Colin Simpson was born on 4 November, 1908 in Petersham, New South Wales, and died in 1983. As a journalist he is perhaps best remembered for his role in exposing the Ern Malley hoax of 1944. He wrote prolifically and was employed by the ABC to write travel documentaries. These led to a career as an author of many popular travel books, often about the North of Australia.

His work with the Australian Society of Authors was instrumental in securing Public Lending Right legislation for Australian authors. For his services to Australian literature, he was made OBE in 1981. The Colin Simpson Memorial Lecture commemorates his memory and his place in Australian literature.

Past years' lectures have been given by writers including Neil Chenoweth, Terry Cutler, Michael Fraser, David Marr, Chris Masters, Hilary McPhee, Dorothy Porter, and Markus Zusak.

You can listen to previous years' lectures by clicking the links below:

2010: Tom Keneally
2009: Shaun Tan

Colin Simpson with some of his books

Colin Simpson as a young man in New Guinea