Writers on the Road

16 Sept

Arts Mildura brings acclaimed author Jack Heath to schools across the Mallee.

This month, Arts Mildura launched Writers on the Road with a regional tour by acclaimed Aussie author Jack Heath. Over six days, Heath visited schools and libraries from Mildura to Nyah, Manangatang, Lake Boga, Beverford and Robinvale, sparking the imaginations of hundreds of students and community members alike.

Best known for his Liars and 200 Minutes of Danger series for young readers, as well as the bestselling adult thriller Kill Your Husbands, Heath has published 46 books that have sold more than half a million copies worldwide and been translated into ten languages.

Jack’s popularity was central to the decision to invite him for the first Writers on the Road tour. His books are widely available in both school and public libraries across the region, and the majority of students were already familiar with his stories.

That recognition made his visit all the more impactful, transforming the experience from a school incursion into an encounter with a role model.

In classrooms, Heath encouraged students to “think like writers”—experimenting with characters, twisting plots, and sharpening their storytelling skills. His delivery was as entertaining as it was instructive: leaping into characters, enacting scenes, and using humour to draw students in. Laughter echoed through classrooms as young people discovered how stories come alive on the page and in performance.

Jack Heath with ‘Rocky’ at Manangatang School

Through a Mildura workshop and a meet-the-author event at Swan Hill Rural City Library, Heath engaged adult readers, demonstrating the breadth of his craft and affirming that literature extends beyond the classroom — it thrives as a shared community experience.

Writers on the Road reflects Arts Mildura’s commitment to embedding the arts in regional life not only as entertainment, but as a driver of wellbeing, learning, and opportunity. Meeting a professional author face-to-face gave young people the chance to see writing as more than a school subject: it is a career path, a creative outlet, and a powerful tool for making sense of the world.

To pilot the initiative, Arts Mildura worked closely with Swan Hill Rural City Council, supported by MARION, who helped enable Jack Heath’s involvement.

We also acknowledge the privilege of visiting schools on the traditional lands of the Wemba Wemba, Latje Latje, Ngingit (Ningtait), Nyeri Nyeri and Wadi Wadi peoples.

Many of the communities we visited face unique challenges: limited resources, distance from major cultural hubs, and reduced access to creative opportunities. Yet they are also places of extraordinary diversity, home to strong First Nations and migrant communities. In this context, an author visit is more than a school activity — it is a cultural exchange that builds confidence, celebrates creativity, and shows young people that their voices matter.

The positive community engagement has affirmed the value of Writers on the Road, which will return in 2026 with more authors, more stories, and more opportunities to inspire across the region.

“The enthusiasm that schools showed at getting the opportunity to have Jack visit shows how important these types of opportunities are for rural schools. One of my team members, whose children go to Manangatang, said both children absolutely loved Jack’s visit and were so excited to tell her all about it when they got home.
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— Camille Cullinan, Acting Director of Community & Cultural Services, Swan Hill Rural City Council

This program was made possible through the support of Creative Victoria, Arts Mildura, Swan Hill Rural City Council, MARION, and the many schools and libraries that welcomed us so warmly. Above all, we thank Jack Heath, who gave his time and energy so generously, leaving a trail of inspired young writers across the Mallee.