I am thrilled to be recognised with a Deakin Alumni Excellence Award for 2025. This recognition means a great deal to me, and I deeply appreciate Deakin University’s commitment to celebrating the achievements of its alumni. 

My time as a student at Deakin has played a significant role in shaping my career and equipping me with the knowledge and skills that continue to serve me today. To be acknowledged by the very institution that has been such an integral part of my journey is humbling, and I am grateful for this recognition. Over many years now, I have been fortunate to be in a position to give of my time and resources back to Deakin initiatives and this has been very important to me.  

Deakin University’s support and partnership with Anam Cara House Geelong is a true demonstration of both community and national leadership and I am proud to be walking this journey with Deakin as Anam Cara House Geelong’s chair.   

I wish to also recognise all Deakin University alumni for their own achievements and thank Deakin for the role that the institution chooses to play in building community and business.

Thank you Deakin University for this recognition of my work engaging the imaginations of young people and turning them onto the pleasures—and power—of books, imagination and literacy.  

In particular, I’d like to thank my Deakin professional writing teachers: Fiction teacher Carmel Bird for her inspiration and expertise in helping me to find my own unique writing voice, and Editing teacher Elizabeth Flann for teaching me the invaluable skill of self-editing.  

I’d also like to thank my parents Noel and Melva for filling the house with books as I grew up (an incredible advantage for anyone, but especially a budding story writer); illustrators Terry Denton and Bill Hope for their genius in bringing my words to life in pictures;  and to my wife, editor and co-writer, Jill Griffiths, for the close, constant and joyful collaboration since she edited my very first book.  

And, of course, a big thank you to all the children, parents, teachers, librarians, booksellers and publishers who’ve supported and encouraged me so enthusiastically over the past 25 years (and counting!).

I am deeply honoured to receive a 2025 Deakin University Alumni Award and extend my heartfelt gratitude to my family for their unwavering support during my PhD. This award is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the incredible work of researchers dedicated to addressing climate change and food security.  
 
I especially want to acknowledge the ultimate researchers – farmers across the world – who live and breathe this work every day, innovating, adapting and stewarding the land to nourish both people and the planet. Their resilience and dedication inspire us all, and it is a privilege to stand alongside them in the pursuit of a more sustainable future. But the responsibility doesn’t rest on their shoulders alone – we must all do our bit.  
 
Whether through policy, research, advocacy, or the choices we make in our daily lives, we each have a role to play in building a future where both people and nature thrive, and we must tackle this work with greatest ambition and urgency.

What a wonderful honour. As a young deaf girl, I never dreamed I would be a professional dancer, let alone receive an award for my work in the dance and arts industry.  

A big thank you, Deakin University, and my lecturers for taking me on many years ago and for all the opportunities and support. I also want to thank my fellow dancers, artists, mentors, family and friends for being an important part of my journey and growth. And to that random person who said to me, ‘Just keep dancing’.