The keynote address of our opening night is named in honour of the late Sir Graeme Douglas, a long-time supporter of the Going West Festival, and whose family and estate continue that tradition in 2019. Every year, we invite a writer of note to engage with the festival theme on their own terms and in their own words. This year our Orator is Elizabeth Knox an award-winning New Zealand writer and author of twelve novels, three novellas, and a book of essays.

Elizabeth Knox ONZM is an award-winning New Zealand writer. She is the author of twelve novels, three novellas, and a book of essays. Her best-known works are The Vintner's Luck (1998) and Mortal Fire (2013). Her work has been translated into ten languages. Elizabeth's last book was horror/Science Fiction Wake.