Clunes

Be assured of a good read in Clunes, on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung people and one of only 15 internationally recognised Booktowns in the world. Take a stroll down Fraser Street to take in the impeccably preserved gold rush architecture and visit during festival time to mix it with the country's literary heavyweights.

Read all about Booktown

Travel to Clunes to experience a weekend of book browsing, book talks, author interactions, and like-minded literature lovers at the annual Booktown festival. You'll find collectable, rare, second-hand, new, and small press books on sale, street theatre, wine, food, live music, and a special children's section.

Meet local artists, authors, historians and photographers in the village's charming cafes, galleries, boutiques, bookstores and wineries, like Enoteca cellar door restaurant.

For more culture, you can follow in the footsteps of film stars to the location for films like Ned Kelly (2002) and Mad Max.

Historic gold rush

Relive the discovery of gold in the area in 1851, signalling the beginning of the gold rush in Victoria. In its heyday Clunes was the fifth largest town in the colony. Take a walking tour and discover notable architecture and history, including the former London Chartered Bank (1871) and Italianate Post Office (1878), now home to a second hand bookshop.

For a glimpse at history through the looking glass, visit the Clunes Bottle Museum, located in a 1870s schoolhouse. See displays of over 6,000 rare and unusual bottles dating back to the gold rush. You can also visit The Warehouse to see permanent and special displays on show at the Clunes Museum, for just a gold coin donation.