PJ Harvey, Henry Wagons & More Announced On 2016 Melbourne Writers Fest Bill

The long-awaited program for the 2016 Melbourne Writers Festival has been released this week, which features some massive names including UK songwriter and Mercury Prize winner PJ Harvey and Melbourne's own Henry Wagons.

In what will be her only Australian appearance, Harvey will read from her first poetry collection, The Hollow Of The Hand, along with a stunning visual presentation of life in war zones provided by photojournalist Seamus Murphy.

Meanwhile, Wagons will serve as the host for a night of drinks and storytelling at the Yarra Queen (with a whiskey in hand) where he will be joined by fellow writers Tony Birch, Ivan Coyote and Josephine Rowe.

Further additions to this year's festival is The Hate Race author Maxine Beneba Clarke who will deliver the opening night address, Geoff Dyer (White Sands and Jeff In Venice), Man Booker Prize-winners Richard Flanagan and Yann Martel (Life Of Pi), Anne Faunder, renowned science writer Steve Silberman and Lionel Shriver who will talk about gender for the closing night address.

Other festival highlights include The New Yorker's George Packer, comedy writer Steve Hely who has worked on acclaimed TV sitcoms The Office and 30 Rock and Australian Of The Year Rosie Batty who will engage in conversation about gender inequality and family violence with cross-cultural writer Tasneem Chopra and journalist Anne Summers.

As reflected in the line-up, festival director Lisa Dempster said this year's MWF is for anyone who loves reading news, politics, comedy, genre-specific literature and more.

"Identity is the theme for MWF16 and we’ve invited more than 400 authors, scriptwriters, comedians, journalists and illustrators to explore what makes us who we are – including race, gender, sexuality, politics and travel – in an unmissable program," Dempster said.

MWF16 runs from 26 August-4 September and Federation Square. Tickets go on sale from tomorrow — click here for more details, including a full look at the line-up.