Cirrus@Austlit

Yvette Holt is a member of the Bidjara and Wakaman Nations of central and far north Queensland (Atherton Tablelands). She grew up in the Brisbane community of Inala, where her family have lived for more than forty years.

A graduate from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Yvette has a degree in Adult Education & Community Management (Business). In 2003 Yvette received the UTS Human Rights Award in the category of Reconciliation for 'her outstanding contribution towards the elevation of social justice for Indigenous Australians.' She researched Indigenous Australian literature (Black Words subset) at AustLit: The Resource for Australian Literature and also lectures in Aboriginal Women's Studies at the University of Queensland.

Yvette holds a keen interest in social justice and leadership and development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, she speaks nationally and internationally on family and domestic violence, mentors youth and homelessness and facilitates community workshops on writing and Indigenous Australian literature.

In 2005 Yvette won the David Unaipon Award (Queensland Premier's Literary Award) for an Unpublished Indigenous Australian Author. Her collection of poetry titled Anonymous Premonition was published by the University of Queensland Press in 2008.

Yvette moved to Central Australia in 2009, living at Hermannsburg, and has been involved in teaching, research, employment strategy development.

In 2019, Holt received one of three Norma Redpath Studio residencies, part of the Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowships.

In 2023, she was one of five First Nations delegates to attend the Auckland Writers Festival as part of the Australia Council First Nations Literature Cultural Exchange delegation.

Yvette's father is Albert Holt, author of Forcibly Removed among other works.