Meet the Author – Jim Haynes

Next date: Wednesday, 04 February 2026 | 06:30 PM to 07:30 PM

Trucks, trains, boats and planes – welcome to a treasury of unsung heroes and extraordinary journeys that have shaped Australia's history.

From the bravery of Australia's sailors to our great age of rail, the resilience of the truckers crossing the Nullarbor to the daring aviation pioneers who turned the skies into a new frontier, Great Australian Odysseys is a rich tapestry of adventure and ingenuity, with a good dose of Aussie laughs.

Journey through tales of hardy truckers braving isolation, mechanical mishaps and political battles. Navigate the high seas with our first submariners' record-breaking journeys and daring rescues of the shipwrecked and marooned. Relive the golden age of rail with evocative stories celebrating Australia's railway heritage, from Mark Twain Down Under to Ben Chifley's locomotive legacy. Soar through the skies with aviation legends such as Smithy, Bert Hinkler and Francis Birtles, whose courage and innovation transformed how we travel.

Jim Haynes OAM is one of Australia's most prolific and successful authors. Before becoming a professional entertainer, song writer and verse writer in 1988, Jim taught writing, literature, history and drama in schools and universities from outback New South Wales to Britain and back again. In 2016, he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for 'services to the performing arts as an entertainer, author, broadcaster and historian'.