QPAC

Author

One of Australia’s most beloved and bestselling writers for young readers, Andy has written 43 books to date and sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. His books include the internationally bestselling Treehouse series (illustrated by Terry Denton), along with the Just! series, the BUM trilogy and the YOU & ME series (illustrated by Bill Hope), all of which have captivated millions of children with their anarchic, laugh-out-loud storytelling. He has won more than 100 children’s choice awards, many Australian Book Industry awards, and received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Dromkeen Medal in 2015 for his outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature.

Playwright

For more than 50 years, Richard Tulloch has been writing books, plays, film and television, primarily for young audiences. He was the principal writer of the original series of Bananas in Pyjamas. He has written over fifty plays, including Year 9 Are Animals and the award-winning adaptations of Robin Klein’s Hating Alison Ashley and Guus Kuijer’s The Book of Everything. His adaptations of Andy Griffiths’ 13-Storey Treehouse book series have toured Australia and internationally since 2013 and YOU & ME and the Land of Lost Things is now playing in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. His musical comedy for and about grandparents, Cruising with the Grandparents Club toured Australia in 2025 and a pre-Christmas sequel will premiere in 2026. Richard divides his time between Sydney and Amsterdam, his wife’s hometown.

Educator

Professor Sandra Gattenhof is a researcher and practitioner in Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice Faculty at QUT situated on Turrbul and Yugara lands in Meanjin (Brisbane). Sandra is internationally recognised as expert in arts education, arts & cultural evaluation and creative practice as research. Sandra has authored books, book chapters, journal articles, and is sought after speaker. Sandra is Chair for Dead Puppet Society, board member of Council for Humanities Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS), Counterpilot performance company, and observer on National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE). Previously she has been president for Drama Australia, Drama Queensland and vice president of the International Association for Drama/Theatre in Education (IDEA). Sandra is currently lead researcher for Australian Research Council Linkage Project titled Uncreative Australia investigating young people's subject choices in the creative arts in senior schooling and at university including the impact course cuts may have for sustainability of Australia's creative industries. 

Facilitator

Rebecca Levingston has spent a good chunk of the last twenty years inside the studios at ABC Radio. First she was behind the scenes producing and since 2012 she’s been behind the microphone hosting her own shows. Rebecca has anchored Breakfast, Mornings, Drive, Weekends and statewide Evenings where she’s loved delving into the diverse and delicious stories of the world.

Rebecca began writing opinion columns for InQld.com in 2020. She loves words (both written and spoken) and occasionally makes up new ones.