John Blay in conversation with Josh Becker @ Tathra Hall

John Blay, writer and naturalist, was born at Parramatta and since moving to the far south coast in 1970 has written extensively about south eastern Australia and its people in prose, drama and poetry. His history and art projects also focus on the region. In 1982, he discovered a new species of wattle in the Brogo wilderness. Growing to over 30 metres, the species was named Acacia blayana in his honour. He has served as a national Arts & Reviews newspaper editor and has published photographs and essays in local and international magazines. He continues to work in the SE Forests on further projects dealing with the region’s natural history and peoples.  

His epic bushwalking trilogy of the south east forests includes Back Country (1987/2017), On Track (2015) and Wild Nature (2020). It traces the region’s forests, peoples, natural history, and the rediscovery of an important shared history pathway. Now heritage-listed – and thanks to the work of Blay, Aboriginal communities and local people – the Bundian Way is set to be one of the great Australian walks. His most recent publication looks at the challenges to conserving the region’s wild nature. 

FRIDAY 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Tathra Hall
John Blay in conversation with Josh Becker