The Bookshop at Queenscliff

Book Swap

Bring a book to pass on, hand it over on arrival to be wrapped, and get a note card in return to describe its genre and vibe. Browse the cards, pick a mystery book, unwrap it, and mingle over what you got. New or secondhand, any condition. Come solo or bring a friend.

Queenscliff Town Hall

The Fitzroy Diaries Live!

Join in the fun as the beloved ABC podcast series is performed like an old-fashioned radio play: script-in-hand, in front of a live audience. Performed by original cast members and narrated by writer and Fitzroy Diaries creator Lorin Clarke. Featuring cameos from Judith Lucy, Kaz Cooke and Shaun Micallef.  Audience participation on a hands-up basis!

Wirrng Wirrng (Queenscliffe Hub)

WORKSHOP: Writing Memoir with Lorin Clarke

What makes a memoir unforgettable? Join broadcaster, best-selling memoirist, podcast creator and filmmaker Lorin Clarke for an inspiring, hands-on workshop exploring the art of turning lived experience into compelling stories. Discover how to find the moments that matter, shape your voice, unlock your memories and transform personal experience into powerful, engaging memoir. 

Queenscliff Town Hall

Shaun Micallef is Talented as Hell

Comic virtuoso and master interviewer Shaun Micallef has the spotlight turned back on himself for once, taking us on a lively romp through his extraordinary career, his reading life and two very different 2026 releases: the madcap vampire novel De’Ath Takes a Holiday and a work of non-fiction, Matthew Flinders: a definitive and indisputable history of the man who mapped Australia. With Francis Leach.

Queenscliff Town Hall

First Knowledge, First Inventors

Leading Indigenous thinkers Tristan Kennedy and Billy Griffiths explore their powerful new books, Nothing About Us Without Us and The First Inventors, revealing the extraordinary depth of 65,000 years of Indigenous innovation, knowledge and ingenuity. Together, they explore how First Nations knowledge has endured and thrived in a world shaped by Western ways of thinking. With Francis Leach.

Queenscliff Town Hall

Let’s Get Criminal

Get inside the minds of two of Australia’s bestselling crime writers. Chris Hammer and Sarah Bailey reveal the secrets behind gripping plots, unforgettable characters and atmospheric settings, as they reveal their latest page-turners Full Circle and Click. They’ll also lift the lid on the thrills—and the risks—of seeing a story brought to life on screen. With Mark Smith.

Queenscliff Town Hall

Well Well Well, it's Judith Lucy!

Comedy legend Judith Lucy takes a hilarious, irreverent look at our complicated obsession with wellness. After burnout left her feeling ‘like a used nappy’, Judith embarked on a quest to feel better. From wellness fads to questionable remedies, she shares the misadventures and hard-won insights behind her riotous new book Well, Well, Well, asking: in our relentless pursuit of wellbeing, are we actually making ourselves feel worse? With Elizabeth McCarthy.

Presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre and supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

TARRA Queenscliff

Celebrating Spooky Ladies with Kaz Cooke

Get ready for an early Halloween with writer and chronicler of women’s lives Kaz Cooke as she reveals the rebellious women featured in her new book Spooky Ladies: Rebels, Witches, Mediums and Magic. From séances to prophecies, miracle work to mind-reading, discover the women who harnessed wit, spectacle and the supernatural to defy convention, court scandal and captivate the world. Dress up—prizes will be awarded to the best dressed spooky ladies!  With Lorin Clarke.

Dress up — prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed spooky ladies!

Queenscliff Town Hall

STELLA: A New Australian Musical—a night of song with the artists

In June 2026, composer/lyricist Monique diMattina brought the extraordinary life story of Stella Miles Franklin to the stage in the acclaimed World Premiere of STELLA: A New Australian Musical. In this intimate concert, Monique and cast/band members share selected songs from STELLA, with behind-the-scenes gossip on the making of the show. Why did Miles Franklin hate her debut novel, My Brilliant Career? Did Banjo Paterson really invite her to Fiji? How many hats can five people wear in a two-hour musical? Join us for the songs, the stories and the glorious chaos of turning Stella’s life into a musical.

Presented in collaboration with Queenscliff Music Festival

Queenscliff Town Hall

Join in the Chorus

Come along for a joyful, feel-good singalong with Monique DiMattina, creator of STELLA: A New Australian Musical. Monique will lead everyone through a fun mix of familiar songs you already know and love—so there’s no need to rehearse or worry about getting the words right. Just bring your voice and join in! Everyone welcome.

Queenscliff Town Hall

Provocations: Has Australia’s Social Media Ban for Children worked?

One year on, our expert panel will weigh the wins, the drawbacks and what comes next. Has the world-first social media ban for children delivered on its promise, or should it be scrapped, strengthened or fine-tuned? Tackling one of the most contentious issues facing families and children today will be our panel Virginia Trioli, Dr Lelia Green, and Dr Lisa Given. With Dr Dylan Bird. 

Presented in partnership with RMIT University

Wirrng Wirrng (Queenscliffe Hub)

Small Town, Big Story

Authors Chris Hammer, Allee Richards and Leah Swann explore the dark side of Australia’s coastal towns, where stunning landscapes conceal secrets, violence and buried truths. Their gripping novels take us from idyllic seaside communities to sinister discoveries, asking why these remote coastal places make such perfect spots to bury bodies and uncover secrets. With Bella Lloyd. 

Queenscliff Town Hall

In a Class of His Own: It’s Andy Griffiths!

For our final 2026 festival event, get ready for a big, bookish burst of fun! Australian Children’s Laureate Andy Griffiths is passionate about connecting children to the power of books, reading and literacy. He’ll bring his unstoppable energy, wild imagination and signature humour to this lively, interactive session for kids, families and passionate readers of all ages. Expect hilarious stories, brilliant ideas, creative chaos and plenty of audience participation!

Presented in partnership with Geelong Regional Libraries.