Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival
31 October - 2 November 2025
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Blue Mountains, this unique festival brings together the country’s greatest minds and most exciting new talent.
Inspiring readers and writers alike, the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival showcases Australia’s sharpest minds and most expansive thinkers, offering challenging, playful and exhilarating opportunities for connection over three vibrant days.
Our 2025 theme – a path to wonder – invites audiences to engage with literature with an open mind and sense of possibility. To wonder is to approach the world with curiosity, to question without agenda, to allow for beauty, space and reflection, or to explore new ways of thinking and being in the world.
The main program offers an astounding array of talent in six venues across Katoomba, including The Carrington Hotel, the Katoomba Community Centre, Katoomba Library and the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre. New to this year’s Festival is also a satellite program held in the beautiful Megalong Valley, as well as a program for high school students.
But what really sets our Festival apart are our special events. The Festival’s events at Scenic World will return, offering audiences the chance to share a ride on the Skyway or Cableway with some of their favourite writers. And, for the first time in 2025, the Festival offers an exclusive Opening Gala, with keynotes from four Festival headliners.
Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival is presented by Varuna, the National Writers’ House.
Weekend Passes on sale now. Head to Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival website for more details.
80+ speakers
51 events
14 workshops
3 days
1 unmatched location
Our program offers something for everyone, with author talks, one-on-ones, panel discussions, performance, children's events, workshops and more. The Festival is centred around Katoomba’s grand and curious art-deco heritage venue, The Carrington Hotel, with other events at the Baroque Room, Blue Mountains Community Centre, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Blue Mountains Library, Megalong Valley Old Stables and Scenic World.
Day and weekend passes allow you to create your own program, catching household names alongside exciting talent, and discovering events you might have missed in a larger festival program.
Volunteer at the Writers’ Festival
The Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival and Varuna treasure our passionate, capable and loyal team of volunteers. They band together to provide the best possible Festival experience for everyone (and drastically reduce the number of visitors wandering lost between our venues).
There are a variety of roles on offer. If you love what we do and want to help, head to the volunteer section of the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival website.
Past Programs
Festival Partners and Sponsors
Our event partners, sponsors and supporters are the backbone upon which our Festival rests. We are grateful to all the wonderful contributors, well-wishers and patrons who help to make our Festival a raging success each year.
