Get ready, book worms! The 2025 Clunes Booktown Festival is set to return on 22 and 23 March, promising a weekend brimming with literary inspiration, author talks, and exciting events for all ages.
Now in its 19th year, this beloved festival will once again transform the picturesque main street of Clunes, just 36 km north of Ballarat, into a vibrant haven for book enthusiasts.
Clunes Booktown Festival
- When: 22 and 23 March
- Where: Clunes
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
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Festival Director Suzi Cordell says this year’s vibrant program explores the art of storytelling in all its diverse forms, with author talks on the power of the media, writing about music, sustainability, and the breakout genres of cosy crime and romantasy. “Along with author talks and workshops, more than 100 book stalls will offer up tens of thousands of second-hand, new and collectible books,” Suzi adds.
The 2025 edition will feature a range of exciting highlights, from author talks with literary icons to special events designed to engage the whole family. “The jam-packed weekend will also feature an Historical Walking Tour of Clunes, a Poetry Slam, an immersive Kids Village, and the return of Clunes’ legendary Hay Bale Maze,” says Suzi. Film buffs will also be in for a special treat, with a screening of the dystopian classic Mad Max in Clunes’ historic central garage, now known as The Tin Shed, where part of the film was actually shot.
One of the main draws of the festival will be author talks with two of Australia’s most iconic writers. Literary legend Helen Garner will discuss her latest book The Season, in which she follows her grandson’s under-16’s footy team. Helen’s sharp observations on ageing, family, masculinity, and the epic theatre of Australian football will be drawn out by author and critic Sean O’Beirne.
Kate Grenville, critically acclaimed author of The Secret River and The Idea of Perfection, will discuss her new memoir Unsettled: A Journey Through Time and Place with Jason Steger.
Sustainability is also a key theme of this year’s festival. “Sustainability in a Changing Climate: Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis, co-founder of Milkwood Kirsten Bradley, and co-founder of permaculture David Holmgren on the challenges of our rapidly changing climate and how we can adapt our gardens and our lifestyles in a more uncertain world,” says Suzi.
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Other unmissable events include:
- You Gotta Laugh: Dip into books shortlisted for the inaugural John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing, with judging panelist Lorin Clarke discussing why humour writing is hard and important.
- Aussie Road Trips: Heather Ewart spills the dirt on her travels around Australia hosting ABC TV’s Back Roads and writing her new book The Great Aussie Road Trip, with travel writer Tim Richards.
- Truth Telling: New Perspectives on Australian History: Authors Kate Grenville and Jane Harrison, along with historians Clare Wright and Amanda Laugesen, explore the reality behind Australia’s colonial myths.
Additionally, for fans of crime fiction and rom-com, cosy crime and romantasy will take center stage. “Cosy Crime: What makes us turn away from blood and gore and crave small towns, mysterious bookshops, and seaside resorts with eccentric characters?” Suzi adds, as Sisters in Crime’s Jacqui Horwood discusses the joys of cosy mysteries with Amanda Hampson and Aoife Clifford.
The festival will also highlight the importance of writing about music, with Kirsten Krauth, Thuy On, and Jordan Prosser sharing their expertise. “Spinning Discs: Music is both universal and deeply personal. So how can you effectively write about this intimate aural experience?” Suzi says, teasing a discussion that promises to inspire music and writing fans alike.
Other notable events include a session on neurodiversity, with Clem Bastow, Sarah Hayden, Jess Ho, and chair Kim Percy, and an exploration of First Nations languages with poets Jeanine Leane and Evelyn Araluen.
Festival entry is just $10 for adults (valid for both days), and free for children and locals. Author talks are priced at $25, and workshops at $30, with discounts available for multiple event tickets.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official website. Don’t miss out on this literary extravaganza—mark your calendars now!
