thank you to the incredible festival team, the wonderful authors and speakers, and the Scone community for making this experience unforgettable. There really was something for everyone. I especially loved the community spirit and the central focal point of the amazing pop-up bookshop that in itself represented a spectacular amount of knowledge being able to be displayed through the patience and organisation of Felicity and her team.
Day 1: Connection, Storytelling and Emotional Presence
The theme of the festival was “sustainability, me, we, us, the Planet.” Connection and storytelling were at the heart of this event. I was blessed to be on a panel with Jennifer Cowley, author and authentic storyteller. It is my hope that our mutual passion about advocating for the mental well-being of children and family was infectious, which I hope radiated towards the audience.
Left to right: Jen Cowley, Me, Sal O’Reagan
Our conversation was facilitated by the incredibly thoughtful and present Sally O’Regan who steered us towards such a thought-provoking historical reflection around where we have got to as a society in our emotional communication about the “hard things” and where we need to keep moving towards.
Jen’s incredible book Grandpa’s Hat, illustrated by Mark Horton, tackles the experience of significant loss and grief from the lens of a child. It is a beautiful book that captures the essence of the adult experience of loss being at odds with that of a child, particularly in relation to the language we use and our ideas around children’s place in the grieving process. I especially loved the magical thinking in the book where the child seeks guidance from the animals who are insightful and helpful in providing relatable moments for the child to anchor to that helps her make sense of the emptiness she feels from the loss of her loving Grandpa. It is a stunning resource for helping children and their carers navigate the pain of grief and loss.
Honouring Connection Through Presence and Time
In alignment with the incredible organisation Where there is a Will, which is strongly embedded in the core of the Scone community, it was hoped that our conversation emphasised the importance of genuine connection through being emotionally present.
A quote that I believe sums up the importance of the parent/primary attachment-child bond is from Dr Edith Eger as quoted in her book The Gift: “Love is a four-letter word…TIME.”
As caregivers of children, our most precious and valuable gift to them is time and effective listening. If we work hard on these two important things, we will be on our way to raising mentally strong children.
Day 2: Storytime, Emotions and Education
Day 2 of the literary festival was phenomenal and magical. I participated in the Early Readers Program and had the opportunity to bring the magic of Even Lions Get Scared to the children of the Yellow Cottage and Scone Grammar School. What fun we had!
Having the opportunity to collaborate with children about the importance of taking care of their brain and thinking with them about vital tools they can use and develop to manage their big feelings was such a gift and brought so much joy. A huge thank you to the amazing dedicated teaching staff who work so hard to provide containment and relational safety to all the young minds they look after.
A special thank you to Amy Patterson, an incredible Educator and a beautiful friend to me, who along with her husband Angus were my roadies and guides for the entire weekend ensuring I was where I was meant to be!
A Festival Rooted in Community
The Literary Festival focused on connection and the importance of community, which was so very evident in every aspect of this event. As someone who grew up in the city I was so struck by the merit of having the opportunity to bring children up in a strong community which made me think of the validity in the statement “it takes a village.”
International Women’s Day with Geraldine Doogue
International Women’s Day was embraced by a keynote speech by Geraldine Doogue who treated us to her reflective narrative about her illustrious career as a journalist, TV presenter and Podcaster.
A walk-through time always helps us to process where we have come from, so we can better understand where we are heading towards in the context of the current society we are all embedded in. It was fascinating to listen to a woman who has had so many sliding door moments and has elected to move forwards in order to tell the stories that need to be told. An incredible inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to hear her speak.
Day 3: Wild Country, Safe Places and Shared Voices
I was once again united with Jen Cowley on Day 3 where she spoke so eloquently and very much from the heart on a panel entitled “Wild Country and Safe Places.” She was joined by the incredible authors and storytellers Suzanne Leal, Nardi Simpson and Julie Janson. Listening to their reflections was both encapsulating and mesmerising.
I was especially connected to Nardi, whose pace and rhythm when she spoke was reminiscent of someone whose thoughts were given the luxury of time to develop before they were spoken. Her book The Belburd is all about the importance of belonging and finding your way to that place.
This keynote session of incredible storytellers was so symbolic of the tapestry of the entire festival, which for me was about being part of a greater picture of people dedicated to communicating about the value they place on everyone having a story to tell that needs to be listened to in an effective and responsive way.
The Power of Film and Music
The visual lens of film was also featured in the festival. Two completely contrasting films were presented. The creators spoke passionately about stories they were anchored into telling. The audience was captivated by the genuine voices behind the stories.
Presenting any creative piece takes courage and self-belief, which I think the audience was truly thankful for as we were treated to an informative and entertaining experience of human possibilities when you are driven by a passion.
A huge thank you to Merri May Gill, who I was also lucky enough to sit beside for dinner alongside her entertaining and welcoming parents. Thank you also to Vanessa Lam of Ness Studios who brought the underground youth culture into our lens by telling their story of how important music and place are to the authentic expression of belonging as well as highlighting the importance of community.
A Final Thank You
Community spirit was so evident in every aspect of this festival. I felt so privileged to have been asked to be part of this remarkable event that will, I know, stay in the minds of all of those who were fortunate enough to attend.
A huge heartfelt thank you to the Upper Hunter Shire Council, as well as Sal and her team who excelled in coordinating and connecting like-minded people who were able to come together as a community over the course of this amazing event.
Dr Marcelle Moore (MA, Hons; MPhil Sc, Doc of Clinical Psychologist; Fellow of APS)
Clinical Psychologist
Director of Family Jigsaws
© Copyright of Dr Marcelle Moore
