Conservation legend Bob Brown to share story of defiance, hope and empathy at Readers and Writers festival

An Australian conservation legend is sharing his story of defiance at a South West readers and writers festival next month. Trailblazing environmentalist Bob Brown will descend on the region for the 18th annual Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, giving insight into his latest book, Defiance. Brown said he looked forward to visiting the region with a particular love of WA’s South West. He said the region shared many similarities with his home State of Tasmania, from the ancient forests, boulder coastlines, sandy beaches and wonderful towns, villages and cities full of people who want to protect what natural environment is left. “The Writers Festival itself is just so warm and friendly and informative,” Brown said. “Paul (Brown’s partner) and I are really looking forward to coming back again, I’ve got three sessions at the writers festival and am looking forward to meeting lots of people. “I’m talking about not just my book Defiance, but about the way in which the world’s being mismanaged at the moment.” Brown said there are countless apparent examples of mismanagement across the globe, from growing global conflict, ongoing biodiversity loss and a lack of action on the climate crisis. “We’re just in this period where we have this overweening hubris running the world, and a lack of empathy,” he said. “It seems that this greed for ‘me now’, the billionaires that are running the world, has overtaken just the kindness, the generosity and the empathy that’s been so important to humanity emerging on this one little planet.” Brown said his first book was called Optimism, and with Defiance as his second, he already had a title in mind if he writes a third. “It would be empathy or kindness,” he said. “Those three things are quite important to our human future. “This one’s Defiance — it’s about standing up and it’s really talking about our need to stand up to the big heads and the thugs and the bullies. “But it’s always been the common sense and human kindness and that empathy that’s led to change.” Brown is speaking about Defiance on May 16 at 5pm at the Margaret River HEART. His second appearance will be on May 17, for a Breakfast with Bob Brown event at Shelter Brewing, followed by his final event Hope and Action at the Discovery Tent at the Margaret River HEART. The Hope and Action event will also feature authors Sarah Wilson and Katherine Johnson as well as poet and deep-sea researcher Prema Arasu from 2.30pm. Arts Margaret River general manager Michelle Wright said they were delighted to have already sold out every highlight event — including the Breakfast with Bob Brown event. “It’s a testament to the incredible line-up of authors joining us at this year’s festival,” she said. “The beauty of our Festival and its unique regional location is that every event and venue throughout the weekend, from a writing workshop to a Main Stage presentation, offers a genuinely intimate opportunity to connect with the authors. “Connecting readers and writers is at the heart of what we do. “Big ideas, bold conversations and brilliant stories await — we look forward to welcoming everyone to our 2026 festival in the beautiful South West of WA.”