Writing
Kirli Saunders (OAM) is an award-winning writer of poetry, children’s literature, essays, plays, graphic novels and fiction. Her books, including Returning, Bindi, Kindred, Our Dreaming, and The Incredible Freedom Machines, have been celebrated by the Prime Minister’s, QLD, WA, VIC and NSW Premier’s Literary, Adelaide Festival, ABIAs, Kate Challis RAKA, Speech Pathology, ABDA and CBCA awards. In 2023, Kirli released her visual poetry collection, Returning (Magabala), assisted by AUSCO. Most recently, in 2024, Kirli released a second children’s fiction, The Land Recalls You (Scholastic). She is currently writing her anticipated novel, Yaraman, a Graphic novel, All Rise (Panterra), and her third poetry collection, Eclipse (JOAN), assisted by Creative Australia.
Kirli was a guest writer to the Australian consulate in Mumbai (2023), Chennai (2021), Jakarta and Bali (2019) and the Australian Embassy in China (2020) and an artist in residence, Bundanon Trust (2018 /22).
Her play, Going Home, is in development and has been directed by Shari Sebbens and assisted by Playwriting Australia x Merrigong Theatre. Her writing has been commissioned as public art with Fremantle Bienalle, Sydney Opera House x Google, AESOP, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Red Room Poetry. It can be found in magazines, journals, and collections with Vogue, Marie Claire, The Guardian, Griffith Review, Kill Your Darlings, Penguin, Recent Works Press, UQP, Overland, National Geographic, Cordite and others.
Kirli has presented at Tatlit Live (Mumbai), Auckland Writers Festival, Melbourne Writers Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, Byron Writers Festival, Blak & Bright, Sydney Opera House, National School of the Arts Biennale, Australian Museum and more.
She has significant experience in arts project management and cultural liaison, as evidenced in her work as a creator of Poetry in First Languages, Re[ad]generate and Returning (all delivered in partnership and collaboration with and for local First Nations communities).
Kirli was a member of the working group & provided feedback on the CreateNSW Aboriginal Arts and Culture Protocols. Kirli is a cultural and literary consultant for Lunch Lady Magazine and The Stella Prize. She is a board member at Merrigong Theatre and co-established their First Nations Advisory Group and First Nations roles.
Kirli holds a Bachelor of Education (Hons) UOW. In 2022, she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her contribution to the arts. She won the inaugural Daisy Utemorrah WA Premier’s award for an unpublished manuscript and was named NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year in 2020.
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Forthcoming
All Rise
All Rise is a graphic novel by award-winning Gunai writer Kirli Saunders (OAM), who explores the intersection of youth suicide, eco-grief, and gentrification. It follows Malu Bancroft, an early 20s queer non-gender binary character and Tahni as they grapple with loss, fight the system and surf.
Bindi II
This sequel to the award-winning Bindi, book two explores Care for Country through the lens of 11-year-old Gundungurra raised Bindi (Magabala, 2024).
Yana in The Bawa [Walk in The Bush]
Illustrated by David Cragg is an Early Childhood text, written with Gundungurra interpretations taught to Kirli by Gundungurra Elder, Aunty Velma Mulcahy & Language Custodian Trish Levett. As young readers join community for a walk in the bush, they will learn Gundungurra names for native animals (Magabala, 2024).
Afloat
Follows the story of an Elder teaching foraging and weaving practices to a child, to tie canoes together, to a form a raft to survive an incoming storm. This text explores the themes of unity, oneness, reconciliation, strength, endurance and courage (Hardie Grant, 2024).
Yurwang
Featuring Gundungurra language, Yurwang [yer wong] is a junior picture book that honours the strength and reciprocity of First Nations Cultures. Yurwang surfaced as Kirli offered her legs, eyes and ears to her Elders, who were separated from Country due to isolation and disability. Through sharing Country virtually, Elders were able to teach and yarn remotely and access and share their land and wisdom (Magabala, 2024).
Beyond The Shore
It is safer on the edge where we can walk with feet on the floor of the world, but beyond the shore is a world that inspires awe. Will you dive in?
Written by award-winning Gunai writer, and salt-water woman, Kirli Saunders (OAM), Beyond the Shore is a children’s picture book encouraging young ones to step beyond fear and into curiosity (Scholastic, 2025).
Playwriting
Going Home
Kirli Saunders’s debut solo work was commissioned by Playwriting Australia. Integrating music, poetry, prose and language, Going Home seeks to offer solace, for First Nations People disconnected or displaced, here and overseas. It celebrates the survival of Our People and Our Ways and honours the Ancestors who guide us on our many varied paths. Inspired by Kirli’s journey, Going Home examines what it is to carry ‘home’ with you biologically, intergenerationally and genetically. This work underwent a development directed by Shari Sebbens, with actors Elaine Cromby, Jeremy Ambrum, Matilda Brown & Bee Cruse in August 2022 at Merrigong Theatre on Dharawal lands.
Dead Horse Gap
An original story set in a fictional NSW south coast town in the uneasy settlement period between 1850 and 1880. This is a new theatre work is co-produced by Tathra-based company Crimson Rosella in partnership with Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong with industry leaders, Lindy Hume, Leland Kean (co-directing, musician/songwriter Heath Cullen, co-writer Kirli Saunders, digital artist Mic Gruchy, novelist Rohan Wilson, designer Katja Handt and lighting designer Damien Cooper.