2025 Australian Literary Festival Calendar

An ongoing listing of literature-related events in Australia – offered without endorsement, so please do due diligence. 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).

>> For 2026 events, please check the 2026 calendar

2025

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, NSW
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 8: Festival of the Photocopier and Zine Fair, Melbourne, VIC. Zines
Feb 13-17: Orange Banjo Paterson Festival, Orange, NSW. Bush poetry, Banjo.
Feb 14-15: Blussh, Brisbane, QLD. Romance.
Feb 21-23 (inc. online): For the Love of Writing Literary Festival, Melbourne, VIC + online. Gen. lit. industry.
Feb 28 – Mar 2: GenreCon, Brisbane, QLD. Romance, crime, spec fic – industry focus.

March

Mar 1-6 : Adelaide Writers Week, Adelaide, SA. Gen. lit. Part of Adelaide Festival.
Mar 4-22 (weekends): Words Out West: Western Downs Readers and Writers Fest, Dalby & Chinchilla, QLD. Schools, gen. lit.
Mar 6-7: Scone Literary Festival, Scone, NSW. Gen. lit. (Biennial)
Mar 7-10: Port Fairy Folk Festival, Port Fairy, VIC. Musician cross-over, songwriters, poets.
Mar 13-22: Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival, various locations within Brimbank city, VIC. Gen. lit.
Mar 18-20 (online): ALIA Online Conference. Libraries.
Mar 19: Read To Me Day, international. Share the love.
Mar 22: A Romantic Rendezvous, Brisbane, QLD. Romance.
Mar 22-23 : Clunes Booktown Festival, Clunes, VIC. Gen. lit.
Mar 23: A Romantic Rendezvous, Sydney, NSW. Romance.
Mar 28-29: Festival of Stories, Aitkenvale/Townsville, QLD. Gen. lit.
Mar 28-30: Manly Writers Festival, Manly, NSW. Gen. lit.
Mar 29: A Romantic Rendezvous, Melbourne, VIC. Romance.
Mar 29-30: Supanova, Melbourne, VIC. Pop culture
Mar 30: A Romantic Rendezvous, Perth, WA. Romance.

April

Apr 1-3: Somerset Storyfest, Gold Coast, QLD. Children’s, YA, gen lit.
Apr 3-12: Hobart LitFest, Hobart, TAS. Gen. lit.
Apr 4-6: Newcastle Writers Festival, Newcastle, NSW. General lit.
Apr 5-6: Oz Comic-Con, Perth, WA. Pop culture.
Apr 10-13: Man from Snowy River Bush Festival, Corryong, VIC. Bush poetry.
Apr 12-13: Supanova, Gold Coast, QLD. Pop culture.
Apr 23 – May 4: Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, VIC. Things Shakespeare.
Apr 24-27: Sorrento Writers Festival, Sorrento, VIC. Gen. lit.
Apr 27: Greek Australian Writers’ Festival of Sydney, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit.

May

May 3-5: Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival, Maleny, Nambour, Mapleton, QLD. Gen. lit.
May 6-10: Centenary Literary Festival, Mentone, VIC. Gen. lit.
May 7: Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA), Melbourne, VIC. Industry.
May 8-11: Melbourne Writers Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit.
May 16-18: Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival, Penola and Coonawarra, SA. Gen. lit. stream.
May 16-18: Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, WA. Gen. lit.
May 16-18: Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival, Penola and Coonawarra, SA. Gen. lit. stream.
May 16-18: Melbourne Art Book Fair, Melbourne et al, VIC. Art/illustrated books.
May 19-25: Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit.
May 21: National Simultaneous Storytime, national. Encouraging reading.
May 22-25: Live and Local, Mudgee, NSW. Gen. lit. (Sydney Writers Festival add-on)
May 23-24: York Regional Writers Weekend, York, WA. Gen. lit.
May 28 – Jun 1: Words on the Waves, Central Coast, NSW. General lit.
May 29 – Jun 1: NT Writers Festival, Mparntwe/Alice Springs, NT. Gen lit.
May 30 – Jun 1: Capricorn Coast Writers Festival, Yeppoon, QLD. Gen. lit.
May 30 – Jun 1: Words in Winter Central Goldfields, Maryborough et al, VIC. Gen. lit.
May 31: KidLitVic, Melbourne, VIC. Kids and YA, industry.
May 31 – Jun 1: Oz Comic-Con, Adelaide, SA. Pop culture.
May 31 – Jun 1: Swancon, Perth, WA. Spec fic.

June

Jun 6-8: Bellingen Writers Festival, Bellingen, NSW. Australian general lit.
Jun 6-9: Woodend Winter Arts Festival, Woodend, VIC. General lit.
Jun 7-8: Oz Comic-Con, Melbourne, VIC. Pop culture.
Jun 14: Literary Allsorts: Kyogle Readers and Writers Mini-Festival, Kyogle, NSW. Gen. lit. (Biennial)
Jun 14-15: Australian Fairy Tale Society Annual Conference, Sydney, NSW. Fairy tales.
Jun 14-16: BookPeople Conference and Trade Exhibition (formerly Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) Conference and Trade Exhibition), Brisbane, QLD. Industry.
Jun 19-22: StoryFest, Milton region, NSW. Gen. lit.
Jun 20-22: Williamstown Literary Festival (Willy Lit Fest), Williamstown, VIC. General lit.
Jun 20-28: Q-Lit Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit., LGBTQIA+ focus
Jun 21-22: Supanova, Sydney, NSW. Pop culture.
Jun 21-22: Regional Writers Rise Festival, Traralgon et al, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jun 21 – Jul 12: Glen Eira Storytelling Festival, Glen Eira, VIC. Series of events. Gen. lit.
Jun 27-28: Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival, Sydney, NSW. Gen. lit., female focus.
Jun 27-30: Readers and Writers, Reef to Range, Ravensthorpe & Hopetoun, WA. Gen. lit.
Jun 27 – Jul 13: Warrnambool Storytelling Festival, Warrnambool, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jun 28-29: Supanova, Perth, WA. Pop culture.

July

Jul 1-4: Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL) Conference, Adelaide, SA. Oz lit, academic.
Jul 5-6: South Coast Readers and Writers Festival, Thirroul, NSW. Gen lit
Jul 12-13: Perth Comic Arts Festival, Perth, WA. Comics.
Jul 12-13: Telling Tales in Balingup, Balingup, WA. School kids 4-14.
Jul 12-13: All Booked Out, Ballarat, VIC. Self-publishing, indie, gen. lit.
Jul 16-18: Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival, Mackay, QLD. Children, YA, schools.
Jul 17-27: Willoughby Literary Festival, Willoughby, NSW. Gen. lit.
Jul 19-20 (online), Jul 26-27: Children’s and Young Adult Writers and Illustrators (CYA) Conference, Brisbane. Children’s and YA
Jul 23-25: IPEd national editors conference. Adelaide, SA. Editing, industry. (Biennial)
Jul 25-27: Apollo Bay Wordfest, Apollo Bay, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jul 25-27: Phillip Island Festival of Stories, Cowes, VIC. Gen. lit.
Jul 25-27: Southern Highlands Writers Festival, Bowral, NSW. Gen. lit.
Jul 28 – Aug 3: Library and Information Week, national. Libraries.
Jul 30 – Sep 3: Poetry Month, national. Poetry.
Jul 31 – Aug 2: Rare Book Fair, Melbourne, VIC. Collectables.

August

Aug 1-3: Gippsland Writers Festival, various, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 1-2: Orange Readers and Writers Festival, Orange, NSW. Gen. lit.
Aug 2: Mack Popcon, Mackay, QLD. Pop culture, writer stream.
Aug 8-10: Byron Bay Writers Festival, Byron Bay, NSW. Gen. lit.
Aug 9: Kids & YA Festival, Sydney, NSW. Kids, YA. (Biennial)
Aug 9-10: Oz Comic-Con, Canberra, ACT. Pop culture.
Aug 15-16: Currumbin Crime Writers Festival, Currumbin, QLD. Crime.
Aug 15-17: Bendigo Writers Festival, Bendigo, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 16-17: Mudgee Readers’ Festival, Mudgee, NSW. General lit.
Aug 16-23: Children’s Book Week, national school-based events
Aug 20-24: Winterwords, Beechworth, Stanley, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 22-23: Local Word Writers Festival, Geelong, VIC. Regional writers, gen lit.
Aug 22-24: Romance Writers of Australia Conference, Hobart, TAS. Romance
Aug 22-24, 29-31: Words in Winter, Daylesford and surrounding towns, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 29-31: Dunkeld Writers Festival, Dunkeld, VIC. Gen. lit.
Aug 30: Capricon, Rockhampton, QLD. Steampunk, pop culture.

September

Sep 3: Indigenous Literacy Day, nationwide. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander focus.
Sep 10-14: Write Around the Murray, Albury, NSW. Gen. lit.
Sep 11-13: BAD: Sydney Crime Writers Online Festival, Sydney, NSW. Crime.
Sep 11-18: Emerging Writers Festival, Melbourne, VIC. Gen. lit
Sep 12-14: Port Fairy Literary Weekend, Port Fairy, VIC. Gen lit.
Sep 12-14: Papercuts Comics Fest, Adelaide, SA. Comics. (Biennial)
Sep 13-14: Oz Comic-Con, Brisbane QLD. Pop culture.
Sep 18-19: Australasian Medical Writers Association Annual Conference, Sydney, NSW. Medical.
Sep 18-19: Emergence creative festival, Margaret River, WA. Multi-media, cross-disciplinary. (Biennial)
Sep 20-21: Oz Comic-Con, Sydney, NSW. Pop culture.
Sep 20-22: Writers Assemble!, Adelaide, SA. Gen. lit.
Sep 30 – Oct 19: Melbourne Fringe, Melbourne, VIC. Lit performance element.

October

Oct 3-6: National Young Writers Festival, Newcastle, NSW. Focus on writers 18-35.
Oct 3-6: Conflux, Canberra, ACT. Spec fic.
Oct 9-12: Brisbane Writers Festival, Brisbane, QLD. Gen. lit.
Oct 5 — Nov 5: Sydney Jewish Writers Festiva l, Sydney, NSW. Jewish, outdoor poetry focus in 2025.
Oct 10-12: Tasmanian Poetry Festival, Launceston, TAS. Poetry.
Oct 11-26: Story Week, Sydney, NSW (primarily; some satellite programs). Poetry, gen. lit.
Oct 17-18: Dandenong Ranges Literary Festival, Belgrave. VIC. Gen. lit.
Oct 17-19: Headland Writers Festival, Tathra, NSW. Gen. lit.
Oct 17-26: Queenscliffe Literary Festival, Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, VIC. Gen. lit.
Oct 18: Lines in the Sand, Maryborough and Hervey Bay, QLD. Gen. lit.
Oct 18-19: Festival of Fiction, Joondalup, WA. Gen. lit.
Oct 22-26: Canberra Writers Festival, Canberra, ACT. General lit.
Oct 24-26: Asylumfest, Beechworth, VIC. Horror, dark fantasy.
Oct 24-26: Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival, Geraldton, WA. General lit.
Oct 26: Writers Group Convention, Brisbane, QLD. Writing.
Oct 30-31: Once Upon a Festival, Adelaide, SA. School based, children’s, YA
Oct 31 – Nov 2: Blue Mountains Writers Festival, Katoomba, NSW. Gen. lit.

November

Nov 1-2: Supanova, Adelaide, SA. Pop culture.
Nov 1-2: Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) Conference, Sydney, NSW. Historical fiction. (Biennial)
Nov 7-9: Sunshine Coast Fiction Festival, Maroochydore, QLD. Gen. lit.
Nov 7-9: Oz Asia Festival Weekend of Words, Adelaide, SA. Gen. lit., Asian/Asian Australian focus.
Nov 7-9: Supanova, Brisbane, QLD. Pop culture.
Nov 11-13: Inspired Readers Festival, Port Macquarie, NSW. Children’s, schools focus.
Nov 21-23: Australian Short Story Festival, Adelaide, SA. Short stories.
Nov 22: Giiyong Festival, Jigamy, NSW. Indigenous.