2026 Schools Program
The Write Around the Murray 2026 Schools Program is available for all schools within 150 kilometres of Albury. Homeschool students are also welcome. The Schools Program will be Wednesday 9 September to Friday 11 September. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for real time updates.
The Write Around the Murray Schools Program is an opportunity for students to meet and work with some of Australia’s most established authors and illustrators in an intimate, welcoming and creative environment.
All bookings for WAM Schools Program are via email. Please include in your email: Session date/time, Session Name, Year group, Numbers, School, Teachers contact.
Early bookings for Write Around the Murray Schools Program are available until Tuesday 26 May 2026. During this period, bookings are limited to 200 places per school.
General bookings open on Wednesday 27 May 2026 and are unlimited (schools can book as many places as they like).
All sessions are free unless otherwise indicated and take place at various locations across Albury Wodonga as shown in the program (see below). Click here for downloadable print version.
Groups must commit to attending the entire session. Early exiting of groups is not permitted. Please note that from 2026 Write Around the Murray Schools Program now has a cancellation policy that applies to all bookings (see below).
Write Around the Murray can accommodate specific accessibility requirements including Auslan interpreters with at least 7 days’ notice.
Please note that the Write Around the Murray Schools Program is subject to our Cancellation Policy.
Barry Young River of Stories Awards
The Barry Young River of Stories is a writing competition for Primary and Secondary school students who reside in the Albury Wodonga region. It has been brought to the region by the Albury Hume Rotary Club since 2003.
Cancellation Policy
Attendance at the WAM Schools’ Program is confirmed at the time of booking.
Any changes to WAM Schools’ Program bookings, including cancellations, must be made in writing to learningoutreach@alburycity.nsw.gov.au
No financial penalty will be incurred for any changes to WAM Schools’ Program bookings, including cancellations, made prior to midnight Wednesday 12 August 2026 (four weeks out from WAM Schools’ Program).
Cancelling one or more specific WAM Schools’ Program sessions after 11.59pm Wednesday 12 August 2026 (four weeks out from the WAM Schools’ Program) will result in a financial penalty. This includes cancelling 50% or more of places booked for a specific WAM Schools’ Program session.
For schools that cancel their entire booking for a specific WAM Schools’ Program session after 11.59pm Wednesday 12 August 2026, the school must pay the entirety of the cancelled author’s session fee:
• 60-minute session: $370 per cancelled session
• 90-minute session:$450 per cancelled session
For schools that cancel 50% or more of the places booked to a specific WAM Schools’ Program session after 11.59pm Wednesday 12 August 2026 the school must pay 50% of the author’s session fee:
• 60-minute session: $185 per cancelled session
• 90-minute session: $225 per cancelled session
This cancellation fee also applies to schools who, regardless of whether they notified the WAM Schools’ Program Booking Coordinator, attend their specific WAM Schools’ Program session with less than 50% of the number of students booked in. For example, a school who books 30 students into a specific session, but only 12 students attend on the day, will be charged 50% of the author’s session fee.
