Every year the Henry Lawson Festival Committee welcomes a special guest to join in the festivities. Over the years the festival has seen numerous influential and famous special guests.
Hugh Mackay… 2023 Festival Guest of Honour!
Hugh Mackay, an honorary professor in the Research School of Psychology at ANU, will be this year’s guest of honour for the Henry Lawson Festival. He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of NSW.
Hugh Mackay, has urged people to put their everyday life to the side for the June long weekend and take the opportunity to connect, celebrate creativity and enjoy the simple pleasure of coming together as a community.
“Anything that can be done to foster a sense of community, like the Henry Lawson Festival, is really important. Having the festival come back bigger and better than ever is crucial for the development of Grenfell and vital for the surrounding community.”
| Year | Official Guest |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Hugh Mackay – Psychologist & Author |
| 2022 | James Morrison – Musician |
| 2019 | Inga Simpson – Author |
| 2018 | Alison Bell – Theatre and Television |
| 2017 | Tara Moss – Author, Journalist, TV Documentary Presenter |
| 2016 | Vanessa Grimm – News Presenter |
| 2015 | Roy Billing – Actor & Writer |
| 2014 | Mark Grentell – Director/Writer/Producer |
| 2013 | Chris Coleman – Broadcaster |
| 2012 | Dick Smith – Entrepreneur |
| 2011 | Gregory Bryan – Historian |
| 2010 | Juliettre Palmer-Frederick – Author |
| 2009 | Max Cullen – Actor |
| 2008 | Sandy Fussell – Author |
| 2007 | Hon Ian Armstrong OBE – National Party |
| 2006 | David Foster OAM – Wood Chopper |
| 2005 | Don McAlpine – Cinematographer |
| 2004 | Her Exec. Prof Marie Bashir AC – NSW Governor |
| 2003 | Alan Jones AO – Broadcaster |
| 2002 | Jan O’Neill (Lehane) – Tennis Star |
| 2001 | Colin Buchanan – Country Singer |
| 2000 | Peter Bensley – Actor |
| 1999 | Judy Nunn – Actor |
| 1998 | Paula Duncan AM – Actor |
| 1997 | Garry McDonald AO – Actor |
| 1996 | Dr Hilarie Lindsay OAM – Author |
| 1995 | Carol Willis – Camp Quality |
| 1994 | Geoff Lawson OAM – Cricketer |
| 1993 | Alan Moir – Cartoonist |
| 1992 | Leon Becker AM – Broadcaster |
| 1991 | Mike Hayes – Journalist |
| 1990 | Briget Goodwin – Film Maker |
| 1989 | Eric Rolls AM – Author |
| 1988 | Slim Dusty – Country Music Singer |
| 1987 | Di Morrissey – Author |
| 1986 | Thomas Keneally AO – Author |
| 1985 | Peter Lawson – Artist |
| 1984 | James Dibble AM – ABC News Reader |
| 1983 | Jennifer Murphy – Actor |
| 1982 | Peter Summer – Actor |
| 1981 | Malcolm Thompson – Actor |
| 1980 | Leonard Teale – Actor |
| 1979 | Steve Liebmann – Television Presenter |
| 1978 | Lorraine Bayly – Actor |
| 1977 | Clive Evatt QC – Labor Party |
| 1976 | Ted Roberts – Author |
| 1975 | John St Vincent Welch – Past Festival President |
| 1974 | Patrick White – Author |
| 1973 | Dr Hilarie Lindsay OAM – Author |
| 1972 | Hon George Freudenstein MLA – NSW Country Party |
| 1971 | Harold Goodwin – Founder of the Henry Lawson Festival |
| 1970 | Chuck Faulkner – Actor |
| 1969 | Leonard Teale – Actor |
| 1968 | Bill Peach – Television Personality |
| 1967 | Bertha Jago (Lawson) – Daughter of Henry Lawson |
| 1966 | Michael Sawtell – Author |
| 1965 | Neil Hutchison – ABC Television |
| 1964 | John Thompson – ABC Broadcaster |
| 1963 | Ald Harold Jensen – Lord Mayor of Sydney |
| 1962 | Eric Baume – Journalist |
| 1961 | Sir Eric Woodward KCVO – NSW Governor |
| 1960 | Olav Nordland – Norwegian Consul |
| 1959 | Hon Ray S Maher MLA – Labor NSW |
| 1958 | Prof Colin Roderick CBE – Author |
