About Us
The Mudgee Readers' Festival — established in 2010— exists to share the joy of reading with our vibrant community. MRF is run by a passionate and dedicated team of volunteers, with essential support from Mid-Western Regional Council libraries.
The MRF committee works tirelessly to bring a fabulous festival to Mudgee each August.
While the festival is held annually, we also deliver satellite events throughout the year, including Sydney Writers’ Festival ‘Live & Local’ screenings, as well as author talks and community and charity events.
Our 2026 Committee:
Chairperson: Rebecca Saunders
Treasurer: Rhys Gard
Secretary & Public Officer: Emma Cocks
General Committee: Heather Rushton, Rachel Gill, Portia Lindsay, Jane Novak, Jenn Martin.
Our Story
Mudgee Readers’ Festival started with small events in Lawson Park, before moving to Parklands Resort, and then to locations in the township.
Authors who have attended Mudgee Readers’ Festival include Charlotte Wood, Mem Fox, Anita Heiss, Heather Morris, Chris Hammer, Candice Fox, Nagi Maehashi, Benjamin Stevenson, Sarah Ayoub & Siang Lu.
Mudgee Zinemakers
Zines created
• Light Jack
• Burning
• Bangamalanha
Dates
2017-2019
Partners
MWRC Libraries
Mudgee LALC
The Book Nest Mudgee
The opportunity to share stories from young people in a regional area — and to develop narrative voice and a passion for creating — is important to us, which is why we launch the work of the Mudgee Zine Makers at the main Festival and share these zines with our community.
The Story
• The original group of Mudgee Zine Makers created original stories and pictures to tell the shared story of a week in the life of their character Cassie Swartzkopf. Their zine Light Jack was launched at the Festival by special guest Sarah Ayoub.
• In 2018 the project developed into a partnership with Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council to share a cultural story through the words and pictures of young Wiradjuri people. Their zine — Burning — was launched at the Festival by special guest Paul Collis.
• In 2019 the Mudgee Zine Makers launched Wiradjuri language zine Bangamalanha at the Festival, with special guest Indigenous Literacy Foundation Youth Ambassador Kiara Harris.
• Wiradjuri zines Burning and Bangamalanha are popular teaching resources for schools and preschools in the Mudgee Region and are now available through The Book Nest Mudgee.
The Story
• The original group of Mudgee Zine Makers created original stories and pictures to tell the shared story of a week in the life of their character Cassie Swartzkopf. Their zine Light Jack was launched at the Festival by special guest Sarah Ayoub.
• In 2018 the project developed into a partnership with Mudgee Local Aboriginal Land Council to share a cultural story through the words and pictures of young Wiradjuri people. Their zine — Burning — was launched at the Festival by special guest Paul Collis.
• In 2019 the Mudgee Zine Makers launched Wiradjuri language zine Bangamalanha at the Festival, with special guest Indigenous Literacy Foundation Youth Ambassador Kiara Harris.
• Wiradjuri zines Burning and Bangamalanha are popular teaching resources for schools and preschools in the Mudgee Region and are now available through The Book Nest Mudgee.
WestWords &
Mudgee Readers’ Festival
Since 2024, WestWords and Mudgee Readers’ Festival have partnered to connect Western Sydney authors with regional audiences, while also showcasing Western NSW as a vibrant cultural destination.
The collaboration launched with Queer Out West in 2024, a three-course dinner at Burnbrae Wines featuring readings and performances from some of Western Sydney’s most exciting creatives, including Paris Rosemont, Will Kostakis, Sarah Carroll and Orlando Silver, hosted by James Findlay—an evening celebrating the stories LGBTQIA+ communities want to tell, from poetry to cabaret and beyond.
In 2025, the partnership expanded with Together Out West at Town Hall Theatre, bringing together writers including Jelena Curic, Kathie Elliott-Scott, Michelle Hamadache, J. Marahuyo and Pete Shmigel for an evening of food, music and storytelling that explored themes of love, identity, disability, heritage and the human impact of war.
In 2026, WestWords and Mudgee Readers’ Festival continue to build on this momentum with an expanded program featuring school visits from a strong cohort of YA and children’s authors, alongside workshops and festival sessions—further strengthening this dynamic collaboration and its reach across communities.
