- CHS 1959 & 1961
- Author of There’s a Hippopotamus On My Roof Eating Cake & sequels
- Writer of over 200 books for children, youth & adults
- 2000 Antarctic Arts Fellowship
- 2009 Australian Society of Authors’ Medal
- Patron; Society of Women Writers (Vic)
- 2012 Ambassador: National Year of Reading
- 2013 Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for contribution to literature
- 2022 Monash University Distinguished Alumni Award for Education
After leaving Ashburton Primary School, Hazel’s secondary education was at Gardiner Central, Frankston High and Traralgon High, interspersed with periods at Camberwell High. When her father had health problems, the family went to live with Hazel’s grandfather who lived near Camberwell High School. After working at the State Bank for a year, she trained as a primary teacher at Toorak Teachers’ College, graduating in 1965.
Hazel’s first book, General Store, was published in 1970. Since then, she has become well-known as the much-loved author of numerous children’s books, including the award-winning There’s a Hippopotamus on My Roof Eating Cake, written in 1980, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2025, and toured as a stage production. Her books have been distributed world-wide and translated into ten languages. There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake celebrated its earlier 33rd anniversary with a short film, shown at Sydney Opera House. She has served as a director on the board of management of the Australian Society of Authors for 20 years. In 2009 she received the Society of Authors’ Medal. As a patron of the Society of Women Writers (Vic) she furthers the writing careers of other women.
Self-described Authorpreneur, Hazel Edwards believes writers are in the business of creativity and that their intellectual property should be valued. Displaying another side to her exuberant nature, Hazel started the first belly dancing class in Antarctica when stuck in the polar ice during an Australian Antarctic Division where she had been appointed expedition writer. Hazel states that creativity is risking the combination of unlikely ideas in a productive way. Hazel also runs Non-Boring Writing workshops for genealogists, ‘Complete Your Book in a Year’ master classes and mentors online. Formerly Aust.-China electronic writer-in-residence with Nanjing Youfu West Street International School, she mentored their bi-lingual School Turtle book.
Her picture books include Antarctic Dad; and she writes personal stories for each of her four grandsons each birthday. Picturebook ‘Go Go Gecko’ has become a case study in use of AI to protect the online privacy of her young family. Difficult Personalities, co-written with Dr Helen McGrath has USA, Russian, Korean, Mandarin and Polish editions.
Hazel achieved an international first with trans man co-author Ryan Kennedy, with the YA print novel f2m: the boy within about transitioning from female to male, with a comic graphic novel The Boy Within in progress.
Melbourne-based, Hazel is a frequent keynote speaker and gives webchats for remote writers. Widowed mid-Covid with two adult children and grandsons for whom she writes a story each birthday, Hazel is a long-term writing mentor for youth with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library charity. Hazel’s last book ‘Wasted?’ is a young adult #Clific novel, currently being considered for screen. Set beside the Garbage Patches mid ocean, it portrays innovative asylum seekers trading biofuel from waste.
Hazel was awarded an OAM in 2013 for her contribution to literature. Her website www.hazeledwards.com includes FAQs, notes, bios, bibliography and gigs. Recent features in Monash University Alumni: https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/alumni-show-the-power-of-long-term-collaboration
Update: In 2025 Hazel is celebrating the 45th anniversary of There’s a Hippopotamus on My Roof and her Golden Anniversary of 50 years since she was first published.
