History Unbound: 2025 HNSA Festival
Introducing the 2025 History Unbound Historical Novel Festival!
Time to loosen the bindings, blow away the cobwebs, and unlock the secrets of by-gone eras! To mark our 10th anniversary, the Historical Novel Society Australasia is rebranding our biennial conference with a new name and feel.
Join us on 1-2 November 2025 at Parramatta Town Hall, Sydney, for the History Unbound Historical Novel Festival. Celebrating historical fiction in all its forms, the two-day hybrid program will bring together authors, readers, history enthusiasts and publishing professionals to foster discussions, uncover untold stories, and explore how history shapes our narratives. Tickets go on sale in May.
Save the Date of 1-2 November!
And subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear when Early Bird tickets go on sale!
10 years of celebrating historical fiction!
Let’s loosen the bindings of history!
The HNSA promotes the writing, reading and publication of historical fiction, especially in Australia and New Zealand, through its biennial conferences held since 2015. Our events showcase the best literary talent and enable readers, writers and publishing professionals to celebrate the genre.
To mark our 10th anniversary, HNSA is rebranding our biennial conference as the HISTORY UNBOUND FESTIVAL with a new name and new look. The two day event will be held on at Parramatta Town Hall, Sydney.
In a break from the past, we’re offering half-day tickets as well as our customary one day and full weekend passes. And let’s not forget those history fans who can’t make their way to Sydney. The festival is a hybrid event with virtual tickets on sale, too. Recordings of all sessions will be available for 3 months after the festival is over. Tickets go on sale in May.
We’re delighted to give you a sneak peek of the program with details of our three fabulous guests of honour.
Save the Date!
1 & 2 November 2025 at Parramatta Town Hall, Sydney.
Subscribe to be the first to hear when Early Bird tickets go on sale!
Three talented historical novelists
We are thrilled to announce the three talented guests of honour who will be appearing at our History Unbound Festival - best-selling authors Anita Heiss, Fiona McIntosh and Natasha Lester.
Dr Anita Heiss
Dr Anita Heiss is an internationally published, award-winning author of 25 books across genres. She is a proud member of the Wiradyuri Nation of central NSW, an Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Professor of Communications at the University of Queensland.
Her historical novels include Dirrayawadha (Rise Up) and Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms, which was shortlisted for the QLD Literary Awards, longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was the University of Canberra Book of the Year. Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray won the 2022 NSW Premier’s Literary Prize for Indigenous Writing, was shortlisted for the 2021 HNSA ARA Historical Novel (Adult Category) and longlisted for the 2022 Stella Prize. Anita’s other adult fiction includes Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas which she adapted for the stage.
In 2023, Anita released a children’s book Bidhi Galing (Big Rain) illustrated by Samantha Campbell, an Audible Original titled Red Dust Running and became Publisher of her own imprint, Bundyi Publishing (Simon & Schuster).
Her latest book is Red Dust Running.
Photo credit: Morgan Roberts
Natasha Lester
Natasha Lester is the international bestselling author of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, Her Mother's Secret, The Paris Seamstress, The French Photographer, The Paris Secret, The Riviera House, The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre and The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, and a former marketing executive for L'Oreal. Her novels have been translated into 21 languages and are published all around the world. Her eighth novel, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, was longlisted for the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize.
When she's not writing, she loves collecting vintage fashion, practising the art of fashion illustration and hanging out with her three children.
Substack: Bijoux
Fiona McIntosh
After worldwide success in speculative fiction Fiona McIntosh moved into historical fiction where she regularly hits the National Top 10. They are now being released across UK/US.
She also writes crime and has just sold her Det. Jack Hawksworth crime series into the UK/US. ‘Hawk’ has been optioned for TV. In 2025 her 15 fantasy novels will be re-released and her first children’s picture book will be published.
Her newest titles are historical drama, The Fallen Woman, and crime, Blood Pact which went straight to #1 in Australian crime fiction in its opening week. Upcoming is The Soldier’s Dram for 2025.
She hosts one of the country’s most successful writing masterclasses that is highly regarded by the publishing industry, responsible for some of the newest popular authors in the country with several on debut in 2025.
Fiona is married with adult twin sons.
