Scott Bevan is a Newcastle and Lake Macquarie-based writer, broadcaster, playwright and documentary maker. He is the author of eight books, including Battle Lines: Australian Artists at War, Bill: The Life of William Dobell, The Harbour, The Lake, and Return To The Hunter, which sees Scott’s acclaimed book The Hunter reprinted plus a new journey in words (and in his trusty and long-suffering kayak) down the Hunter River. His latest book, Newcastle, published in October 2025, is an exploration of the history and people, the character and soul, of his hometown.
Scott has contributed essays or chapters to a string of other books, most recently for a 2024 biography of Australian artist Wendy Sharpe.
Scott has also written plays that have been produced in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, and his latest full-length play, The Rest Is Silence, was staged in Newcastle in 2022, and in Tamworth in 2025.
Scott has been a journalist and presenter for more than 40 years. In that time, he has worked for print, radio and television organisations and has worn quite a few journalistic hats, ranging from being a foreign correspondent and news presenter for the ABC to writing feature stories for publications far and near, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Wartime and Australian Geographic.
Scott is currently the Saturday Breakfast and Morning presenter for ABC Newcastle and ABC Upper Hunter.
He has also directed and presented documentaries, among them Oll: The Life and Art of Margaret Olley, The Hunter (based on his book), and the feature-length Arthur Phillip: Governor, Sailor, Spy for the ABC, which was also released on DVD
Since 2017, Scott has been the master of ceremonies for the Anzac Day and Remembrance Day national ceremonies at the Australian War Memorial.
Scott has been an MC, guest speaker and panellist at many events around Australia and internationally, from writers’ festivals to delivering the Arthur Phillip Commemoration address in London in 2019.
When he is not writing or speaking, you’ll usually find Scott playing music (he’s a decent guitarist and very average pianist), kayaking and doing his best to support the Hunter Valley’s economy by drinking the region’s wonderful wines.
