Words by Della Vreeland Images supplied
One of the sweetest parts of isolation (and we know there aren’t that many), is the fact that we can bunker down and savour those moments we may not have had the chance to savour when life was more – normal.
For some of us, bunkering down has also provided the time to snuggle in with a good read. Spring is one of the best seasons to get stuck into a good book, especially when the sun is seeping down on us and beckoning us to find our happy place – whether we’re sitting outside under the shade of the Coolabah Tree, or lazing away indoors in our sun-soaked library nook.
To coincide with Love Your Bookshop Day on October 3, and to give all our bookworms an excuse to search out their next read, we decided to compile a list of some of our favourite regional bookshops.
So whether you’re a regional resident in search of your next day trip, or a metro comrade hitting the online shopping, we have a bookshop for your perusal.
Verso Books
Healesville #onehourout
Offering local home delivery during COVID-19, this Yarra Valley beauty is filled to the brim with all the best new books! Located in Healesville, Verso Books specialises in new release fiction, gardening, food and wine, art and design, current affairs and an extensive range of beautiful Children’s Books.
The Bookshop at Queenscliff
#oneandahalfhoursout
Boasting all the literary goodness you could hope for, combined with a charm that can only be felt from a passionate family-run business, The Bookshop at Queenscliff is a real sanctuary. Owned by a local husband-and-wife duo, this corner-store bookshop aims to offer all the current reads in addition to books that are topical and worthy of exploration in the current climate.
Turn the Page Bookshop
Phillip Island #twohoursout
One of Phillip Island’s most treasured spots, Turn the Page is renowned for its friendly customer service, product knowledge and nifty children’s corner. With comfy chairs scattered throughout the store, expect to wander in and escape to a world you’d rather be as you lose yourself in the words and the surrounds.
Need2Read
Warragul #oneandahalfhoursout
Located in Warragul, Need2Read is a family owned and operated independent bookstore that focuses on customer service and helping bookworms source the perfect reads for themselves and their loved ones. With floor-to-ceiling shelves and a bright, contemporary interior, this bookstore is the town’s real pride and joy.
The Known World
Ballarat #oneandahalfhoursout
Taken straight out of Diagon Alley, The Known World is a real book-lovers refuge. Housed in a 19th-century Ballarat building in one of the city’s most historic thoroughfares, the space is worth visiting just in itself. As soon as you enter the doors of this secondhand bookstore, you’ll be transported into a world of words and wonder, regardless of whether you make a purchase or not.
Minerva’s Books and Ideas
Ballarat #oneandahalfhoursout
Another Ballarat-based beauty, Minerva’s Books and Ideas is a bookshop-turned-online store that focuses on classic fiction, literature, culture and philosophy, and antiquarian. What makes Minerva’s different is that its owners are as much about delving into the lives of books as they are about the stories themselves. Trading solely online and via Instagram, this is a real crowd pleaser for our metro friends who are searching for their next unique read.
Bendigo Book Mark
#twohoursout
If you can’t get enough of secondhand books, Bendigo Book Mark is another one to bookmark for a visit. A beautifully laid out independent store, the shop is a vibrant space with equally vibrant and joy-inducing reads.
The Bookbird Geelong
#onehourout
Founded in 2015, The Book Bird is Geelong’s local, independent book shop with a twist – because you never know what you’re going to discover. Stocking a large range of new release books across all genres, this store is a repository of pure delight in literary form.
Squishy Minnie
Kyneton #onehourout
Squishy Minnie is one of those spaces that leaves a lasting impression. With a plethora of children’s titles to enjoy, ranging from infant through to teen reads, as well as an exceptionally vibrant and quaint interior, this is a bookstore you need to experience to believe. Explore the array of books either in-store or online and find yourself or your loved ones the perfect gift!