Christine Townend is a writer and artist. She has had poetry, short stories, articles, two novels, and six non-fiction books published. Her first novel, published by Macmillan in 1974, is now studied as a forerunner of early Australian feminist literature. See http://www.adriennesallay.com/conference-paper/2007/beginning-of-everything/  The novel has now been published on-line by Momentum (Macmillan) http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/christine-townend/

Her biography, Christine’s Ark, written  by journalist John Little, was published by Macmillan in 2008.

It has now been published on-line by Momentum (Macmillan) at: http://momentumbooks.com.au/authors/christine-townend/

Concerned by exploitation , cruelty and misunderstanding of the human-animal inter-relation,  she founded Animal Liberation in Australia in l976 for which she worked passionately until in 1990 she was appointed managing trustee of Help in Suffering Animal Shelter based in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

She and her husband lived and worked at the shelter as volunteers until 2008 (www.workingforanimals.org.au).  As well as writing, Christine has painted all her life. She has had three solo exhibitions in Australia and two in India. Her paintings have also been used to illustrate books.

She is currently studying for A Doctor of Arts in Creative Writing at the University of Sydney

http://sydney.edu.au/arts/slam/research/creative_writing/members.shtml#townend

Read Ace Bourke’s blog about his visit to Darjeeling and Kalimpong Animal Shelters

Ben Roberts Cafe and Gallery was established by Carolynne Skinner in 2004. The original cottage was built by Ben Robert in 1893 and was occupied by tradesmen such as the local boot-maker and coal merchant. It has now been fully renovated with a modern cafe and provides an atmospheric setting for the art gallery’s regular  art exhibitions.

The cafe is open daily plus Friday and Saturday evenings

Carolynne Skinner is an arts consultant, writing, editing and publishing through her OzArts business. She promotes and co-ordinates arts events in the Blue Mountains. Email Carolynne.

Carolynne has been based in Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains since 1990 when she returned to Australia from an academic life in London to found Oz Arts magazine. The magazine attracted a large and devoted following, and won awards in cultural tourism and in educational publishing before its last issue in 1997. She previously owned The Lane Gallery in Leura, and has dedicated her life to promoting the visual arts in the Blue Mountains