JOURNALISM ETC ...
Ashley has written for a number of publications including The Independent Monthly, Griffith Review, The Bulletin, Cosmos and The Monthly and has reviewed books for publications including The Weekend Australian and The Australian Book Review.
Her first piece for 2023 – a new year of writing – was as part of the lovely Guardian series 'What Makes Me Happy Now'. You can read it here, and contribute to the dog's moment of fame ...
In mid-2018, she was appointed editor of Griffith Review, overseeing the creation, curation and commissioning of sixteen editions of this Australian quarterly of good writing and ideas from GR62: All Being Equal to GR77: Real Cool World. You can read her introductions to these editions via the edition pages for each at the Griffith Review site, and there are audio recordings of several available as well.
Below you can find links to some of her journalism and other broadcasts and excerpts.
The Guardian
Cosmos
The Monthly
Good Weekend Magazine
The Aussie Mozzie Posse (June 2011) - this piece was anthologised in the Best Australian Science Writing 2012; it was a runner-up for the Bragg/UNSW Press Science Writing Prize in that year's competition, and was also a finalist for the Eureka awards in 2012
Australian Geographic
Qantas/The Australian Way
Qantas/Air Magazine
The Bulletin (Ashley worked at The Bulletin between 1999-2006. During that time she edited eight editions of its popular and highly successful "Summer Reading" issues. She was also the magazine's literary editor between 2000-2006. The Bulletin closed in January 2008.)
Radio National
Television
In Conversation (audio online)
Tourism Australia
Brand campaign on the London Underground, 23 May-19 June, 2005
This campaign on London's Underground rail network featured several authors' descriptions of their own Australian experiences alongside images that reflected their words – the authors were Lonely Planet’s global travel editor Don George, novelist Tim Winton, and Ashley Hay. Ashley's words were extracted from her essay "Ultramarine", originally commissioned by Mark Tredinnick for A Place on Earth (2003).
More than 400 large poster ads appeared in 118 London Underground stations, as well as in 4000 tube card panels.
Her first piece for 2023 – a new year of writing – was as part of the lovely Guardian series 'What Makes Me Happy Now'. You can read it here, and contribute to the dog's moment of fame ...
In mid-2018, she was appointed editor of Griffith Review, overseeing the creation, curation and commissioning of sixteen editions of this Australian quarterly of good writing and ideas from GR62: All Being Equal to GR77: Real Cool World. You can read her introductions to these editions via the edition pages for each at the Griffith Review site, and there are audio recordings of several available as well.
Below you can find links to some of her journalism and other broadcasts and excerpts.
The Guardian
- What Makes Me Happy Now: Dogs (January 2023)
Cosmos
- The Art of Air (March 2023)
- Colour Theory (June 2020)
- Ode to Green (March 2020)
- Sunflowerpower (December 2019)
The Monthly
- Holy Shark (March 2017)
- Desert Blooms (July 2016)
- The Ipswich Treehouse Story (Oct 2015)
- Mosquito Diplomacy (May 2014)
- Cai's Tree (Dec 2013)
- Our Septuagenarian Cricketers (Aug 2013)
- Lights Out (Dec 2012)
- Veni, Vidi, Venus (June 2012)
- The Baskerville Case (Dec 2011)
- Operation Tom Yum (Sept 2008)
- The Lovely Bones (July 2008)
- The Charm of a Charm (June 2008)
- Lazarus Taxa (Nov 2007)
- Written in the Body (Oct 2007)
- The Human Zoo (March 2007)
- Ticked Off (Sept 2007)
- Kate and the Whale (Dec/Jan 2006)
- Hopper’s Crossing (Nov 2006)
- John White’s Table (Sept 2006)
- The View from the Bridge (Aug 2006)
- Gods of War and Rain (July 2006)
Good Weekend Magazine
The Aussie Mozzie Posse (June 2011) - this piece was anthologised in the Best Australian Science Writing 2012; it was a runner-up for the Bragg/UNSW Press Science Writing Prize in that year's competition, and was also a finalist for the Eureka awards in 2012
Australian Geographic
- The Big Sting - Fighting Malaria in the Solomon Islands (May-June 2013) - you can watch a video about this story here
- City Under Siege: The 2011 Brisbane Flood (Aug-Oct 2011) - this piece was shortlisted as best single article in the 2011 Publishers’ Association Awards
- Out of the Shadows: Australia's Convict Past (April-June 2011)
Qantas/The Australian Way
- Margaret Olley's Legacy Lives On (June 2015)
- Fire in the Stone (March 2015)
- Call of the Wildflower - Transylvania (May 2014)
- Land of the Lost and Found - Jordan (Nov 2013)
- One Perfect Day - Brisbane (Feb 2013)
- FantAsia: The Seventh Asia-Pacific Triennial (December 2012)
- Almighty Marble - Acropolis (May 2008)
Qantas/Air Magazine
- Jane Valentine - sculptor (Sept 2010)
- The Cloud Appreciation Society (Sept 2010)
The Bulletin (Ashley worked at The Bulletin between 1999-2006. During that time she edited eight editions of its popular and highly successful "Summer Reading" issues. She was also the magazine's literary editor between 2000-2006. The Bulletin closed in January 2008.)
- Great Vibrations (Jan 22, 2008) - on the 2008 Sydney Festival
- Buried Treasure (Dec 18, 2007) - on Australia's first amber discoveries
- Rainbow Warriors (Dec 19, 2006) - on sea slugs and their foremost Australian aficionado, Bill Rudman
- Harriet the Star (Nov 9, 2005) - on the world's oldest living being, Harriet the Tortoise
- The Wonders of Antarctica (Apr 6, 2005) - on a voyage south
- Cash and Harry (June 11, 2003) - on the extent of the Harry Potter phenomenon as its fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix, was published
- Gum Grower’s Ark (Oct 23, 2002) - on modern eucalyptographer Dean Nicolle
- Pointe of View (June 19, 2002) - on the Royal Ballet's 2002 Australian tour
Radio National
- Ockham's Razor - on winning the 2016 Bragg UNSW Press Prize for Science Writing
- Science Show - on editing this year's Best Australian Science Writing (March 2014)
- Ockham's Razor - on Museum (2007)
- Ockham’s Razor - on Herbarium (April 2005)
- Perspective - on writing Gum (May 2003)
Television
- Big Ideas: What Makes Us Human - Thomas Suddendorf and Rob Brooks in conversation with Ashley Hay at the Sydney Writers' Festival 2014
- Slow TV - Bill McKibben in conversation with Ashley Hay at the Sydney Writers' Festival 2010 [part 2 of this conversation is available here]
- Reality Bites: From The Heart – The Eucalypt (directed by Bruce Permezel), screened in June 2004 and again in June 2006
In Conversation (audio online)
- With Kate Grenville about her novel The Lieutenant, Sydney Writers’ Festival, 2009
- With David Malouf about his novel Ransom, State Library of Queensland, 2009
- With Helen Garner about her novel The Spare Room, State Library of Queensland, 2009
Tourism Australia
Brand campaign on the London Underground, 23 May-19 June, 2005
This campaign on London's Underground rail network featured several authors' descriptions of their own Australian experiences alongside images that reflected their words – the authors were Lonely Planet’s global travel editor Don George, novelist Tim Winton, and Ashley Hay. Ashley's words were extracted from her essay "Ultramarine", originally commissioned by Mark Tredinnick for A Place on Earth (2003).
More than 400 large poster ads appeared in 118 London Underground stations, as well as in 4000 tube card panels.