Suzy Wilson named Queensland Local Hero of the Year

14 November 2013 Books+Publishing

Suzy Wilson, owner of Riverbend Books and founder of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, has been named Queensland Local Hero of the Year in the 2014 Australian of the Year Awards.

Wilson was named as the Queensland Local Hero of the Year for ‘her tireless work as an Indigenous literacy champion’ at a ceremony at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane on 13 November.

Two authors have also won in their respective awards categories. Li Cunxin, ballet director and author of Mao’s Last Dancer (Viking), has been named Queensland Australian of the Year. Christine Durham, teacher and author of Unlocking My Brain (Jane Curry Publishing, February), has been named Victoria Senior Australian of the Year.

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, a number of other authors were finalists for this year’s awards, including Peter Singer, who was shortlisted in the Senior Australian of the Year category in Victoria, and burns survivor Turia Pitt, who was shortlisted in the Young Australian of the Year category for New South Wales.

The national awards announcement will be held in Canberra on the eve of Australia Day on 25 January 2014. To see the list of state and territory recipients, visit the website here.

Category: Local news