ABOUT

Pelican Magazine is the editorially independent student publication of The University of Western Australia. Since 1930, we have provided a space for students to think, argue, create, question, and experiment.

We publish the work of emerging writers, artists, photographers, designers, critics, journalists, and researchers from across the UWA community.

We believe student publications matter. Pelican exists to showcase new voices, foster creative and intellectual exchange, and document the ideas, concerns, and cultures that shape student life. Our pages are a place for rigorous criticism, personal reflection, investigative journalism, creative writing, visual art, and everything in between.

Published on the unceded lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, Pelican is committed to supporting a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. We work closely with contributors at all stages of their creative and editorial development, whether they are publishing for the first time or are already established practitioners.

Pelican produces six themed print issues each year alongside a growing online publication. Free copies of the magazine can be found across UWA's Crawley campus, while our website provides a platform for year-round publication and conversation. Submissions are open to all UWA students. Whether you have a fully formed article, a poem scribbled in a notebook, a half-finished essay, a photographic series, or simply an idea you want to explore, we'd love to hear from you.

If you're interested in contributing, visit our Write for Pelican page to learn more about our sections, submission guidelines, and current opportunities.

The views expressed within are not the views of the UWA Student Guild or the Pelican editorial staff, but the individual writers and artists.

This website was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the UWA Annual Alumni Fund.

2026 Pelican Team

Head Editor: Ellie Fisher

Sub-Editors:
Art & Design:
Anaïs Popoff-Asotoff
Maaya Zushi

Film & Theatre:
Cassidy Doudakis
Tess Roberts

Literature & Creative Writing:
Alison Lane
Sophie Eppette

Music & Performance:
Darcy Lewis
Gen Allen

Politics, Campus Affairs & Voice: Chenelle Liyanage
Chloe Laing
Tamsyn Bruce

Science & Communication:
Amrit Kaur
Fabien Ataziya

Cover Artist:
Lucinda Tassone

Designer:
Robyn Fassom

Meet The Team

HEAD EDITOR

Ellie Fisher

Ellie (she/they) is a writer, editor, and PhD candidate in Creative Writing at The University of Western Australia. Ellie’s research centres on how lyric non-fiction can mediate and extend the sensuous and affective connections between bodies and texts. Their writing has appeared in Westerly Magazine, Pulch Mag, Pelican Magazine, and Swim Meet Lit Mag, amongst others. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys reading French autofiction and going to the beach.

SUB-EDITOR: ART & DESIGN

Anaïs Popoff-Asotoff

Anaïs (she/her) is a History of Art Honours student, passionate about curatorial strategy and unearthing hidden stories. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Communications & Media and a Bachelor of Letters in English & Literary Studies and History of Art, she is passionate about the intersection of art and literature throughout the world. When she’s not having heated discussions about books, movies and art, Anaïs spends way too much time playing D&D, devouring 70’s sci-fi novels, and giving up half-way on knitting projects.

SUB-EDITOR: ART & DESIGN

Maaya Zushi

Maaya (she/her) is a Bachelor of Arts student at UWA, majoring in Art History and Curatorial Studies. Through her degree, she is learning about art history, how to close read visual media, and put her ideas into words. She is also interested in how exhibitions share ideas, and how the layout and design of a gallery can shape the experience of art, and is a Student Committee Member at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery. Maaya loves visiting art galleries and museums, watching movies, crocheting, cooking, reading, drawing, and gardening.

SUB-EDITOR: FILM & THEATRE

Cassidy Doudakis

Cassidy (she/her) is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in English & Literary Studies and Communications & Media, at the University of Western Australia. She has a passion for the creative arts, and is pursuing a career in publishing. Cassidy is an active member of the University Dramatic Society, and has had supporting roles in three shows since 2025. In her free time, she enjoys reading fiction and journalling, playing with her cats and watching Wes Anderson films.

SUB-EDITOR: FILM & THEATRE

Tess Roberts

Tess (she/her) is a Literature and Contemporary Popular Music student at UWA, going into her second year. She is passionate about stories that centre human connection, whether that be in the form of film, television, literature, music, gaming or art! Interested in speculative fiction and genre-blending media, she is also focussed on amplifying queer stories and voices. In her spare time, she enjoys consuming anything zombie-related, jamming on her guitar and playing with her ratbag of a dog.

SUB-EDITOR: LITERATURE & CREATIVE WRITING

Alison Lane

Alison (she/her) is a PhD candidate in Gender Studies & English Literature at UWA. Her creative and theoretical work centres on feminist phenomenologies of appetite and love; with attention to the sensual, erotic and relational potentials of fleshy feminine embodiment. Alison is passionate about bringing a feminist sensibility to her scholarly practices. When she isn’t writing about food, she’s usually cooking it (preferably for a dinner party, whilst dancing in her kitchen!) or on the hunt for a new cookbook or art project to sink her teeth into.

SUB-EDITOR: LITERATURE & CREATIVE WRITING

Sophie Eppette

Sophie (she/her) is a writer, visual artist, and current undergraduate student majoring in History of Art & Fine Arts. She is interested in affectual theory that centres carnal hermeneutics to question aspects of our formed identities investigated through remembering and sensing. She has exhibited works at PSAS, The Corner Gallery, BRAG, and Cullity Gallery, amongst others. Sophie is a Woolf-head, adores her two cats, and enjoys nature walks.

SUB-EDITOR: MUSIC & PERFORMANCE

Darcy Lewis

Darcy (he/him) is an eclectic mix of artist and writer but primarily a composer of new music. Now a Masters of Architecture student, Darcy holds a Bachelor of Music with Honours in music composition and music technology and has established himself as an award-winning composer with works performed by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Sweden-based ensemble, Curious Chamber Players. Darcy’s practice explores music driven by the extra-musical and enjoys creating multidisciplinary works which push the physicality of the instrument and performer with the hopes to challenge audiences' perceptions of music. In his research, Darcy investigates the affect of scores on performers through graphic notation and changes of aesthetic using semiotics and heuristics. Beyond composing, Darcy is a reviewer for local independent arts magazine, Magazine 6000, and is passionate about driving local and emerging performance scenes. He likes coffee, reading and collecting second-hand books he will undoubtedly never read.

SUB-EDITOR: MUSIC & PERFORMANCE

Gen Allen

Gen (she/her) is a Bachelor of Science student at UWA, majoring in Botany & Conservation Biology. A big music nerd, she loves going to see local live acts and is passionate about the Perth music scene. Her band shirt collection is slowly getting out of hand and she loves nothing more than finding new artists. When not blowing all of her money on merch and tickets, you'll find Gen LARPing (dressing up as a wizard and hitting her friends with swords), trying to master barre chords and waiting for Ducks Ltd to announce an Australian tour.

SUB-EDITOR: POLITICS, CAMPUS AFFAIRS & VOICE

Chenelle Liyanage

Chenelle (she/her) is a Boorloo-based emerging researcher in Political Science & International Relations, whose work predominantly touches upon diasporic and cultural studies in South Asia. She has just completed her Bachelor of Arts at UWA and is commencing Honours at the beginning of the semester. Chenelle loves reading, playing the guitar, collecting vinyls, gardening, acting, and spending time outdoors, with her favourite summer activity being going for a swim at the Mosman Park Dog Beach, followed by dog watching on the shore.

SUB-EDITOR: POLITICS, CAMPUS AFFAIRS & VOICE

Chloe Laing

Chloe (she/her) is a first-year Bachelor of Arts student at the University of Western Australia, double majoring in Media & Communications and Political Science & International Relations. She has long been intrigued by politics and current affairs, particularly the overlooked stories and conversations that deserve greater space and attention. Chloe loves cake decorating, tarot, vintage shops, Italian Food and ABBA. Her favourite recent read as of late is Wild Swans by Jung Chang.

SUB-EDITOR: POLITICS, CAMPUS AFFAIRS & VOICE

Tamsyn Bruce

Tamsyn (she/her) is a postgraduate student majoring in Strategic Communications. Her passions lie in community initiatives, active citizenship, and the notion of purpose-over-profit with experience working within an international NGO, a youth disability organisation, and under the CEO of a leadership consultancy. In her spare time, Tamsyn can probably be found on the beach, playing UWA social netball, or trying a funky wine bar. After spending eight months studying abroad in Montreal and Calgary, she is looking forward to warmer weather and decent coffee!

SUB-EDITOR: SCIENCE & COMMUNICATION

Amrit Kaur

Amrit (she/her) is in the final year of her Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) at UWA. Driven by a passion for innovative storytelling at the intersection of design, technology, and science, she is particularly interested in exploring architecture through a technical lens. Having had her work exhibited in School of Design exhibitions, she plans to continue engaging with the architectural world through research and experimentation. Outside of her studies, she can usually be found reading or painting while listening to Taylor Swift or ABBA.

SUB-EDITOR: SCIENCE & COMMUNICATION

Fabien Ataziya

Fabien (he/him) is from Indonesia and is currently studying a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology at The University of Western Australia. His interest in marine biology has recently been sparked by learning more about the effects of human-induced climate change on the world, particularly that induced by early civilisations. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, playing video games, drawing and writing.

Write for Pelican

Curious about submitting to Pelican Magazine, but unsure where to start? We got you!

We've put together a comprehensive submissions guide that covers everything you need to know about what we are looking for, what we want to read and how to submit your work.

Learn More

ABOUT

Pelican Magazine is the editorially independent student publication of The University of Western Australia. Since 1930, we have provided a space for students to think, argue, create, question, and experiment.

​2026 Pelican Team

Meet The Team

Write for Pelican

2026 Pelican Team