The capital of the Australian state of Victoria, Melbourne, is listed as a UNESCO Literary Cities, as it is the literary epicenter of the entire country. Melbourne is home to a multitude of writers, publishers, literary organizations, festivals and independent bookstores, and this is where Australia’s literary movement lives and breathes.
State Library of Victoria
This huge historical epicenter of Melbourne’s literary culture is Australia’s oldest library and one of the first free public libraries in the world. The State Library of Victoria, founded in 1854, features a beautiful white wood finish that houses a large number of books as well as works based on the history of Melbourne and Australia. The library rightfully attracts over a million visitors annually from all over the world, and there are always many free exhibition halls. Visit The Dome, an octagonal reading room that can hold up to 600 visitors and over a million books.
Melbourne Writers Festival
Dubbed “For All Who Reads,” this festival is a two-week annual event aimed at literary and intellectually curious people. The Melbourne Writers Festival, which takes place at the Wheeler Center, includes many discussions about literature and its role in relation to current affairs, politics, science, history, etc. Through storytelling, debate, debate, live performances, music. , and art. The festival has been running for over thirty years, is open to all ages, and over a third of the program offers are completely free! Plan ahead: The festival usually runs from mid-August to early September each year.