An ongoing listing of literature-related events in Australia. Please note that dates may change; please check with the event. Feel free to contact me with additions and corrections.

Watch for: previously held or pending, with dates or information to be confirmed for current year (TBC).

 

2025: calendar available here

 

2024

Reach out (events lists):

• BUSH POETRY: The Australian Bush Poets Association maintains a list of events for bush poets, at times run in conjunction with other festivals.
• ROMANCE: Australian Romance Readers has a finger on the pulse of romance-related book events.
• MELBOURNE: Melbourne, as a City of Literature, has a calendar of events including workshops, launches and presentations.
• MELBOURNE: The Wheeler Centre in Melbourne has a busy program of author talks and panels year round.

Writers looking to hone their craft and connect with their peers, reach out to local groups. For example, some of my locals:

• BENDIGO, Vic: Bendigo Writers Council has monthly author talks
• GEELONG, Vic: Geelong Writers and Scribes Writers are active groups
• BALLARAT, Vic: Ballarat Writers holds monthly meetings

Also, try your state or district writers centres for contacts and support, and sign up to their newsletters. Industry body the Australian Association of Authors also may offer professional advice and connections.

WRITERS CENTRES (your first port of call for inquiries literary):

• Marion, ACT
• NSW WC (hosts 5 events in Boundless Festival Series, Sep-Dec 2023. Focus on Indigenous, culturally diverse. (Biennial))
• Hunter WC, NSW
• Outback WC, Orana, NSW
• New England WC, Armidale, NSW
• Varuna (Blue Mountains, NSW)
• NT WC
• QLD WC
• SA WC
• TAS WC
• VIC Writers
• WA WC
• Katharine Susannah Prichard WC, Perth, WA
• Rockingham WC, Rockingham, WA

January

NIL

February

Feb 10-11: Festival of the Photocopier and Zine Fair, Melbourne, VIC. Zines
Feb 17-25: Orange Banjo Paterson Festival, Orange, NSW. Bush poetry, Banjo.
Feb 22-23 (26-28 virtual): Beyond the Book Literature Festival (formerly Voices on the Coast), Sunshine Coast, QLD. Schools (YA, children’s) focus.
Feb 23-25: GenreCon, Brisbane, QLD. Romance, crime, spec fic – industry focus.
Feb 23-25: Perth Writers Weekend, Perth, WA. Gen. lit Part of Perth Festival.
Feb 28 – Mar 3: Glen Eira Storytelling Festival, Glen Eira, VIC. Series of events. Gen. lit.

March

Mar 2-7 : Adelaide Writers Week, Adelaide, SA. Gen. lit. Part of Adelaide Festival.
Mar 8-10:  Cairns Tropical Writers Festival, Cairns, QLD. Gen. lit. 
Mar 8-11: Port Fairy Folk Festival, Port Fairy, VIC. Musician cross-over, songwriters, poets.
Mar 14-16: Manly Writers Festival, Manly, NSW. Gen. lit.
Mar 14-17: Blak & Bright: The Victorian Indigenous Literary Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Indigenous.
Mar 14-23: Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival, various locations within Brimbank city, VIC. Gen. lit.
Mar 19: Read To Me Day, international. Share the love.
Mar 19-22: Emergence creative festival, Margaret River, WA. Multi-media, cross-disciplinary. (Biennial)
Mar 22-23: Tasmania Reads, Hobart, TAS. Gen. lit., poetry, plays.
Mar 23-24 : Clunes Booktown Festival, Clunes, VIC. Gen. lit.
Mar 25-27: Somerset Storyfest, Gold Coast, QLD. Children’s, YA, gen lit.

April

Apr 4-7: Oracles of the Bush, Tenterfield, NSW. Bush poetry.
Apr 5-7: Newcastle Writers Festival, Newcastle, NSW. General lit.
Apr 6-7: Supanova, Melbourne, VIC. Pop culture
Apr 11-14: Man from Snowy River Bush Festival, Corryong, VIC. Bush poetry.
Apr 19 – 5 May: Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, VIC. Things Shakespeare.
Apr 13-14: Supanova, Gold Coast, QLD. Pop culture.
Apr 20-21: Swancon, Perth, WA. Spec fic.
Apr 20-21: Writers at the Woolshed, Wagga Wagga, NSW. Environmental.
Apr 25-28: Sorrento Writers Festival, Sorrento, VIC. Gen. lit.

Watch for:

Queensland Poetry Festival, Brisbane, QLD. Poetry, spoken word.

May

May 6-10: ALIA National Conference, Adelaide, SA. Libraries.
May 11-12: Oz Comic-Con, Perth, WA. Pop culture.
May 9-12: Melbourne Writers Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit.
May 16-18: Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival, Penola and Coonawarra, SA. Gen. lit. stream.
May 17-18: Kyogle Readers and Writers Festival, Kyogle, NSW. Gen. lit.
May 17-19: Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, WA. Gen. lit.
May 17-19: Continuum, Melbourne, VIC. Spec fic, pop culture.
May 18-19 (online): KidLitVic, Melbourne, VIC. Kids and YA, industry.
May 19: Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA), Melbourne, VIC. Industry.
May 20-26: Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit.
May 22: National Simultaneous Storytime, national. Encouraging reading.
May 23-24: SWF Live and Local, livestreamed, Perth, WA. Gen lit.
May 23 — Jun 2: Melbourne Art Book Fair, Melbourne et al, VIC. Art/illustrated books.
May 24-25: Logan Writers Festival, Loganlea, QLD. Gen. lit
May 29 – 3 Jun: Words on the Waves, Central Coast, NSW. General lit.
May 30 — Jun 2: Brisbane Writers Festival, Brisbane, QLD. Gen. lit.

Watch for:

Storygig, Hobart, TAS. Children, YA
Derwent Valley Writers Festival, New Norfolk, TAS. Gen. lit.

June

Jun 1: Love YA, Brisbane, QLD. YA. Part of Brisbane Writers Festival. YA
Jun 1-2: Oz Comic-Con, Adelaide, SA. Pop culture.
Jun 7-9: Bellingen Writers Festival, Bellingen, NSW. Australian general lit.
Jun 7-10: Woodend Winter Arts Festival, Woodend, VIC. General lit.
Jun 8-9: Oz Comic-Con, Melbourne, VIC. Pop culture.
Jun 12-16: Winterwords, Beechworth, Stanley, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jun 14-16: Williamstown Literary Festival (Willy Lit Fest), Williamstown, VIC. General lit.
Jun 15-17: BookPeople Conference and Trade Exhibition (formerly Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) Conference and Trade Exhibition), Melbourne, VIC. Industry.
Jun 18-20: Outback Writers Festival, Winton, QLD. Gen. lit.
Jun 22-23: Supanova, Sydney, NSW. Pop culture.
Jun 22-23: Regional Writers Rise Festival, Traralgon, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jun 27-30: NT Writers Festival, Darwin, NT. Gen lit.
Jun 28-30: Words in Winter Central Goldfields, Maryborough et al, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jun 29-30: Supanova, Perth, WA. Pop culture.

Watch for:

Denmark Festival of Voice, Denmark, WA. Includes poetry, spoken word, readings, talks.

July

July 2-5: 4th Triennial Australian Literary Studies Convention, Sydney, NSW. Oz lit, academic.
July 6 (13-14 online): Children’s and Young Adult Writers and Illustrators (CYA) Conference, Brisbane. Children’s and YA
July 6-7: Telling Tales in Balingup, Balingup, WA. School kids 4-14.
July 10-12: Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, Mackay, QLD. Children, YA, schools.
Jul 13-14: South Coast Readers and Writers Festival, Thirroul, NSW. Gen lit
Jul 18-21: Mildura Writers Festival, Mildura, VIC. General lit.
July 25-27: Rare Book Fair, Melbourne, VIC. Collectables.
Jul 27-28: Perth Comic Arts Festival, Perth, WA. Comics.
July 29 – Aug 4: Library and Information Week, national. Libraries.

Watch for:

Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) Conference, Sydney, NSW. Oz lit, academic.
APT National Play Summit, Sydney, NSW. Playwriting

August

Aug 1-31: Poetry Month, national. Poetry.
Aug 3: Kimberley Writers Festival, Kununurra, WA. General lit.
Aug 3-4: Phillip Island Festival of Stories, Cowes, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 3-4: Australian Fairy Tale Society Annual Conference, Melbourne, VIC. Fairy tales.
Aug 4-18: StoryArts Festival Ipswich, Ipswich, QLD. Children’s.
Aug 9-10: QPoetry, Brisbane, QLD. Poetry.
Aug 9-11: Byron Bay Writers Festival, Byron Bay, NSW. Gen. lit.
Aug 16-18: Bendigo Writers Festival, Bendigo, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 16-18: Romance Writers of Australia Conference, Glenelg, SA. Romance
Aug 17-18: Mudgee Readers’ Festival, Mudgee, NSW. General lit.
Aug 17-21: Melbourne Jewish Book Week, St Kilda, VIC. Jewish literature.
Aug 17-23: Book Week, national school-based events hosted by Children’s Book Council of Australia.
Aug 21-25: Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, Sydney, NSW. Jewish.
Aug 21-25: Red Dirt Poetry Festival, Alice Springs, NT. Poetry, spoken word. (Biennial)
Aug 22-25: Dunkeld Writers Festival, Dunkeld, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 23-24: Local Word Writers Festival, Geelong, VIC. Regional writers, gen lit.
Aug 23-25: Words in Winter, Daylesford and surrounding towns, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 23 – Sep 8: Sonic Poetry Festival, Melbourne and others, VIC. Poetry, spoken word, performance
Aug 24-25: Oz Comic-Con, Canberra, ACT. Pop culture.
Aug 29-30: Australasian Medical Writers Association Annual Conference, Melbourne, VIC. Medical.
Aug 31: Capricon, Rockhampton, QLD. Steampunk, pop culture.

Watch for:

Australian Playwrights’ Festival, Paddington, NSW. Plays.
Orange Readers and Writers Festival, Orange, NSW. Gen. lit.

September

Sep 4: Indigenous Literacy Day, nationwide. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus.
Sep 5-15: Emerging Writers Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit
Sep 6-8: Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Port Fairy, VIC. Gen lit.
Sep 6-8: Western Port Writes, Somers et al, VIC. Gen lit.
Sep 11-15: Write Around the Murray, Albury, NSW. Gen. lit.
Sep 12-14: BAD: Sydney Crime Writers Online Festival, Sydney, NSW. Crime.
Sep 13-14: Bookfest: Goulburn Reader Writer Festival, Goulburn, NSW. Gen. lit.
Sep 13-15: Dubbo Writers Festival, Dubbo, NSW. Gen. lit, genre.
Sep 14-15: Oz Comic-Con, Brisbane QLD. Pop culture.
Sep 21-24: Oz Comic-Con, Sydney, NSW. Pop culture.
Sep 27-29: Northern Beaches Readers Festival, Avalon, NSW. Gen. lit.

Watch for: 

Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit., female focus.

October

Oct 1-20: Melbourne Fringe, Melbourne, VIC. Lit performance element.
Oct 3-18: Story Week, Sydney, NSW. Poetry, gen. lit.
Oct 4-7: Conflux, Canberra, ACT. Spec fic.
Oct 10-13: Tasmanian Poetry Festival, Launceston, TAS. Poetry.
Oct 10-13: Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival, Geraldton, WA. General lit.
Oct 11-14: Tamar Valley Writers Festival, Beaconsfield region, TAS. Gen. lit. (Biennial)
Oct 18-20: Headland Writers Festival, Tathra, NSW. Gen. lit.
Oct 18-27 (weekends): Queenscliffe Literary Festival, Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, VIC.  Gen. lit.
Oct 19-20: Book Links StoryArts Brisbane, Brisbane, QLD. Children’s, industry.
Oct 23-27: Canberra Writers Festival, Canberra, ACT. General lit.
Oct 24 – Nov 10: Oz Asia Festival, Adelaide, SA. Lit component.
Oct 25-27: Berry Writers Festival, Berry, NSW. Gen. lit.
Oct 25-27: HeadLand Writers Festival, Tathra, NSW. Gen. lit.
Oct 25-27: Asylumfest, Beechworth, VIC. Horror, dark fantasy.
Oct 26-28: Scribblers, Claremont, WA. YA, children’s.
Oct 27: Writers Group Convention, Brisbane, QLD. Writing.
Oct 31 – Nov 1: Once Upon a Festival, Adelaide, SA. School based, children’s, YA

November

Nov 1-3: Blue Mountains Writers Festival, Katoomba, NSW. Gen. lit.
Nov 2-3: Supanova, Adelaide, SA. Pop culture.
Nov 2-3: Book Fair Australia, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit., market
Nov 6-7: Inspired Readers Festival, Port Macquarie, NSW. Children’s, schools focus.
Nov 8-10: Australian Short Story Festival, Perth, WA. Short stories.
Nov 9: Giiyong Festival, Jigamy, NSW. Indigenous.
Nov 9-10: Supanova, Brisbane, QLD. Pop culture.
Nov 15-16: A Day in Carlton, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit. (website TBC)
Nov 22-24: Mountain Festival, Macedon, VIC. Gen. lit., nature and place focus.
Nov 24: Storytellers Festival, Fremantle, WA. Kids, YA focus but all ages.
Nov 27-29: Australasian Association of Writing Programs annual conference, Armidale, NSW. Academic.

Watch for:

Independent Publishing Conference, Melbourne, VIC. Indie publishing, inc. academic and student streams.
True Storytelling Festival, Coledale, NSW. Non-fiction.
untitled Literary Festival, Stonnington, VIC. Gen. lit.

December

Dec 7-8: Oz Comic-Con, Melbourne, VIC. Pop culture.

Watch for:

Hobart Writers Festival, Hobart, TAS. Gen. lit. (Biennial)
Two Fires Festival, Braidwood, NSW. Inspired by Judith Wright; activism and arts/lit. (Biennial)
Corrugated Lines, Broome, WA. Gen. lit.

2025: calendar available here

 

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