Even when I was little I would run around with a jotter and a pencil, trying to write a story but not knowing how to spell anything except Dick, Dora and cat. My mother used to get me to tell stories. A lot of my stories were just in my head, for being the youngest and living in the country didn't bring many opportunities for an audience. I was born in Penola, in South Australia. We had a sheep farm there until I was six, then we moved to  a property in Central Queensland. I went to school at a one teacher school in  Banana, a little country town named after a bullock. If a friend came to visit we would write clues for treasure hunts or pretend we were characters from  films.

My first short story was published in the Moura  State School magazine in 1967. At 14, I moved back to SA and attended Gawler High School in SA where I won an Arts Scholarship to complete years 11 & 12.  I started a romantic novel when I was 17 but I burnt it later.

I loved teacher's college, studying education, art, music, literature &  history. But it wasn't until I was working (for ten years) in the Middle East and Pakistan, teaching ESL, bringing up kids, when I started to write seriously. My kids loved the stories I told and one night after telling a story, my  daughter asked me to write it down.

I am a writer, teacher, writing workshop facilitator, and on occasions, a story teller  for small children. I can usually write to demand. Also, I can provide a wide  variety of presentations for schools from KG to high school; or for libraries,  and clubs such as Rotary or youth groups.

  • Currently doing a PhD in Creative Writing at University of Adelaide
  • Varuna Fellowship 2000
  • ArtsSA Emerging Artists Grant 1999
  • Shortlisted for Christian Schools Book Award in 1999 for Jihad
  • Notable Books List, CBA, 1996 for Re-entry
  • Nominated for CROWS Award 1996 for Re-entry
  • ArtsSA Emerging Artists Grant 1996

Varuna: The Writer's House

Material on these pages is copyright Rosanne  Hawke.

Last Updated: Saturday, 8 March 2003

Photo of Rosanne - courtesy of Barossa and Light Herald