Varuna - The Writers' House
Varuna Board Members
Mick Dark - Life President
Mick Dark is the son of Eleanor and Eric Dark. He spent his childhood and youth living at Varuna. After the death of his parents (Eleanor in 1985, and Eric in 1987), for environmental and personal reasons he did not want to sell Varuna but had no clear ideas for its future. In November 1987 he eagerly responded to a suggestion that it could become a writers' centre. In 1998 the Eleanor Dark Foundation was formed and Mick gave the property to the Foundation.
Mick is a committed environmentalist as were his parents. In the 60s and 70s he was a member of the Colong Committee (now Colong Foundation for Wilderness). He is past President of the Lower and of the Upper Blue Mountains Conservation Societies, now combined as Blue Mountains Conservation Society, of which he is an Honorary Life member. He is also a member of Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation.
 
Gillian Appleton - Chair, has worked in various capacities for most major agencies in film, broadcasting and cultural policy, including the ABC, the Australia Council and the Australian Film Radio and TV School. She was chair of the NSW State Arts Advisory Council (1999-2003) and is currently on the boards of Performing Lines, Varuna Writers' Centre, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and Railway St Theatre Company. She has published one book, Diamond Cuts (non-fiction), and is working on another (fiction).
 
Tracey Meredith-Marx has worked for the past 20 years in private practice and in business as a solicitor specialising in broadcasting and intellectual law. Prior to undertaking a graduate law program, she worked in media and advertising. While acting for media clients, she developed a particular interest in copyright and the development of Australian law relating to copyright.
 
Carolyn Swindell is currently the Reputation Manager for Vodafone Australia and sits on the Board of the Vodafone Australia Foundation. Prior to this, she worked with corporate/community partnerships on both sides of the fence since 2000.
She is currently completing her first work of popular long fiction. NZ born, Queensland raised and now resident in Sydney, she is a passionate fan of all ball sports except soccer.
Carolyn represents the Varuna Alumni associates.
 
Gregg Borschmann  is a writer, radio producer & oral historian. He is the producer of ABC Radio National Breakfast, producer/presenter of the ABC Songlines Conversations and director of Talking Country - Australian Stories of People & Place.  
 
Katharine Brisbane, AM, was co-founder in 1971 of Currency Press, the performing arts publishers; and founder in 2001 of Currency House Inc. a non-profit association to assert the value of the performing arts in public life. She was a theatre critic for 21 years, notably national critic of the Australian 1967-74 during a time of radical change; and has written widely on the history of Australian theatre.
 
Irene Stevens Children's Literature (Macquarie), has worked as an arts administrator since 1974 when she was employed by the Australia Council in the Community Arts Section. She transferred to the Literature Board in 1976, where she worked for twenty years becoming ultimately acting-director and manager. In recent years, Irene has been employed part-time by the NSW Ministry of the Arts to assist with its literature and history program, as well as the NSW Premier's Literary and History Awards. Irene was awarded the Public Service Medal in 1997 for her contribution to Australian literature.
 
Dr Jeff Bateson has held a variety of senior executive positions in government, banking and general management including: Finance Director for Innogy plc in London, a FTSE-100 integrated energy utility; General Manager with China Light & Power Group in Hong Kong; director in investment banking with Natwest markets in Sydney, and Chief Economist of the NSW Treasury. He has an Honours BSc in Physics, an ME in Nuclear Engineering and a PhD in Finance and Economics. Jeff is currently on the board of several start-up companies and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
 

CONTACTING THE WRITERS' HOUSE

141 Cascade St, Katoomba, NSW 2780, Australia
Telephone: (02) 4782 5674 - International callers: +61 2 47 82 5674
Fax: (02) 4782 6220 - International faxes: +61 2 47 82 6220
Email: varuna@varuna.com.au - click here to email Varuna


[Home][What we Offer to Writers][Supporting Varuna][News and Diary][Links for Writers]
[Staying at Varuna][Varuna Alumni][Site Guide][Contacting Varuna]

Varuna Writers' Retreat and Literary Centre is located in the heart of the Blue Mountains and is owned and managed by the Eleanor Dark Foundation Ltd. ABN: 12 003 806 371. This site is copyright Eleanor Dark Foundation Ltd.

Site most recently updated 6 March, 2008.

Acknowledgements:

Site by Anderson Web Design

Woodcuts by Irene Coates