Vikki Conley writes with a deep attentiveness to the world around her to children, to community, and to the rhythms of the natural landscape. Her stories are guided by curiosity and compassion, gently inviting young readers to look outward while staying grounded in place.
In 2023, Where the Lyrebird Lives was awarded CBCA Book of the Year. Amira’s Suitcase and Little Puggle’s Song have received CBCA Honour and Notable recognition, and On the Way to School was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year. These accolades speak to the clarity and resonance of her work.
For more than twenty years, Vikki has travelled through Africa, Asia and Australia as a writer and photographer, working alongside diverse communities and documenting both everyday life and extraordinary landscapes. These experiences inform her storytelling, grounding it in authenticity and care.
Her books connect young readers with people and creatures across the globe, encouraging thoughtful engagement with the world around them and an appreciation for both its complexity and its beauty.
When she’s not writing, Vikki spends time in the wilderness near her home in Eltham, often by the river, where much of her inspiration quietly begins.
What inspired you to start writing children's books?
As an adventurous child growing up on a farm, I discovered that adventures didn’t have to stop when the sun went down. Through the pages of books I could fly on the backs of magical geese and climb into other worlds from the tops of trees.
When I experienced that same magic again reading picture books to my children, I knew I wanted to contribute to this artform – a child’s very first encounter with fine art.
Writing children’s books became my way of bottling that magic of adventure and wonder – so children could return to it again and again, simply with the turn of a page. My stories celebrate the spirit of wonder, adventure and freedom that I wish every child could enjoy.
What books do you remember from your childhood/influenced you?
Four children’s books stand out in my memories – The Gingerbread Man, The Faraway Tree (Enid Blyton), No Flying in the House (Betty Brock) and Eleanor Elizabeth (Libby Gleeson). Each had elements of adventure, playfulness and imagination – three ingredients I aim to weave into my stories.
What is your biggest inspiration when you are beginning a story?
It often starts with something small that makes me pause – a memory triggered by a bird flashing past, the song of a river, or a lyric on the radio. Those tiny sparks grow into ideas, and then I’m chasing after a story to see where it leads.
Writing in situ helps bring the magic alive, so I often return to the rainforest, the beach or the bush where the memory was formed.
Both Where the Lyrebird Lives and Where the River Runs Free are set on nature walks. Why those settings?
For me, wild places are more than settings – they’re part of who I am. Growing up in Gippsland, surrounded by mountains, coastlines and islands, nature was my playground and creative spark.
I’m drawn to wilderness because it offers both refuge and drama – a quiet space for reflection, or a grand stage where action, awe and emotion peak. By setting stories in rainforests, rivers and wild landscapes, I can take children – especially those in cities – into worlds they may never have seen, while planting seeds of care and connection to the environment. And for nature lovers and country kids, these settings are like a love letter to their soul landscapes.
Wild settings aren’t just backdrops – they spark imagination, learning, joy and empathy, offering young readers a place to explore and feel part of something bigger.
What is your favourite part of creating books?
I love the moment when words and illustrations come together – when an illustrator takes my words and paints it into a scene more spectacular than I could have imagined.
That collaboration feels like a dance and suddenly the story has a heartbeat. Creating something that never existed before is truly magical.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I keep treasures like tiny seahorses washed up on the shore and gifted to me by my dad.
