Ilka Tampke

Written By Mountain Writers Festival

Ilka Tampke is an award-winning author, academic and teacher. Her first two novels explore the druidic culture of Ancient Britain and its disruption by Roman colonisation. Skin (2015) was published in eight countries and nominated for the Voss Literary Prize and the Aurealis Awards in 2015. Songwoman (2018) was published in five countries and won the Small Press Network Book of the Year Award in 2019. Her third novel, How to Love the World, set in contemporary Australia, was published by Summit Books in 2026.

Ilka was a Glenfern Fellow in 2012 and the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers' Centre Writer in Residence in 2019. She has taught workshops and presented at many festivals and organisations around Australia.

She teaches creative writing at RMIT University, La Trobe University and the Faber Academy, and has recently completed a PhD in plant poetics at La Trobe University.

Program
Early Bird Festival Passes
Sept 4
Early Bird Festival Passes

An early bird pass will get you access to the full festival weekend, including the Opening Night Gala and the weekend talks program, with more than 20 curated sessions featuring some of Australia’s best-loved and most engaging writers, thinkers and artists. Early bird passes save you 15% on the full festival experience, and weekend passholders also receive a 10% discount to individually ticketed feature events and workshops.

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Program Launch: Sustenance
Sept 24
Program Launch: Sustenance

What sustains you? Stories contain worlds, and can be friends, teachers, confidants - and necessary sustenance.


Mountain Writers Festival returns to Wurundjeri Country (Macedon) from 13-15 November with the enduring theme of ‘Nature. Place. Story’. Join us to celebrate the 2026 program launch with special performances from local festival guests.

Featuring readings and performances from Ilka Tampke, Andy Jackson and music and performance by Robbie Melville.


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Literature Alive: Schools Program
Nov 13
Literature Alive: Schools Program

Mountain Writers’ Festival is bringing some of the greatest storytelling talent around to town to engage with school students.

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Opening Night Gala: Wilder
Nov 13
Opening Night Gala: Wilder

Hear original reflections and performances from a lineup of exceptional festival guests including Bob Brown, Debra Dank, Omar Musa, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Andy Jackson and a special musical performance from cellist Mariel Roberts Musa, and enjoy a glass of local wine with our popup bar. Hosted by Jacinta Parsons.

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