On Wednesday 31 March, poet Geoff Goodfellow visited the College to present to the Year 10 cohort, and Senior College English students.  

Geoff is known as ‘the People’s Poet’ and his works can be found in numerous anthologies, books, in large scale installations in courthouses across Australia, and in television and theatre. Geoff writes from lived experience and his writing chronicles a working-class life, growing up in a single parent home, loss, addiction, and his personal battle with cancer. At times confronting and deeply raw, his work is a powerful reminder to students that where you come from does not determine where you are going.  

  • Mrs Jess Magee 

Geoff’s visit was well received by our students and has certainly inspired students to read more poetry! Students found his visit to be interesting, sometimes confronting, but certainly an excellent experience. In Term 2 students will begin exploring poetry so this was a great introduction to this form of writing.  

  • Ms Jen Mertes 

 On Wednesday 31 March, the Senior College English Writing and English Applied classes listened to, and learned from, a presentation by poet Geoff Goodfellow. 

Geoff shared his journey to becoming a published writer, as well as the many challenges and triumphs he encountered in his personal life. Geoff believes in writing about ‘things that matter’, and that poetry should be accessible to everybody.  

The work he performed for us delved into societal taboos: drugs, crime and prison, and broken families. Geoff’s uncomplicated discussion of these themes destigmatises the harsh reality of so many in our community – people who are otherwise marginalised or forgotten. His free-verse poetry is characterised by tough empathy and a rough, ‘working class’ tone. 

Geoff offered a valuable insight into his writing and drafting process, allowing the group to recognise practical applications of the skills and techniques we have been studying in our classes. Student feedback was positive, with a mutual consensus that Geoff fostered an appreciation of the power of free-verse poetry, as well as the prospect of a career in writing. It is also agreed that the overwhelming outcome of Geoff’s presentation was the inspiration he encouraged in many of us – teaching that our everyday stories and struggles are worthy of creative expression.   

  • Stella Roberts, Year 12 English Writing 3 student