Do you have a story to share about life in the Forbes Shire? Now is the time to pick up your pen, or power up your keyboard, and start writing. Monday, 18 August 2025, marks the first ever Wenzday, a cultural initiative celebrating Forbes’ literary heritage while inspiring the next generation of storytellers. Launching on the birthday of French-Australian writer Paul Wenz, the day will shine the spotlight on Paul and his wife Hettie nee Dunne, who made their home here on Nanima Station more than a century ago, and invite the people living in Forbes Shire today to share their own stories of life in our region. Wenzday is the brainchild of writer Dr Merrill Findlay, who is working with Monica Wren and Maree Yapp, of Galari River Arts, to ensure the collection of books and artefacts the Wenzes gifted to Forbes is not forgotten. They also hope, Dr Findlay explains, “to use this collection to inspire, support and nurture local creative writers, and to create an online collection of prose stories by local people about life in and around Forbes in the 21st century.” Who were Paul and Hettie Wenz? Both born in 1869 but on opposite sides of the world, Paul and Hettie’s is a love story that began on the long ocean journey from Europe to Australia in 1896. The couple married just two years later in Melbourne. Both their families were in the wool industry. The Dunnes ran merino sheep on their station on the Baarka-Darling River, and Paul’s family imported and processed the fibre through their company based in Reims in the Champagne area of northern France. Paul and Hettie continued their connections with their families’ business as they established Nanima as one of the leading stations on the Galari-Lachlan River. Paul began his literary career at Nanima with Hettie’s support. Most of his novels were written in French for publication in Paris. They have now been translated into English and republished in Australia with forewords by prominent Australian writers, including Helen Garner, Margaret Whitlam and Frank Moorhouse. These books are now available at The Book Dispensary in Forbes. The Wenzes’ personal collections were left to the State Library and Forbes library, with the local collection now housed at the Forbes Museum. Over many years, a number of Forbes community members have had a hand in preserving and promoting the Wenz Collection. Dr Findlay formally catalogued the books in 2004 and has since travelled to France to connect with the Wenz family and ensure the future of Paul and Hettie’s legacy. Paul Wenz used his writing to share his experiences with the rest of the world: life in rural Australia in the early 20th century, the years he spent in France and Britain during World War I, and his travels to distant places, such as the Pacific islands, for example. “The goal of the Wenzday Project is to enable local creative writers to do the same for our own era,” Monica Wren explained. “Because if we don’t encourage, nurture and support local creative writers to tell their stories and publish them online, then future generations will know little about our era.” Enter the Wenzday Project Our first Wenzday in Forbes, on Monday, 18 August, offers locals an opportunity to learn more about the Paul and Hettie Wenz and the Wenz Collection at the Forbes Museum. The program will include a tour of the Collection with Dr Findlay, and a talk by Monica Wren about the many French people who’ve settled in Forbes Shire. You need to book your place for this event, however, as space is limited. Local creative writers will have until the end of January to research, draft, write and submit their prose stories for the Wenzday. Whether it’s a memoir, a personal reflection, or a fictional tale set in Forbes Shire, what matters is that it’s about something, someone, a time or place that’s important to you. “People can write any prose stories, fact or fiction, preferably memoir-style personal stories,” Dr Findlay said, “about living in and around the Forbes shire.” Dr Findlay will host two writing workshops for those who would like to know more about creative writing or need support to craft their story: these will be on Saturday, 23 August and Saturday, 13 December. The workshops will focus on good writing and reader engagement, as well as research skills. All stories for online publication must be submitted by 28 January (Hettie’s birthday) for editing. This process will be kind and collaborative to make every story the best it can be. The Wenzday Project will also be hosting a very special workshop with Canberra bookbinder Dr Louise Hamby, offering participants a chance to turn their Wenzday words into a physical keepsake. Why it matters Dr Findlay, who grew up on a nearby farm and is now accomplished in her field, believes it’s vital for people of all ages and backgrounds in rural communities, especially young people, to have opportunities to develop their creative talents. “Ensuring that they have support and nurturing to do this is really important,” she said. People in what is now Forbes Shire having been telling stories for 60,000 years. The Wenzday Project gives stories by locals of our generation a home. For more information: Go online to wenzdayproject.wordpress.com Follow Wenz Collection Forbes on facebook Visit The Book Dispensary in Templar Street to buy Paul Wenz’s books, and scan the QR code on the poster to book your tickets to the launch and workshops.
