Readings

Melbourne


This defiantly prospering indie bookshop has a ground-floor branch at the State Library with a dangerously loaded bargains table, switched-on staff and everyone from Lacan to Charlie & Lola on the shelves.

Also has branches in Carlton and St Kilda.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Melbourne attractions

1. State Library of Victoria

0.04 MILES

This grand neoclassical building has been at the forefront of Melbourne's literary scene since 1856. When its central La Trobe Reading Room was completed…

2. Old Melbourne Gaol

0.1 MILES

Dating back to 1841, this bluestone prison was in operation until 1924 and decommissioned in 1929. It's now a museum where you can tour the tiny, bleak…

3. Chinatown

0.2 MILES

For more than 150 years this section of central Melbourne, now flanked by five traditional arches, has been the focal point for the city's Chinese…

4. Chinese Museum

0.2 MILES

The fascinating and often fraught history of Chinese people in Australia is showcased in this wonderful little museum in the heart of Chinatown. Start on…

5. West Space

0.28 MILES

One of Melbourne’s oldest nonprofit, artist-run galleries, West Space has a varied exhibition schedule featuring young and emerging artists. Expect a…

6. Century Building

0.37 MILES

Built between 1939 and 1940, this Streamline Moderne high-rise is an important Melbourne landmark. It was the first office block in the city to have air…

7. Blender Lane

0.37 MILES

This unsigned laneway off Franklin St features some of Melbourne's best street art, showcasing the work of underground artists. It's named after the…

8. Royal Arcade

0.37 MILES

Built between 1869 and 1870, this Parisian-style shopping arcade is Melbourne’s oldest and has managed to retain much of its charming 19th-century detail…