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Avalon Event Centres On Luna Park Story

A literary event in Avalon on Thursday 7 May 2026 will bring Helen Pitt back to the Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club for a discussion on her book Luna Park. The event will feature a conversation with broadcaster and writer Sarah Macdonald, focusing on the history of the Sydney amusement park.

The discussion will cover figures connected to the park’s past, including showmen and criminal elements, as well as key events linked to its development.

Tracing Luna Park From Overseas Origins To Sydney

The book follows the origins of Luna Park from late 19th-century America through to its development in Australia. It examines the emergence of amusement parks overseas before focusing on Sydney’s harbourfront site.

The narrative includes the transfer of rides, including the Big Dipper, from South Australia to Sydney, where the park opened in 1935. It also outlines periods of closure, legal disputes and ongoing challenges connected to the site.

The 1979 Ghost Train fire forms part of the history examined in the book, alongside other events linked to the park over time.

Career Spanning Decades In Journalism

Pitt is an Australian journalist and author whose career has spanned several decades in media. She reported for The Sydney Morning Herald from 1986 to 2024 and has also worked across publications including The Bulletin, New York Times Digital and Euronews.

Her first book, The House, examined the history of the Sydney Opera House and received the 2018 Walkley Book Award. In addition to her writing, she has worked as a tour guide specialising in cultural travel.

Personal Connections Behind The Research

Pitt’s work draws on personal memories and family links to Luna Park, alongside historical research. Her connection to the site includes family involvement with the Big Dipper during the park’s early years.

The Avalon appearance continues her previous connection with the venue, where she earlier presented The House. Her background as a lifelong Sydneysider also informs her focus on local history and cultural landmarks.

Event Details In Avalon

The event in Avalon is scheduled for Thursday 7 May 2026 at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5.15 p.m. It is hosted by Bookoccino as part of its author event program.

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The Avalon session will centre on Pitt’s research and her discussion with Sarah Macdonald, focusing on the history and development of Luna Park.

Published 23-Apr-2026

The post Helen Pitt Returns To Avalon For Luna Park Book Conversation appeared first on Avalon News.

Read: Top 3 Places Around Avalon to Call for Health Food Deliveries to Your Home

Online or phone orders at Bookoccino Avalon will be prepared by one or two workers, which could be picked up at their Barrenjoey site or delivered for free for residents from Narrabeen to Palm Beach. The bookstore will also ship across the country for free as well, for book orders above $50. 

Thriving for three decades as one of the Northern Beaches’ cultural hubs, Bookoccino Avalon sustains trading in this pandemic by keeping patrons updated on their social media pages. The staff, who are also complying with the stay-at-home orders, have been sharing their own reading lists and book collections for booklovers who may be wondering what they should read next.

Among Bookoccino’s recent page-turners include Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson, and Double Blind by Edward St Aubyn. They also have some of the titles added in the 2021 Booker Longlist, such as Second Place by Rachel Cusk, The Promise by Damon Galgut, Circle by Maggie Shipstead, and Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford.  

Check the shop’s latest inventory at their online store and follow the shop’s Instagram page for updates. 

In Memoriam

Meanwhile, Bookoccino founder and longtime Avalon resident, Roger Hutchings, has passed away peacefully in late July following a lingering illness. He was 85 years old. 

His daughter, Ellie, said that her father “breathed Bookoccino and the Avalon community” and invested his time tending to the independent bookshop he co-founded in 1992 until his retirement in 2017.

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Mr Hutchings supported the work of many local authors and collaborated with publishers to develop the Northern Beaches’ creative industry. A pioneer of late-night shop hours and reusable bookstore bags, Mr Hutchings was also well-travelled. He yearned to constantly learn about the world and brought back ideas and concepts he discovered to his bookstore.

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