Life At Springfield is an oasis located on a 20-acre estate in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW — the lands of the Gundungurra, Dharawal and Yuin Nations.
As well as a variety of regular retreats designed to enhance individual and collective wellness, Life at Springfield generously supports Stella Prize-listed authors with dedicated periods for their writing through a range of self-directed residencies and participation in thematic retreats.
At Life at Springfield, Stella Prize-listed authors are gifted that most precious commodity: time. The time a writer needs to think deeply, and write, uninterrupted by the usual commitments of daily life.
“We are delighted to be working with Stella to offer women writers time and space to write. We believe that now, more than ever, it is imperative that we uplift women’s voices, because the power of women’s voices can inspire change in our society. Our ethos is based on growing a creative ecology to nurture and nourish our guests so they can sink into their creative process. Our wish is to ensure that all who come to stay will leave feeling revitalised by the beauty and bounty of nature at Springfield, and ready to raise their voice.”
— Kinchem Hegedus
Director – Life at Springfield
“What rare gifts are time and solitude for a writer. Two weeks immersed in this beautiful, peaceful environment have been a balm for my spirit. I’m working on a book that has a connection to gardens and the natural world — so the opportunity to spend time in such a beautiful environment was perfect.”
— Joyce Morgan
2018 longlistee
“Springfield is an extraordinary place, and a wonderful environment for writers to work in. Facilitating the retreat was a really rewarding experience — it was a pleasure to work so closely with such a committed group and to see their work flourish.”
— Stephanie Bishop
2019 and 2016 longlistee
“The atmosphere and environment at Springfield are perfectly curated for writing. The natural surroundings and the space were useful for nurturing my creative projects in the time I spent there. It will always stand out as an idyllic period in my memory. I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to think and write freely without the distractions of regular life and its associated routine.”
— Yumna Kassab
2020 longlistee
