The Albany Town Hall hosted the launch of Voices Of The South: Reflections 2026 on Thursday night, a new anthology featuring a host of Albany writers’ perspectives on the city’s bicentenary.

This third iteration of the Voices Of The South anthology has a special significance for Albany’s bicentenary year, and it is the first time contributing writers have been tied to a particular theme.

Authors were charged to write about Albany in any form they wished, from poetry to thought pieces to short stories.

The town hall was full to the brim on Thursday night for the launch, with many of the 61 featured authors in attendance.

Extracts from eight featured works were read at the launch, giving attendees a taste of the literary talent featured in the anthology and the many ways authors chose to tackle the theme of Albany.

Editor Roger Guinery acknowledged all 61 authors during his speech, reading each contributor’s name and inviting them to stand up and take a bow.

“I set the authors the task of writing a poem, story, memoir, or thought piece about Albany, and their responses have been extraordinary,” he said.

“I feel like I know some of you from reading your work, even though I haven’t met you until tonight.

“Tonight is a real opportunity to celebrate everybody who has contributed, so tonight we are going to celebrate the achievements of each and every author.”

City of Albany mayor Greg Stocks took the stage to launch the anthology, reflecting on the importance of sharing varied perspectives during the Albany 2026 commemorations.

“What we’re finding in 2026, and what you’ll find in this book of Roger’s, is that Albany’s fabric can be found in conversations, reflections, and the stories of its people,” he said.

“There’s more than 60 writers, there’s 83 stories.

“There’s stories from Menang elders, there’s established authors, and there’s emerging writers, all offering unique perspectives through their storytelling on what this place means to them.

“I think that’s what I’ve loved most about 2026: that it’s not just one story.

“Postwar migration will be covered, youth and our ancient connections to country will both be covered.

“This made me realise, and I’ve been here a long time, is that we live in a blessed place.

“We live in one of the best countries in the world, and we’re very fortunate to be living in one of the best cities in that country.”

The Voices Of The South: Reflections 2026 anthology is available at Paperbark Merchants on York Street.