The Story Alchemist:
A Creativity Retreat
for Writers
In Partnership with Writers at the Woolshed.
Sunday 12 April - Thursday 16 April
Indulge your writing self by joining Dr Betty O’Neill at this three-day retreat specially designed for Writers at the Woolshed – this is the first time this workshop has been offered.
The Story Alchemist: A Creativity Retreat for Writers will be held from 12-16 April 2026 at the boutique Bundanoon Guest House where our group will have exclusive use of the Guest House. The sleepy Southern Highlands village of Bundanoon, is a 90-minute drive from Wollongong or a two-hour drive from both Sydney and Canberra; Bundanoon is also accessible by train. The location of Brigadoon – the annual Scottish Highlands gathering, areas of Bundanoon village were also featured in the film The Appleton Ladies Potato Race.
This very special retreat was designed
by Dr Betty O’Neill following her very successful Writing Family Stories masterclass at our 2025 Winter Writing Retreat.
Most workshops teach craft - this one ignites imagination. Over three inspiring days in a peaceful residential setting, facilitated by Dr Betty O’Neill you'll enter a creative playground to unlock bold ideas, vivid stories, and new ways of thinking. Guided by the four quadrants of creative intelligence - imagination, intuition, insight, and inspiration - you'll dabble with playful, research-based practices from neuroscience, psychology, and the arts as your innate creativity meets storytelling magic. With time to write, reflect, and connect, you'll leave with fresh tools, confidence, and renewed creative energy for your storytelling.
Workshop Day 1 |
Opening the Creative Mind - Awareness & Curiosity
On this first day we’ll delve into our writing brains and mindsets, exploring the barriers that hold us back from reaching our creative potential as writers. We’ll harness design thinking and neuroscience techniques to breakthrough the barriers, spark curiosity and learn ways of thinking in flexible, original and divergent ways.
Workshop Day 2 |
Expanding the Creative Mind – Risk & Imagination
Today is a day to experiment with a range of creative tools and processes as we mine the unexpected, dip into our innate creative well and explore writing elements that will fascinate and engage ourselves and our readers. It’s a day to be bold and adventurous as we mix strategies and intuition to shape our stories and characters and find the details that make them vivid and alive on the page.
Workshop Day 3 |
Integrating the Creative Mind – Vision & Flow
On our final day, we’ll embody the alchemist, turning our ideas and discoveries into story gold as we play with structure and style, experimenting with various storytelling frameworks. We’ll conclude by using design thinking to determine what will sustain our creative flow and vision for ourselves as writers and leave with a toolkit of creative processes to draw on whenever inspiration runs dry.
Program
Accomodation
Built in 1925, Bundanoon Guest House is a Council Heritage Listed property that still retains the charm and character of yesteryear. Recently restored, the House comprises a generous guest lounge, public sitting room, large games and conference room, a large dining room, private dining room, bar, front verandah and an extensive garden. Bundanoon Guest House is located within easy walking distance of Bundanoon village and railway station.
Enquiries
From 3:00pm on Sunday, 12 April 2026, you will check-in to your accommodation at the Bundanoon Guest House. You will then have time to settle in and familiarise yourself with the surroundings before meeting in the lounge with other writers at 5:00pm. Dinner will follow at 6:30pm.
Each morning from 9:00am to 12:30pm, Monday through Wednesday, you will participate in a creativity workshop facilitated by Dr Betty O’Neill. Participants in the Retreat are limited to twelve (12) plus Betty and Lynne Ainsworth from Writers at the Woolshed.. Afternoons are free for you to write, rest or enjoy all that Bundanoon and the Southern Highlands has to offer. Bundanoon is the gateway to Morton National Park where there are an abundance of walking trails including to nearby Glow Worm Glen (Bring a strong torch if planning to visit during your stay). There is also a swimming pool, cafes, boutique shops and the historic Bundanoon Hotel. In the broader area of the Highlands you will find art galleries, wineries, shopping, walking and cycling trails, and golf courses. The Bookshop Bowral and Berkelow’s Book Barn are not to be missed.
At 5:00pm each evening writers will gather for a ‘Writers’ Playground’. Dinner will follow. At 7:30pm you will join a Reflection Circle where you will look back on the day – the highlights, the learnings, the challenges plus participate in journalling on all that your creative mind revealed that day. Evening activities will end at 8:30pm; you are welcome to stay up chatting with your fellow writers but please keep noise to a minimum as others may be writing.
On the morning of Thursday, 16 April, you will vacate your room by 10:00am, say farewell to old friends and new, then make your way home feeling rested, filled with new ideas and enthused to continue with your writing project.
In line with Writers at the Woolshed’s promise to deliver small, quality events, participants are restricted to 12. Our group will have exclusive use of the Bundanoon Guest House. Only residential places are available.
Prior to the Retreat, please direct any questions to writers@writersatthewoolshed.com.au,
or phone Lynne at Writers at the Woolshed on 0408 244 016.
