Born in Cairns in 1955, Bim was raised on Gunnawarra, the family cattle station south west of Cairns in Far North Queensland. A swathe of international visitors who passed through the station stimulated Bim's curiosity in the outside world. He later traveled to the UK and Europe marveling at its wonders. Bim finally left Gunnawarra in 1989 and returned to the UK.

He ran a guesthouse in Scotland before opening a food store in Edinburgh. He returned to Australia in 1995. Going south he completed a Health Science degree at the University of Sydney before returning home in 2004. In 2006 he bought a little cottage at Ravenshoe and retired to follow a lifelong dream of becoming a writer, joining the Ravenshoe Writers Group that same year. Bim talks with daily regularity to friends all over the world, to stimulate his never ending thirst for knowledge. Bim has an interest in almost everything and feels a connection with people from all walks of life. He loves a good yarn and tells a great story. He says he has difficulty in writing it down and his dicey memory has him forging elusive words to the page with a ball peen hammer.

 

Jean Versace’s employers (newspapers, schools) have dictated the direction of most of her output over the past 50-odd years – mostly non-fiction. She stretched her wings during the dozen years she has been with Ravenshoe Writers Group: she has been published in a number of anthologies and has won and been placed in a range of literary competitions.

Education:

·        BVA (Printmaking), James Cook University in 1992;

·        Assoc. Deg. in Arts (Writing) externally through Lismore’s Southern Cross University in 2009.

Writing:

·        Non-fiction/creative non-fiction

·        Fiction (short stories/novel-length work)

·        Poetry

·        One-Act and 10-minute plays

Contact details:

email: jversace@activ8.net.au

 

Adrianne was born in Adelaide and spent her growing years moving from state to state. Adrianne started writing because she was excited by ideas drawn from experience, observation and from the subconscious. She kept illustrated diaries from an early age of places visited or occupied, writing poetry, short   stories,   novels   and recording thoughts which gave her a sense of achievement. She has also been active in the field of art, both in painting and experimental forms. Her interest in carpentry and machinery led to construction of a car in her early twenties, which she registered and drove north to the site of a new place of work where she met her future husband. She painted in oils and watercolours, activities she could share with her growing family.

Adrianne is a team player and helps others research, edit and publish books based on local history and travel. Writing, especially poetry, with the vibrant local Writers' Group, is a satisfying activity in retirement.'

 

A native of the northeast United States, Bonnie Jehle now lives with her Australian husband at Millstream, near Ravenshoe. Her previous writing experience was limited to advertising copy for her retail business and some proof-reading for a resort guide book. Her published works are included in the Ravenshoe Writers book “Crossing Boundaries”. One of her short stories was recognized in a recent competition. Bonnie brings an American outlook to her writings. She is trying to improve her grasp of “Australianisms”, and she aspires to someday tackle some bush poetry of her own.

Born in the Mallee town of Warracknabeal Victoria situated on the banks of the Yarrayambiak Creek. I did not start writing until I was past my fiftieth birthday.

I have enjoyed travelling the world, but, it is the Australian outback, of meeting the characters spawned by the beautiful stark but rich landscape that inspires much of my writing.

In the past few years I have had some success with competitions; my work has been included in the Australian Anthology of 2005 and several other books of verse and short stories.

Moved to "The Millstream" near the town of Ravenshoe four years ago and joined with likeminded writers to meet weekly, we read, write and encourage each other.

     Gail Kelso

Having spent most of her life on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland Gail is an avid reader with additional interest in art and painting.

A few years ago as a mother and grandmother she began to tentatively explore that vast literary landscape out there by creating small poems for her grand-children. Assisting a friend type and edit family memoirs has also revived a dormant love for keyboard-tapping skills acquired in school days.

People with their urban and rural lifestyles and the wonderfully diverse Australian bush environs are all a wonderfully creative portal for thought to pen. The country’s stark-red deserts, vast open grass plains, North’s lush dripping rainforests, all-inspiring and amalgam to ideas in the offing.

Gail is currently working on compiling a small book of illustrated poems for her family. 

    Sue Meacham

Since joining the Ravenshoe Writers Group in 2006 Sue has discovered a love of writing. In the tranquil moments the sounds of the Wild River inspires her to write tales of passion and romance.

Vera was raised on the Evelyn Tableland in Ravenshoe. Apart from a few brief years she has been there all her life. A gift from both her parents was a love of local history. Their excellent memories were passed on.

Dairy farmer’s children do not sit idle and work began at fourteen years of age for Vera.  After a few years as a station maid, she then married. Writing poetry began young for Vera but nothing of that survives.

Helping to compile three books of local history was a labour of love for her. Vera finds competition writing is a compelling pursuit. Not very successful but satisfying. She is still pursuing fragments of local history.

 

 

 

     Cheryl Binsted

 Brisbane was where I was born- city born, country heart. I love the bush and have spent most of my adult life on cattle properties. I’m positive I was born in the wrong country though, as I have always had a hankering to live in a stone cottage in the Scottish Highlands or Ireland. Perhaps I lived there in a former existence! I’m so glad I joined the Ravenshoe Writers Group, as I love the challenge of thinking up various stories to write. It never ceases to amaze me how we can all be given the same word and everyone can think up something entirely different, be it as a poem or short story. My current challenge is to write enough short stories to publish a book. My ultimate fantasy is to be an active novelist living in the above mentioned cottage. I can but dream