Melbourne: State Library and Guided Literary Tour With Local Writer

Explore Melbourne's literary history on a guided walking tour. Visit the State Library Victoria, see Ned Kelly's suit of armour, and discover the city's literary landmarks.
Meet on the steps of State Library Victoria, which was among the first public libraries in the world, and remains Australia’s premier home of books.

The Victorian state library’s lofty status was among the reasons that, in 2008, Melbourne was named the world’s second UNESCO City of Literature, behind Edinburgh.

Learn how the eminent figure behind the creation of the state library, Redmond Barry, fulfilled his ambition to open a “people’s university”, a place funded by taxpayers’ money where working men could educate themselves.

Amble through the La Trobe Reading Room, which sits under one of the largest domes in any library.

Gain a sense of the collection of Australian fiction and non-fiction books that line the shelves in the domed room, including shelves full of books about Ned Kelly, Victoria’s last bushranger and arguably the most controversial figure in the state’s history.

Shake your head at the sight of Kelly’s famous suit of armour, which he fashioned from panels of metal to protect himself against gunfire from the police. The armour is on display in the library’s Redmond Barry Reading Room.

Peter Carey won the 2001 Booker Prize for True History of the Kelly Gang, his novel based on the deeds of Ned Kelly and his three accomplices. Carey’s manuscripts and effects are part of the state library’s collection.

The tour through State Library Victoria also includes stops at the Cowen Gallery, which hosts a portrait of the creator of Melbourne's first newspaper, and North Rotunda, which hosts a portrait of the state library's first librarian.

Catch a tram along Swanston Street and gather in the Nicholas Building to hear the story of David Gregory Roberts, the Gentleman Bandit, who escaped from prison in Melbourne and fled to India. Shantaram, his novel based on his experiences on the run, has become a worldwide best-seller.

Absorb the influences of classic Greek and Roman art and the inspiration of Shakespeare on a mosaic mural on Newspaper House in Collins Street. Imagine the sight of the Swells who paraded along Collins Street during the city’s nightly promenade. A reading from a famous crime novel that was published in the late 19th century brings the scene to life.

Recall the cry of “Hello, Possums!” while you stand beneath a mural of Barry Humphries’ most famous character, Dame Edna Everage, one-time Housewife Superstar, during a reading in Dame Edna Place.

Lose yourself in the series of events that underpinned Edward Cole’s book arcade in Howey Place. The shop was among the world's biggest and brightest literary retail outlets for 50 years. Cole’s pursuit of a wife via a newspaper ad presaged the Tinder age by 140 years.

Mark Twain was among the visiting writers who rated Cole’s book arcade among the wonders of the world. You will, too, after hearing the extraordinary tale of one man’s celebration of the written word.

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