Kirli Saunders
About

Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai Woman and an award-winning international Children’s Author and Poet as well as a Teacher, and emerging Artist. She created and led Red Room Poetry's Poetry in First Languages program from its conception until July 2020. Her debut picture book The Incredible Freedom Machines was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards and CBCA notables. Her poetry collection, Kindred was shortlisted for the ABIA 2020 Book Awards and FAB Booktopia Awards. She is the inaugural winner of the Daisy Utemorrah Award and University of Canberra ATSI Poetry prize (2019). She is an esteemed judge for the Val Vallis Poetry Prize. Kirli is the 2020 NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.
Reflections
Taking a dream from conception to delivery – Poetry in First Languages – Kirli Saunders
Projects
- Bargo Public School
- Berkeley West Public School, NSW
- Cherrybrook Technology High School 2017
- Cookaroo Flow
- Corrimal High School - NAIDOC Celebrations
- Cranbourne West Primary School x EEPP
- EEPP x Kangaroo Valley Primary School
- EEPP x Shoalhaven High School
- EEPP x University of the Third Age (U3A)
- ETA Conference
- ETA Q Station Professional Development 2018
- Eucalyptus Eco-Poetry Project
- Farmborough Road Public School, 2019
- Fountain Gate Primary School x EEPP
- Guwayu – For All Times
- Indigenous Story Telling - Premier's Reading Challenge
- In Your Hands
- Kangaroo Valley Primary School
- KeepCup Poetry
- New Shoots: Garden of Poems
- Poetry in First Languages 2018
- Poetry in First Languages (Arrernte) - Centralian Senior College
- Poetry in First Languages (Arrernte) - Ltyentye Apurte Catholic School
- Poetry in First Languages (Dharawal) - Kemblawarra Public School
- Poetry in First Languages (Dharawal) - Warrawong High School
- Poetry in First Languages (Dharawal) - Warrawong Public School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gadigal) - Alexandria Park Community School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gadigal) - Laramba School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gadigal) - Ntaria School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Berrima Public School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Bowral High School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Bowral Public School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Mittagong Public School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Moss Vale High School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Moss Vale High School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - Moss Vale Public School
- Poetry in First Languages (Gundungurra) - St Pauls Primary School 2019
- Poetry in First Languages (Yuin) - Jervis Bay School
- Poetry in First Languages (Yuin) - North Nowra Public School
- Poetry in First Languages (Yuin) - Nowra East Public School
- Refugee Week 2017 - Exhibition 23/6
- Refugee Week 2017 - Keira High School
- Refugee Week 2017 Poetry Reading and Installation
- Refugee Week 2017 - Wollongong High School
- Refugee Week 2017 - Wollongong Public School
- Refugee Week 2017 - Wollongong West Primary School
- Requiem
- RUOK? Day 2017
- St John's Catholic Primary School Footscray
- St Peter's College Cranbourne
- Tumbalong Gatherers
- Waniora Public School, NSW
- Wingecarribee Shire Council, NSW
- Wollongong City Council Annual Reconciliation Conference
- Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts
- Wollongong Public School
- Wollongong West Public School
- Youth Unlocked 2019
- Youth Unlocked 2021
- Youth Unlocked - Coreen School
Poems
Audio
- Origins of Poetry in First Languages by Kirli Saunders
- Prime Petals
- Wildflower
- Bower Boy
- Fleeting Beauty
- Bloom