Five immensely successful, talented Australian women have top-billing at the 2015 Byron Bay Writers Festival to be held from 7-9 August. Already the Festival is shaping up to deliver a diverse and eclectic program of stimulating and engaging conversations with some of Australia’s most celebrated writers, as well as the strongest line-up of international guests in the Festival’s history.

Festival Director Edwina Johnson said the Festival team has worked hard to bring the best writers and thinkers together to share stories, triumphs, challenges and ideas; to debate, laugh and cherish; to connect, nurture and celebrate literary talent and new friendships down by Byron Bay’s scenic ocean shore.

“In what is shaping up to be a Festival showcasing a line-up of strong, female Australian voices including Helen Garner, Joan London and Kate Grenville, a particular coup was securing former Prime Minister, Julia Gillard,” said Johnson.

Ms Gillard’s memoir My Story is a…