Ramesh Fernandez is an eX-detainee refugee survivor who founded the first grass-roots, eX-detainee lead refugee organisation in “Australia” and probably one of the few in the world. While in and outside detention he has written fiction and as well as commentary on Refugee and human rights issues that have impacted on colonised and displaced communities across the world for over 20 years. Due to his opposition to the detention regime along with other inmates, Ramesh Fernandez became a prominent target during the John Howard administration and was frequently transferred between five different onshore and offshore detention centres. In 2002, Ramesh Fernandez published his debut book while detained at the Baxter Detention Center (One of the first books ever written by a detainee in "Australia").

My Writings
I write with deep thought and intention, drawing on experiences and things I have witnessed and inspired by true events. My books are primarily aimed at children and include transformative justice resources, but they are also appropriate for adults. While I strive to keep my stories engaging and entertaining, I don’t shy away from the difficult subjects I want to explore. As a result, the stories are often bittersweet.

If you are a parent, teacher, educator, or carer, I encourage you to discuss the circumstances surrounding the characters with your children to provide context and understanding.

The projects I undertake are based in Naarm (Melbourne), “Australia”. My translators come from the communities they represent, bringing their own languages, cultures, and stories to the work. The books are published and shipped in Naarm (Melbourne), and the writers, designers, and illustrators I collaborate with are all from so called Australia.

Detention centers are warehouses for torture factories. The ex-detainee community continues to experience intergenerational trauma from detention, meaning that the children of eX-detainees carry the pain of their parents’ experiences. It’s a challenging and dark reality, marked by both hardships and moments of hope.

I hope you find my work compelling, entertaining, and educational.