STEWART, Anne E.

Story Teller
BCAE librarianship and Education (1979-1982, 1986)

Completing her secondary education at Presentation College Windsor Anne E. Stewart left Melbourne to study Librarianship at Ballarat College of Advanced Education. She completed a Graduate Diploma of Librarianship in 1981 and a Graduate Diploma of Education in 1986. A highlight of her librarianship course was studying under visiting lecturer and Dromkeen medal winner Patricia Scott. During her studies Anne E. Stewart produced weekly shows on 3BBB Community Radio Ballarat, rubbing shoulders with other student presenters such as Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria.

As the assistant children's librarian at Geelong in 1977 Anne E. Stewart drove the Jolly Jumbuck storytelling van to various local sites, gathered the children and told a story. She discovered she was good at it. While working at Darwin Library Anne E. Stewart started to question the idea of "what are our Australian stories?". Now with over 25 years in story telling Anne E. Stewart entertains audiences of all ages in a wide range of venues, including libraries, schools, art galleries, and museums. As MC at Ballarat's Eureka 150 World Music Concert in 2004 she spellbound an audience of 3000.

Anne E. Stewart's repertoire of stories often draws on her own experiences, observations and sense of place. From 'Heroic Deeds of Legendary Women' to 'Life on the Goldfields' Anne E. Stewart's audiences eagerly await the next word. Her stories of Australia often include a deep and respectful understanding of the role of story telling in Indigenous Australia. More recently her work has included traditional stories of East Timor. Anne E. Stewart has produced commissioned projects for the ABC Regional Fund including: 'Eureka 150'; 'Voices: Of the People and Land'; and 'Old, Cold and Gold: A Literary Walk through Ballarat', and 'Our Tony'.

A keen community player Anne E. Stewart has fulfilled a number of pro bono roles including six terms as the president of the Hepburn's Springs Swiss Italian Festa, four terms as the President of the Australian Storytelling Guild (Vic Branch), Council President of the Daylesford Primary School and member of the Balibo Community House Committee. Anne E. Stewart is a senior writer for the 'Swag of Yarns' and, like Bryce Courtney, has worn the prestigious storytellers Cape at Dromkeen, an institution that nurtures and develops children's literature.

Returning to her alma mater in 2007 Anne E. Stewart developed a ghost tour through the historic Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) campus. Established in 1870, and incorporating a former gaol, the SMB ghosts came to life as she enthralled numerous groups visiting the campus on Open Day 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In 2009 Anne E. Stewart is a principal teller at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival at Edinburgh.

Further information on the work of Anne E. Stewart can be found at http://www.mmnet.com.au/anneestewart/cv.htm

This biography researched by Clare Gervasoni, May 2009, updated September 2009.

Caption: Anne E. Stewart during a ghost tour of the SMB Campus, University of Ballarat Open Day 2007. (Cat. No. 7714.4)