Holden’s ‘The Winter Road’ wins 2021 Walkley Book Award

Kate Holden has won the 2021 Walkley Book Award for The Winter Road (Black Inc.).

The Winter Road blends journalism, historical research, and crime and political reportage together to explore the 2014 killing of environmental officer Glen Turner by 80-year-old farmer Ian Turnbull outside Croppa Creek in New South Wales. It was chosen from a shortlist of three that also included Toxic: The rotting underbelly of the Tasmanian salmon industry (Richard Flanagan, Penguin) and Lowitja: The authorised biography of Lowitja O’Donoghue (Stuart Rintoul, A&U).

The judges said, ‘Kate Holden’s exposition of an environmental officer’s murder on a lonely road is part thriller and part meditation on Australia’s landscape, culture and politics as legacies of its settler past. Drawing together true crime, history and botany at the place where journalism and literature meet, this is an extraordinary work of storytelling.’

Holden is the author of In My Skin: A memoir and The Romantic: Italian nights and days (both Text), and is a regular contributor to the Saturday Paper, the Monthly and the Age.

The Walkley Book Award recognises excellence in Australian nonfiction and long-form journalism. Last year’s winner was Lucie Morris-Marr for Fallen: The inside story of the secret trial and conviction of George Pell (A&U).

For the full list of Walkley Award winners, see the website.

Category: Awards Local news