Moni Schott

Dr Monika Schott is a Melbourne based writer and researcher. Life’s intricacies and curiosities inspire her to write and give voice to communities and stories that struggle to be heard, particularly those from lost industrial communities or who have been segregated or disadvantaged.

Monika wrote the never before told story of Melbourne’s Metropolitan Sewerage Farm community in her literary nonfiction book, ‘The faraway land of the house and two cows’, with accompanying song, ‘The faraway land’. The book was a finalist Best Non-Fiction Book in the Able Golden Book Awards 2025.

Monika also wrote the acclaimed children’s book every adult must read, ‘My dad built me the best and wackiest cubby ever’, a Best Children’s Book finalist in the Able Golden Book Awards 2025. Australian of the Year and internationally renowned psychiatrist, Professor Pat McGorry AO, said he wished he’d had the book many years ago.

Monika was shortlisted in the Ada Cambridge Writing Prize, won the Wyndham Art Prize, has worked for many years in community development and writes for the corporate writer. She has several short stories published in anthologies.

Monika is currently working on:

• ‘Jewels through my kitchen window’, exploring mental health and family violence.

• The sequel to 'The faraway land of the house and two cows', about the turbulent 1990s corporatisation of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works.

• 'Milk biscuit', the social history of the State Research Farm, the research facility for breakthroughs in agriculture, dairy technology, heart disease, cancer, IVF, etc.

• 'Camp Koala', a children’s chapter book about children camping and discovering dead koalas.

• The Metropolitan Sewerage Farm’s history with images and snippets of oral histories from my PhD research.