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Amanda gearing, author of The Torrent: Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley, 10 January 2011; and The Torrent: A True Story of Heroism and Survival, 2nd edition
Photo by Jack Lynch

Amanda Gearing

Biography

Amanda Gearing is a Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist. She worked for The Courier-Mail from 1997–2007 based in Toowoomba before becoming a freelance print and radio journalist for media outlets including The Australian and ABC Radio National. Amanda completed a Master of Arts (Research) in 2012 and a PhD in global investigative journalism in 2016, both at Queensland University of Technology.

The Chronicle

‘Award-winning investigative journalist Amanda Gearing has written a very moving personal story of the region’s disaster, recounting dozens of heartbreaking stories.’

Queensland Times

‘Gearing’s research has shown people telling their stories of loss and survival to the media can help them recover.’

Saturday Age

‘Gearing spoke to more than 100 survivors, rescuers and emergency staff and the result, both moving and uplifting, is a vivid portrait of the disaster in all its deadly swiftness from multiple viewpoints.’