Image credit: Sarah Mills - The authors looking out in wonder at the hypersaline Lake Dumbleyung
A new book, launching at the WA State Library this Saturday (13 September), has delved deep into the heart of Western Australia's Wheatbelt.
Follow the Salt is a collection of short stories written by 12 South West authors who are all Edith Cowan University (ECU) Creative Writing alumni. It was born from an unusual writers retreat in the small Wheatbelt town of Dumbleyung.
Image credit: Sarah Mills - The authors deep in immersive writing in the dining room at the GODI
Set in the past, present and future, the stories pay homage to a lake and a land that is calling out for love; they find the unreal in the commonplace, beauty in the shadows, and humour in the dark.
Edited by award-winning author and ECU Masters of Creative Writing Coordinator Associate Professor Donna Mazza, Follow the Salt showcases the work of emerging talents whose names are set to become much more familiar: Amber Black, Aksel Dadswell, Narrelle de Boer, Tiffany Hastie, Annie Horner, Jodie How, Donna Mazza, Rachel McEleney, Andrew James Mcleod, Jo Porter, Theresa Wilks and Ines Zimmermann.
The writers were accompanied by ECU alumna and photographer Sarah Mills, who documented the retreat in Dumbleyung and whose work was used in the cover art. Sarah also created a short film on the project.
A town, a pub, and a lake: The roots of a story
In November 2024, the writers travelled inland to the Grand Olde Dumbleyung Inn, nicknamed 'the GODI'.
Image credit: Sarah Mills - The authors under the wide verandah of the Grande Olde Dumbleyung Inn
"Our plan was to 'immerse' in a once-grand pub that wasn't fixed up and foster a response in our writing about a place that rarely shows up in contemporary literature. We knew the pub was in the Wheatbelt and there wouldn't be much there in the way of comfort or privacy," Associate Professor Mazza said.
"But it wasn't about luxury, the challenge of discomfort was an aspect of the writers retreat that has brought a unique rawness to this collection."
Inspiration from the locals
The writers were also deeply influenced by the people of Dumbleyung, especially Wuddi Aboriginal Cultural Tours' Grant and Anne Riley, who shared traditional stories and local knowledge.
"Grant and Anne generously educated us about Lake Dumbleyung's past, once full of life, now hypersaline and silent. We walked across the lake's salt-crusted surface and heard the wind whisper through dry wheat fields. It was harrowing and unforgettable," Associate Professor Mazza said.
Image credit: Sarah Mills - The authors literally following the salt across Lake Dumbleyung
"And then we met 'Dumbleyung Amber', a delightful human and environmental warrior who is trying to improve things in her hometown.
"Each night after dinner Amber came down to the GODI to share her stories about life in 'The Belt' and introduce us to a few locals."
It was on one of these nights that the writers met another local, Rodney Frost, who inspired the title of the book.
"Rodney was once a traditional farmer and is now one of very few biodynamic farmers in the area," Associate Professor Mazza said.
"'If you want a story, 'follow the salt' he said, and we all scrawled this immediately into our notebook. In a roundabout way we have all done this."
Follow the Salt is available for pre-order through Night Parrot Press. For more information on the book launch, visit trybooking.
Publication was assisted by ECU and the WA State Government through the Department of Cultural Industries, Tourism and Sport.
