Women in Media is excited to announce its end-of-year gathering will feature the much-loved journalist and news presenter Mary Gearin in conversation with award-winning producer Belinda Hawkins.

This year Mary stepped down from the ABC after first joining the National broadcaster 34 years ago, with no set plans for the next stage of her career. She's a former Europe Correspondent, former National Sport Correspondent, has been the face of ABC coverage of global events from terrorist attacks in France, and Eurocrisis, to four Olympics and two Commonwealth Games. She has hosted Mornings and Drive on ABC Radio Melbourne and co hosted News Breakfast. She has also covered another Commonwealth Games and produced award-winning feature stories for Nine's "Wide World Of Sports", as well as being a news presenter and senior reporter at Channel TEN, Melbourne.

Who better to interview Mary than the storytelling genius Belinda Hawkins, who also taking a break from journalism after 37 years as a reporter, mostly with the ABC and SBS. During that time she has worked as a foreign correspondent in a range of locations including Cuba, Far East Siberia, Nigeria, Eritrea, and Germany, and has produced many great stories during her time with Australian Story. Among the many awards Belinda has won are two Walkley Awards for excellence in journalism, three New York Film Festival World Medals, six Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards, including the Gold Quill, and four United Nations Media Peace Awards.

It's also a great chance to catch up with contacts, colleagues, and friends you haven't yet met over drinks and nibbles before the Big Summer Break.