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Clunes recognised as international booktown

The International Organisation of Booktowns has declared the Victorian town of Clunes as an international booktown.

This recognition places Clunes alongside 14 other international booktowns, including Hay-on-Wye in Wales, Wigtown in Scotland, Fjaerland in Norway, Montolieu in France and Kampung Buku in Malaysia.

The announcement was made by Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu, who said, ‘This gives Victoria an exciting new tourism drawcard and is expected to provide a significant cultural and economic boost for the region’.

Clunes is the home of the annual Clunes Booktown Festival, which runs from 5-6 May. Speakers at this year’s festival include authors Alice Pung, Peter and Anna Goldsworthy, and Hazel Edwards, former politician and author Tim Fischer, historian Geoffrey Blainey, SPUNC general manager Zoe Dattner, Text publisher Michael Heyward and Wheeler Centre associate director Jenny Niven.

Baillieu congratulated local volunteers who run the Clunes Booktown Festival for their vision and dedication. ‘For some six years the Creative Clunes committee has worked to transform the township in to a booktown using the existing heritage streetscape of the old gold town to create a unique Australian experience.’ 

The full program for the Clunes Booktown Festival is available here. For more on international booktowns, click here.

 

Category: Local news