Bookshop, Library & Festival Events: August, 2025
| Date | Host | Details |
| 1st | Ink Bookshop Mansfield | Margaret Hickey in conversation: An Ill Wind Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mansfield |
| 2nd | Mary Martin Bookshop | Launch: Max and Baby by Vanesa Josevski Time: 11am Venue: Port Melbourne store |
| 1st & 2nd | BOOK FAIR | Rare Book Fair continues Venue: Wilson Hall, the University of Melbourne |
| 1st-3rd | FESTIVAL | Gippsland Writers Festival VIC Formerly known as StoryFest, the Gippsland Writers Festival continues to bring diverse lineups of storytellers to Yarram, in the heart of Gippsland. Guests include: Vicky Conley, Nikki Gemmell, Amy Han, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Alli Parker, Troy Hunter, Elli Marney, Tash Agafonoff, Siang Lu, RWR McDonald, Ella Ward, Mark Smith and more! |
| 1st-31st | Red Room Poetry Month August is Poetry Month – a national celebration of Australian poetry. | |
| 2nd | Lerderderg Library | Holly Brunnbauer What Did I Missi in conversation Time: 10am Venue: Bacchus Marsh Library |
| Readings | Launch of The Style Secrets of Gareth McGreen by Kelly Brodie-Brown and Natasha Carty Time: 11am Venue: Readings Kids | |
| Readings | Launch of My Nonno Loves by Adelle and Claudia Frittitta (HGK) Time: 2.00pm Venue: Readings Kids | |
| Readings | Andrew Fuller in conversation about his new book, Neuroadvantage Time: 2.00pm Venue: St. Kilda | |
| Stonnington Libraries | Gail Holmes In The Margins Time: 11am Venue: Phoenix Park Library, Malvern | |
| Sun Bookshop | Book Launch: Desert Tracks by Mely Wells & Linda Wells Time: 2pm Venue: in store, Yarraville | |
| Kingston Libraries | Author Talk: January Gilchrist, The Final Chapter Time: 11am Venue: Mentone Library | |
| Farrells Bookshop | Book Launch: Tiny Dancer by Patrick Guest Time: 3pm Venue: in store, Mornington | |
| FESTIVAL | Orange Readers and Writers Festival by Central West Libraries NSW Guests: Debra Oswald, Kyra Geddes, Mark Dapin, Dr Stephen Gapps, Jane Caro. The Festival is supported by Collins Booksellers, Orange. Venue: Hotel Canobolas, Orange | |
| FESTIVAL | Stella Day Out Canberra, ACT | |
| 4th | Readings | Jess Kitching in conversation about The Life Experiment (S&S) Time: 6.30pm Venue: State Library |
| Northern Books | Edmund Goldrick Anzac Guerillas Time: 6.00pm Venue: The Taproom, Castlemaine | |
| 5th | Readings | Dean Manning in conversation with Michael Dyer about Mr Blank (Puncher & Wattman) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| Paperback Bookshop | Salon Series: Michaela Sahhar Find Me at the Jaffa Gate Time: 6pm Venue: Bard’s Apothecary | |
| Wheeler Centre & Geelong Libraries | Adam Courtenay My Father Bryce Time: 6pm Venue: Geelong Library & Heritage Centre | |
| Heads and Tales Bookstore | Jock Serong in conversation Cherrywood Time: 12.30pm Venue: The Leopold Sportsman’s Club | |
| Dymocks Tooronga | First Tuesday Book Club featuring: January Gilchrist, Alli Parker, Genevieve Novak, Tom Trumble, Alli Sinclair, Grant Dooley, Luke Johnson, Lucy Treloar Time: 6.15pm Venue: Rivoli Camberwell | |
| Author Event | Jodie McAlister in convo An Academic Affair Time: 6.30pm Venue: Terroir Wine Bar, Richmond | |
| 6th | Great Ocean Reads | An Evening With Channel 7 Newsreader Mike Amor. News Cowboys is Mike’s new brave and moving book about being a foreign correspondent and the impact it had on his life and family. Time: 6pm Venue: Apollo Bay Hotel |
| Bayside Libraries | The White Feather Murders launch with Laraine Stephens Time: 6.30pm Venue: Beaumaris Library | |
| Readings | Paul Daley in conversation about his latest book, The Leap (S&S) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Patrick Marlborough in conversation with Evelyn Araluen about Nock Loose (Fremantle Press) Time: 6.30pm Venue: State Library | |
| Yarra Libraries | Poetry as Passage — An evening with Manisha Anjali and Autumn Royal Time: 6.30pm Venue: Fitzroy North Library | |
| Monash Libraries | Author Talk: Karen Brooks The Whisky Widow Time: 6.30pm Venue: Wheelers Hill Library | |
| Collins Moonee Ponds | Alli Parker Until the Red Leaves Fall in conversation Time: 6.30pm Venue: in store, Moonee Ponds | |
| BMI Ballarat | Chloe Adams The Occupation and Alli Sinclair A Woman’s Voice Time: 6pm Venue: BMI Library, Ballarat | |
| Collins Books Sale | Kelly Rimmer The Midnight Estate in convo with Lisa Ireland Time: 7pm Venue: Sale Library | |
| 7th | Readings | Launch of Isn’t It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things by Jessica Seaborn (Penguin) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Emporium |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Mellor Time: 6.00pm Venue: Chadstone | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Hailstones Fell without Rain by Natalia Figueroa Barroso (UQP) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Hear Murray Middleton in conversation about his new short story collection, U Want it Darker (Pan Mac) Time: 6.30pm Venue: State Library | |
| Benns Books | Leo Jahn I’ve Come To Talk With You Again in convo with Gayelene Carbis Time: 6.00pm Venue: in store, Bentleigh | |
| Dymocks Knox | Books in Bars: Alli Parker Until the Red Leaves Fall Time: 6.30pm Venue: Urban Alley Brewery, Knox | |
| Great Ocean Reads | Mike Amor News Cowboys in convo with Karen O’Sullivan Time: 6pm Venue: Apollo Bay Hotel | |
| Heads and Tales Bookstore & Geelong Libraries | Edmund Goldrick Anzac Guerrillas Time: 5.30pm Venue: Armstrong Creek Library | |
| Bookgrove | Luke Johnson – celebrate the launch of King Tide Time: 7pm Venue: OGSLSC | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars: Karen Brooks, The Whisky Widow Time: 6.30pm Venue: Ceres Distilling Co | |
| 8th | Readings | Celebrate the launch of In Spite of You by Patrick Lenton (Panterra Press) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton |
| Readings | Hear Riley Knight in conversation to discuss History’s Strangest Deaths (A&U) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Emporium | |
| 8th-10th | FESTIVAL | Byron Writers Festival NSW As Australia’s favourite regional meeting place of storytelling and ideas, Byron Writers Festival captivates with renowned authors, thought-provoking discussions and inspiring Workshops and Feature Events. |
| 9th | FESTIVAL | Kids and YA Festival by Writing NSW Writing NSW is pleased to announce that our 2025 Kids and YA Festival will return on Saturday 9 August, directed by one of Australia’s most popular authors for children, Jacqueline Harvey |
| The Kids Bookshop | Blokes, Kids and Books: featuring Adrian Beck Furball Time: 3pm Venue: instore, Mitcham | |
| 10th | Angelsea Community House & AIRAR | Stories, Soup and Sourdough Join us for a Literary Lunch fundraiser for women and girls living in Afghanistan run by AIRAR. Curated by Liz Steele and featuring Kate Mildenhall, Alli Parker, Rachel Morton and Kgshak Akec in conversation. Time: 12.15pm Venue: Anglesea Bowling Club |
| The Bookshop at Queenscliff | Book Launch – The Sea in the Metro by Jayne Tuttle Time: 4pm Venue: in store, Queenscliff | |
| 11th | Readings | Hear Tanya Scott in conversation with Jane Harper about Stillwater (A&U) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Emporium |
| 12th | Readings | Hear Jayne Tuttle in conversation about The Sea in the Metro (HG) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton |
| Mary Martin Bookshop | Author Mystery Night Time: 6.15pm – 7.30pm Venue: Mary Martin Bookshop, Queen Vic | |
| Wheeler Centre | Destiny: Writing from the Diaspora with Grace Yee, Kirsty Marillier, Tasneem Chopra & Carly Findlay Time: 7.00pm Venue: The Lawler, Southbank Theatre | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars: Holly Brunnbauer What Did I Miss and Tanya Scott Stillwater Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| Eltham Bookshop | Jane Sullivan Murder in Punch Lane & Peter Mitchell Under the Same Moon Time: 6.30pm Venue: in store, Eltham | |
| 13th | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Crimson Light Polished Wood by Monica Raszewski (Transit Lounge) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton |
| Book and Paper & Hobsons Bay Libraries | Jaclyn Crupi Planting for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies Time: 6.30pm Venue: Altona Library | |
| Hobsons Bay Libraries | Williamstown Launch: And Silently Falls the Snow by Klaus Schwarzenholz Time: 6.30pm Venue: Williamstown Library | |
| Stella Prize | Stella Day Out Darwin, NT We are thrilled to partner with Darwin Festival for Stella Day Out in August with guests Amy McQuire and Jess Ong. | |
| Merribek Libraries | Sophie Quick will discuss her novel The Confidence Woman Time: 6.30pm Venue: Brunswick Library | |
| 14th | Melbourne Jewish Book Week | Literary Dinner 2025: Esther Freud in conversation with Ramona Koval Time: 6.30pm Venue: Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club |
| Stella Prize | Stella Day out SYDNEY with Jumaana Abdu, Dr Mykaela Saunders, Randa Abdel-Fattah, Sarah M. Saleh Venue: Western Sydney Uni | |
| Readings | Madeleine Cleary The Butterfly Woman n conversation with Anne Freeman Time: 6.00pm Venue: Hawthorn (Affirm Press) | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of What It Feels Like: New and Selected Poems by Brendan Ryan Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Collins Booksellers on Lydiard | Holly Brunnbauer What Did I Miss Time: 6pm Venue: Old Colonists Club | |
| 15th | Readings | Hear Esther Freud in conversation about My Sister and Other Lovers Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton (Bloomsbury Press) |
| The Society of Womens Writers Victoria | Readers are Writers Workshop with Trish Bolton & Rachel Matthews Time: 11.15am Venue: ONLINE – Members Only | |
| 15th-16th | FESTIVAL | Currumbin Crime Writers Festival QLD Inaugural writers festival celebrating Australian crime & thriller fiction with writing workshops & special events |
| 15th-17th | FESTIVAL | Bendigo Writers Festival VIC Gather in the heart of Central Victoria to celebrate the art of writing and storytelling. Bendigo Writers Festival brings together writers, readers and creative thinkers from diverse backgrounds and genres for a range of events including panel discussions, keynote speakers, workshops, performances and book launches. |
| 15th-17th | FESTIVAL | Mudgee Readers’ Festival NSW The Mudgee Readers’ Festival — now in its thirteenth year — exists to share the joy of reading with our vibrant community. MRF is run by a passionate and dedicated team of volunteers, with essential support from Mid-Western Regional Council libraries. |
| 16th | Moonee Valley Libraries | Writing the Future: Author Q&A with Amie Kaufman Time: 2.30pm Venue: Flemington Library |
| Bayside Libraries | Writing Family History workshop with Alli Parker Time: 1pm – 3.30pm Venue: Sandringham Library | |
| Warrnambool Liibrary | Pip Williams The Bookbinder of Jericho Time: 1.00pm Venue: live on screen in the library | |
| 17th | Sun Bookshop | Amelia Mellor Oceanforged Pirate Workshop Time: 11am Venue: The Younger Sun, Yarraville |
| Eltham Bookshop | Zookeeper Talk with Noel Harcourt & Bev Drake For Keeps Time: 3.00pm Venue: Mummery Room, Edendale Farm, Eltham | |
| Fairfield Books | Miles Franklin winner book group – Ghost Cities, Siang Lu Time: 7.30pm Venue: In store | |
| 18th | Bayside Libraries | January Gilchrist The Final Chapter will be in convo with Kerryn Mayne Time: 6.30pm Venue: Beaumaris Library |
| Stella Prize | Stella Day Out MELBOURNE with Claire G Coleman, Emily Maguire, Maxine Beneba Clarke & Louisa Lim Time: 11.30am – 5pm Venue: Queen Vic Womens Centre | |
| 19th | Readings | Celebrate the launch of You & Me and the Peanut Butter Beast by Andy Griffiths! (Pan Macmillan) Time: 5.30pm Venue: Carlton |
| Monash Libraries | Author Talk: Des Tobin It’s In the Genes Time: 6.30pm Venue: Wheelers Hill | |
| Northern Books | Books at the Brewery: Saving The Dragons by Dianne Dempsey Time: 6.00pm Venue: The Taproom, Castlemaine | |
| 20th | Readings | Hear Stephen Whiteside in conversation about Pearl Bradshaw, the Princess of Hotham Time: 6.00pm Venue: Hawthorn |
| Frankston Libraries | FrankTALK with January Gilchrist The Final Chapter Time: 11am Venue: Frankston Library | |
| Darbein Libraries | Gail Holmes In the Margins Time: 6.30pm Venue: Northcote Library | |
| Greater Dandenong Libraries | Author Talk: Christian White The Ledge Time: 2.30pm Venue: Springvale Library | |
| Maribyrnong Library | Author Talk: January Gilchrist The Final Chapter Time: 6.30pm Venue: Bradmill Sales Office, Yarraville | |
| Moonee Valley Libraries | Author Talk: Melanie Cheng The Burrow Time: 7.00pm Venue: Sam Merrifield Library | |
| BMI Ballarat | Michael Robotham The White Crow Time: 6pm Venue: BMI Library | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars with Luke Johnson, King Tide Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| 20th-24th | FESTIVAL | Winterwords, Beechworth VIC Winterwords is so much more than a writers’ festival; it is five days of talking, listening, watching, and doing which aims to foster the celebration of words! |
| 21st | Book Grove | An evening with Michael Robotham and Mark Brandi Time: 6.30pm Venue: OGSLC |
| Hume Libraries & Sisters In Crime | Crime Writers’ Panel: Tania Chandler, Anna Snoekstra, Mandy Beaumont & Maryrose Cuskelly Time: 6.30pm Venue: Sunbury Library | |
| Merribek Libraries | Katherine Brabon Cure Time: 6.30pm Venue: Brunswick Library | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Once a Villain by Vanessa Len (A&U) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Emporium | |
| Readings | Hear Rod Halsted in conversation with Barrie Cassidy about Take my Advice, I’m not Using It! (A&U) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Bayside Libraries | Alison Booth Death at Booroomba in conversation with Muriel Cooper Time: 6.00pm Venue: Brighton Library | |
| Amplify Bookstore | Book Launch: Nebulous Vertigo by Belle Ling Time: 6.30pm Venue: instore, Peel Street, West Melbourne | |
| Novel Nook, Yarra Glen | Historical Fiction Event featuring Madeleine Cleary & Alli Parker Time: 6pm Venue: instore, Yarra Glen | |
| 22nd | ALIA & SLV | Book Week Soiree! Celebrate the 80th anniversary of Children’s Book Week at the State Library of Victoria with ALIA Victoria. Come dressed as a book character to celebrate the anniversary in true bookish style. There will be a costume catwalk and award for best costume, and well as drinks and delicious canapés. We will also be celebrating the inaugural Victorian Library and Information Awards (VLIA)* with the shortlisted candidates in attendance and the winner being presented with their bespoke Victorian trophy. Time: 6pm Venue: State Library Vitoria |
| 22nd-23rd | FESTIVAL | Local Word Geelong VIC Local Word brings our diverse local writing communities together through workshops, panel discussions, authors in-conversation and literary-themed social events. Guest authors include: Angela Savage, Luke Johnson, Kate Halfpenny, Miranda Luby, Gregory Day, Shokoofeh Azar, Rhee Davis, Jayne Tuttle, Fiona Lower, Alli Sinclair, Belinda Lyons-Lee, Tania Farrelly and more! |
| 22nd-24th | FESTIVAL | Eumundi Writers Festival QLD Join us in the beautiful noosa hinterland town of eumundi to celebrate writers, book illustrators and the written word. |
| 22nd-24th | FESTIVAL | Romance Writers of Australia – Winter Wonderland Conference Hobart, Tas |
| 22nd-24th | FESTIVAL | Winterwords, Beechworth, Vic |
| 23rd | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Music Camp by Penny Tangey (UQP) Time: 2.00pm Venue: Readings Kids |
| Blarney Books & Art | Jacinta Parsons in convo with Hilary Harper Time: 7pm Venue: in store, Port Fairy | |
| Torquay Books | Tanya Scott Stillwater in convo with Laura McCluskey Time: 2pm Venue: in store, Torquay | |
| CBCA_Vic | Children’s Book Week Festival with Anna Walker, Jess McGeachin, Angie Cui & Olivia Muscat Time: 10.30am – 3pm Venue: Fed Square Atrium, Melbourne | |
| 23rd-24th | CONFERENCE | Celebrate Reading Conference by The Literature Centre WA with Sally Rippin, Craig Silvey, Sofie Laguna, Cheryl Kickett-Tucker & more Venue: State Library of WA |
| 23rd-25th | FESTIVAL | Words In Winter Daylesford VIC Words in Winter is an annual literary and arts festival held in August each year in the Hepburn Shire and surrounding districts. |
| 24th | Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Locked Room by Adam Cece (PRH) Time: 2.00pm Venue: Readings Kids |
| 25th | Collins on Lydiard | Jacinta Parsons A Wisdom of Age Time: 6.00pm Venue: The Old Colonist’s Club, Ballarat |
| 26th | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Tenderfoot by Toni Jordan (Hachette) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton |
| Stonnington Libraries | Join award-winning author Christian White as he discusses his latest thriller, The Ledge Time: 6.30pm Venue: Malvern Library | |
| 27th | Yarra Libraries | Eden – Mark Brandi in conversation with Luke Beesley Time: 6.30pm Venue: Carlton Library with Fairfield Books |
| Stonnington Libraries | Des Tobin will chat about his latest book, It’s in the Genes – Australian Football Families Time: 5.30pm Venue: Malvern Library | |
| Merribek Libraries | Jaclyn Crupi Planting for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies Time: 1pm Venue: Glenroy Community Hib LIbrary | |
| GV Libraries | Stephen Whiteside Pearl Bradshaw Time: 10.30am, Mooroopna Library Time: 2.30pm, Violet Town Library | |
| Readings Books | LAUNCH: l Gus and the Burning Stones by Troy Hunter (Wakefield Press) Time: 6.30pm Venue: State Library | |
| Port Phillip Libraries | Tony Birch in conversation Women & Children Time: 6.30pm Venue: St. Kilda Library | |
| Geelong Libraries | Gail Holmes In The Margins Time: 5.30pm Venue: Ocean Grove Library | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars with Toni Jordan Tenderfoot Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| Novel Nook | Meg Bignell The Good Losers Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Yarra Glen | |
| Eltham Bookshop | Gillian Wills Big Music in convo with Anne Freeman Time: 6.30pm Venue: in store | |
| 28th | Readings | Alina Bellchambers in conversation with Amie Kaufman about The Weight of Crowns (Pan Macmillan) Time: 6.00pm Venue: Emporium |
| Readings | Launch event: The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Mark Mupotsa-Russell Time: 6.00pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Hetty Lui McKinnon in conversation with Besha Rodell about her new cookbook, Linger Time: 6.15pm Venue: Cinema Nova | |
| Readings | Holly Brunnbauer What Did I Miss in convo with Ali Berg & Michelle Kalus Lover Overdue Time: 6.30pm Venue: Hawthorn | |
| History Council Vic | Sheila Fitzpatrick Lost Souls: Soviet Displaced Persons and the Birth of the Cold War Time: 6pm Venue: Bards Apothecary | |
| Verso Books | Book Launch: Michael Veitch – Borneo: The Last Campaign Time: 6.30pm Venue: in store, Healesville | |
| Wangaratta Library | Gabriel Bergmoser High Rise Time: 6.30pm Venue: Wangaratta Library | |
| 28th-31st | FESTIVAL | Perth Poetry Festival State Library WA This will be the 20th annual Poetry Festival organised by WA Poets Inc and features invited national and local poets plus ample opportunities for public participation in a diverse program of free and low cost events. |
| 29th | Readings | Poetry Winter Warmers Join Kevin Brophy, Eloise Grills and Anne-Marie Te Whiu for an evening of poetry to warm your soul, hosted by Tim Loveday Time: 8.00pm Venue: Carlton |
| 29th | Ink Bookshop | Gabriel Bergmoser High Rise in conversation Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mansfield |
| 29th-31st | FESTIVAL | Dunkeld Writers Festival VIC 2025 will see the fourth annual writers festival in picturesque Dunkeld. |
| 30th | Readings | Celebrate the Melbourne launch of Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon Time: 2.00pm Venue: Readings Kids (Hardie Grant Kids) |
| Yarra Libraries | Planting for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies with Jaclyn Crupi Time: 10.30am Venue: Collingwood Library | |
| Your Library Ltd | Gail Holmes In the Margins Time: 6.30pm Venue: Rowville Library | |
| The Kids Bookshop Mitcham | The Big Book Party: with George Ivanhoee, Judith Rossell, Amelia Mellor & Lucinda Gifford Time: 3pm Venue: The Round, Nunawading | |
| Chestnut Tree Bookshop | Between the Lines: Storytelling Salon Time: 7.45pm Venue: in store, West Footscray | |
| Bookish Bendigo | Author Talk: Dr Hilary Caldwell Slutdom time: 2pm Venue: Emporium Creative Hub, Bendigo | |
| 31st | TD Strahan Author | Book launch: Wilder Zoo: Neeker and the Storm with Katherine Collette Time: 10am Venue: Melbourne Zoo |