At the edge of the world, Australia’s island state has become one of the world’s most compelling destinations for literary travellers. Home to one of UNESCO’s newest Cities of Literature, Hobart has added another remarkable chapter to its story, with the opening of the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona)’s extraordinary new library – the Phrontisterion vast subterranean “thinkery” housing one of Australia’s most significant private collections of rare books and literary treasures.
Hidden beneath Mona’s sandstone galleries, the Phrontisterion brings together Shakespeare’s First Folio, Sir Isaac Newton’s Opticks, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and handwritten lyrics by David Bowie among thousands of rare books and cultural artefacts collected over decades by museum founder David Walsh.
The opening comes at a time when literary tourism is reshaping the way people travel. Euronews recently named literary travel among 2026’s defining tourism trends, describing destinations connected to books, authors and literary culture as ‘powerful travel motivations’ for a new kind of traveller. Expedia’s ‘Unpack ’26’ report also identified the rise of ‘readaways’ – slower escapes curated specifically for booklovers seeking meaningful, immersive experiences.
nipaluna/Hobart became a UNESCO City of Literature in 2023 – joining Edinburgh, Dublin and Melbourne in a global network recognising cities where literature shapes civic life. The designation reflects a literary tradition spanning more than 40,000 years of Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) storytelling, through to Australia’s earliest works of fiction, internationally acclaimed authors, independent publishers, thriving bookshops and now one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most remarkable new libraries.
Tourism Tasmania CEO Sarah Kingston Clark – “As one of only two UNESCO Cities of Literature in Australia, Hobart offers travellers time, space and genuine connection – whether in our bookshops and libraries, at our festivals, or through the landscapes and cultural experiences that inspire so many of our storytellers.”
“And right across Tasmania, visitors can immerse themselves in the island’s creative spirit – from First Nations–led walks and history tours to quaint bookshops, historic libraries, quiet gardens, world class culinary experiences, and stays designed for slow, intentional travel. Drifting just off Australia’s mainland, Tasmania gives travellers the breathing room to pause, unwind and get lost in a great book.”
Below, Tourism Tasmania presents a curated collection of literary experiences inviting travellers to discover why Hobart has earned its place as a UNESCO City of Literature and why Tasmania is becoming one of the world’s most rewarding destinations for book lovers.
Mona’s Phrontisterion
Mona – Museum of Old and New Art (Phrontisterion) – Berriedale, Hobart – Southern Tasmania
David Walsh grew up just down the road from where Mona now sits on the banks of the River Derwent. As a boy, he read the entirety of the Glenorchy City Library in Dewey Decimal order. The Phrontisterion is what came next: a subterranean ‘thinkery’ opened on 21 June 2026 beneath Anselm Kiefer’s monumental concrete amphitheatre Elektra, connected to the museum by tunnels carved through sandstone. Inside, Walsh’s personal collection of rare books, historic manuscripts and maps lines the shelves. The wing also houses Julian Charrière’s permanent installation Breathe and his exhibition Hard Core, running until April 2027. Mona continues to inspire literary visitors and authors alike from afar, with acclaimed Tasmanian author Heather Rose’s novel The Museum of Modern Love heavily featuring the museum amidst its pages.
Immersive Storytelling Beyond the Page
MACq 01 Hotel and experiences – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Set on Hobart’s historic waterfront, MACq 01 is Australia’s first dedicated storytelling hotel, where every corridor, room and artwork draws on characters and tales from Tasmania’s past. Historical artefacts and narrative details are woven throughout the property, creating a stay that feels both contemporary and deeply rooted in place. Its Hidden Hobart Viewfinder Tour takes visitors through the city using retro viewfinders to reveal the Hobart Town that exists just beneath the surface. The 90-minute walk moves from the Wapping district through the civic heart to Salamanca, led by trained storytellers. The hotel’s 114 Doors Tour explores the corridors and artworks of the building itself, and its Gin Tales pairs the same characters with a flight of bespoke gins. Finally, The Story Bar offers a lively meeting point for travellers and locals, with a curated list of draught beers, fine wines and Tasmanian spirits.
Henry Jones Art Hotel and experiences – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Set in the former IXL jam factory on Hobart’s waterfront, Henry Jones is Australia’s first dedicated art hotel, where 400 works by Tasmanian artists line the corridors alongside the story of Sir Henry Jones’ rise from convict stock to jam baron. Its Henry Jones Art Tour, hosted by the hotel’s Art Curator or its Story Tellers, explores the corridors of the hotel, explaining the contexts of the artworks and the history etched into the fabric of its heritage buildings, with a glass of wine or beer as the narrative unfolds. The tour runs most days from 4pm and is complimentary for in-house guests. Afterwards, the IXL Long Bar offers a fitting nightcap – a Tasmanian-heavy wine and spirits list, live jazz, and flaming cocktails inspired by Jerry Thomas, author of the first bartending book, in a room built on the site of a 19th-century jam empire.
Ghost & History Tours – Port Arthur Historic Site, Southern Tasmania
Port Arthur’s guided walks trace the lives of convicts, soldiers, shipbuilders and families who shaped this 19th-century penal settlement, offering an engaging introduction to one of Australia’s most significant UNESCO World Heritage–listed sites. With the area naturally invoking storytelling, Marcus Clarke’s For the Term of his Natural Life was set in this engaging landscape. After dark, the 90-minute lantern-lit ghost tour gives rare night-time access to its preserved buildings and ruins, adding atmosphere as guides share stories and long-standing legends tied to the site’s complex past.
wukalina Walk – Bay of Fires & Mt William National Park, East Coast
A multi-day cultural experience led by palawa guides, the wukalina Walk offers a grounded introduction to Tasmanian Aboriginal history, knowledge and connection to Country. As an Aboriginal-owned and operated tour, it provides travellers with meaningful insight into the landscapes of wukalina/Mount William and larapuna/Bay of Fires, with guides sharing stories, traditional ecological knowledge and the cultural significance of native plants and bush foods along the way. Time spent in the purpose-built coastal huts adds comfort and context to the journey, making the walk one of Australia’s most informative and immersive First Nations cultural experiences.
Women’s History Tours – Cascades Female Factory – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
At the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Cascades Female Factory, guided tours trace the experiences of the thousands of women and children who lived and worked within its walls during the convict era. The site hosts several tours that blend theatre with archival accounts, bringing to life the real narratives of female inmates in the very yards where their stories unfolded. Together, the history walks and dramatic re-tellings provide a powerful, thoughtfully rendered perspective on one of Australia’s most significant women’s history sites.
Libraries, Archives and Collections
State Library of Tasmania – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
In the heart of Hobart sits a cultural anchor that is equal parts sanctuary and time capsule. The State Library of Tasmania brings the island’s past into sharp, intimate focus through its Tasmaniana Collection – a vast holding of manuscripts, old newspapers, maps and ephemera that trace Tasmania’s evolution in remarkable detail. Light-filled reading rooms and beautifully preserved heritage reading room offer an elegant contrast to the depth of its archives, inviting travellers to pause, linger and absorb the stories that shaped Australia’s only island state.
Allport Library & Museum of Fine Arts – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
The Allport Library blends rare books, Georgian furniture, delicate china and early Tasmanian photography into a refined, museum-like setting. Its curated exhibitions – often pairing historical materials with contemporary Tasmanian writers and artists – create a thoughtful dialogue across time, turning each visit into a discovery of both past and present.
TasWriters – Davey Street, Hobart, Southern Tasmania
The Tasmanian Writers Centre, rebranded TasWriters in 2018, was among the founding partners of Hobart’s UNESCO City of Literature bid and forms part of the working literary infrastructure that takes the designation far beyond just ceremonial. It runs programs for emerging and established writers and maintains a database of published Tasmanian authors. For literary travellers curious about the people behind the books, TasWriters hosts literary events across the city open to all visitors.
State Library & Archives of Tasmania – Launceston, Northern Tasmania
Launceston’s newest cultural landmark is a sleek, light-drenched library and archive offering a compelling gateway into Tasmania’s northern stories. Opened in 2025, the building houses everything from 19th-century family papers to evocative photographic collections and region-defining maps. The community history research room, a favourite among genealogists and curious travellers alike, adds depth and purpose to any visit, making it an inspiring stop for those exploring the quieter, character-rich north.
Hobart Library – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Set just moments from Hobart’s cafés, galleries and waterfront, this city library offers a serene pause from the capital’s creative pulse. Inside, bright public spaces, curated displays of Tasmanian history and shelves of contemporary local literature capture the everyday rhythm of this UNESCO City of Literature. The relaxed mezzanine, a favourite spot for travellers catching their breath between adventures, is perfect for settling in with a book or simply watching the city drift by below.
Literary festivals
Tamar Valley Writers Festival – Tamar Valley, Northern Tasmania
Set in the rolling vineyard country of the Tamar Valley, the biannual Tamar Valley Writers Festival returns from 16–19 October 2026, bringing some of Australia’s most compelling voices to one of Tasmania’s most scenic regions. Since its debut in 2014, the festival has welcomed an impressive roster of writers, thinkers, podcasters, critics, journalists, playwrights and poets, creating a rich cultural gathering far from the mainland’s big-city circuits.
Island Readers and Writers Festival – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Held annually around May/June, the festival brings a vibrant celebration of literature, storytelling and creative connection to the heart of Hobart. Led by Island – Tasmania’s influential literary organisation since 1979 – and shaped in partnership with cultural and education institutions across the state, the four-day program spans intimate in-conversations, smart panels, hands-on workshops, readings and live performances. With acclaimed writers sharing the stage with fresh new voices, the festival will offer a sweeping, contemporary snapshot of Tasmania’s literary culture.
Book Nooks, Stays and Places for ‘Readaways’
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens – Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Hobart’s Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens provide one of the city’s most tranquil settings for settling into a book, with 14 hectares of varied landscapes that include heritage plantings, shaded lawns and winding, secluded pathways. Free to enter and open daily, the gardens offer readers ample space to find a quiet corner beneath centuries-old trees or within sight of the Japanese Garden, the conservatory or even the world-unique Subantarctic Plant House.
The Pavilions at Mona – Berriedale, Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Eight architecturally distinct pavilions set on a private peninsula on the Derwent River, next to Mona (Museum of Old and New Art). Designs range from glass cubes to pavilions cantilevered over the water, each furnished with artworks from Mona’s collection and pieces by Tasmanian makers and designers including Philippe Starck. Guests receive priority access to Mona, a Moorilla wine tasting and breakfast at The Source restaurant.
Stillwater Seven – Launceston, Northern Tasmania
Seven suites set in a restored 1830s flour mill on the banks of the Tamar River, a short walk from Launceston’s CBD and Cataract Gorge. Rooms are furnished by Tasmanian craftspeople and stocked with local produce, wine and spirits, with the award-winning Stillwater Restaurant on site. The team also tailors books and magazines to each guest’s interests, ready in the room on arrival.
Vipp Tunnel – Bruny Island, Southern Tasmania
Set along 400 metres of Bruny Island shoreline, Vipp Tunnel offers an off-grid retreat designed for slow living and uninterrupted reading. Its sculptural brutalist form, curated interiors and shifting lightwells create a calm, contemplative atmosphere, while the site’s woodfire, outdoor bath and expansive views across the channel encourage long, restorative pauses. A short bushwalk leads to The Studio, a minimalist creative space built for solitude, reflection and deep focus – an ideal spot for readers seeking quiet, space and inspiration on Tasmania’s rugged edge.
Bookshops
Fullers Bookshop – Collins Street, Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Established in 1920 and holding space as Hobart’s oldest independent bookstore, Fullers was part of the working group that secured Hobart’s UNESCO City of Literature designation, which says something about its place in the city’s literary ecosystem. The Collins Street shop has a deep Tasmaniana section, a year-round calendar of author events and readings, and a small publishing arm that releases a select number of Tasmanian titles each year. Richard Flanagan – whose novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North won the 2014 Booker Prize – has described the owners as “book people before they are business people”.
The Book Cellar – Campbell Town, Heritage Highway, Northern Tasmania
Tucked beneath an original 1830s coaching inn, The Book Cellar is one of the Midlands’ most atmospheric stops for readers. Recognised internationally as one of the ‘150 Bookstores You Need to Visit Before You Die’, it offers a beautifully restored, stone-walled underground space lined with new, used and distinctly Tasmanian titles. With its own coffee bar and a warmly curated feel, it’s an essential detour for book lovers exploring the region – just a 50-minute drive from Launceston.
Hobart Bookshop – Salamanca Square, Hobart, Southern Tasmania
Situated in Salamanca Square, the Hobart Bookshop carries new releases alongside a curated range of pre-loved titles and an extensive Tasmanian writing section covering art, history, natural science and fiction. It hosts a variety of authors from self-published first-timers to prize-winners – and treats them with the same welcome. It also claims the largest children’s book collection in Tasmania.
Cracked and Spineless – Collins Street, Hobart, Southern Tasmania
The name speaks for itself. Cracked and Spineless occupies a spot in the Imperial Arcade with stacks arranged in the kind of improvised order that rewards patience. Second-hand stock runs from noir and cult fiction to forgotten Australian classics and Tasmanian regional histories, island memoirs and general fiction set on the island. Cracked and Spineless was one of the six Hobart bookshops which joined the 2026 Global Book Crawl.
