Nature Writing with Sophie Cunningham
Join non-fiction writer, novelist and creative writing teacher Sophie Cunningham to explore what it means to write about nature, and how to do it well.
Date: Saturday 10 October 2026
Time: 10:00 am to 1:30 pm
Delivery: In-Person
Fees: $67.50 to $135
Location: Varuna’s Reading Room, Katoomba
ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP
Nature Writing means different things to different people. The best Nature Writing overlaps with philosophy. It is an extension of culture. It emerges over time and demands a capacity for listening and being patient. It demands self- awareness. And that is what makes it even more worth doing.
In this inclusive workshop Sophie asks what is meant by 'Nature Writing’ before moving onto a consideration of:
the importance of close attention, bearing witness and cultivating a talent for observation
finding the narratives, stories and essays that emerge from something as minimal as a short walk.
the ethical dilemmas that come with nature writing.
the importance of embodiment.
research strategies and the power of the ‘I’ as a narrator.
journalling (digital or otherwise) and intention setting.
Suitable for emerging and aspiring writers.
This workshop is an 18+ event.
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Sophie Cunningham is a non-fiction writer, novelist and teacher of creative writing. She has written eleven books, including Warning: The Story of Cyclone Tracy and City of Trees: Essays on Life,Death and the Need for a Forest. Sophie is a recipient of an Ann Moyal Non-Fiction Fellowship at Varuna and has also received a Dahl Fellowship 2026 from Eucalypt Australia to work on her current project Eucalyptus: A Story in Twenty Trees. She is also collating her second essay collection, Hope Less.