Totally Lit – Adventures in the Port City is taking place in Walyalup on Wadjuk Nyoongar Boodja. We honour the Wadjuk people as the traditional custodians and first storytellers of this country and acknowledge their ongoing connection to land and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. Our pirates – Hector, Captain, Stringbean, Jerry Hattrick, Pearl and Puss – are having lots of adventures in the Port City. Follow the map to track down what this pirate crew is getting up to. Start your own adventure at Fremantle Town Hall where you’ll be able to collect your Totally Lit Trail Map and then follow the map through the city to find pirate treasure. Every stop on the journey unlocks one of six pieces in the story. Presented by City of Fremantle and Totally Lit. Artwork created by James Foley. About the artists James Foley makes children’s books for children who read books. If you’re a child and you’re eating his books, you’re doing it wrong. He is the author and illustrator of many picture… Don't miss out on these Life in the Great Barrier Reef Take a deep breath and dive into the living heart of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Life in the Great Barrier Reef is a breathtaking 360° VR journey… 2 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 $20 Adult/Full Price; $17.50 Concession and Junior Aged 5-15 ‘An Untimely Murder’ – A Murder Mystery Treasure Hunt Follow the map to find 6 strange books hidden across Fremantle, unravel clues and solve the murder of a famous author. Spacefold Technology’s much-anticipated writers’ retreat is being held in… 2 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 $20.00 per group Festival Launch: Stories in Song with Gina Williams-Ghouse & the Kaya Choir Join us for a very special Festival launch featuring the incandescent vocals and storytelling brilliance of Gina Williams-Ghouse. Gina is an artist whose music is a celebration of life, community… 2 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm $40.00 (+booking fee) The iconic Fremantle Ports Administration Building will be our canvas for the sharing of stories writ large. Each night of Totally Lit will include an opportunity for audiences to access… 2 October 2026 to 16 October 2026 @ 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm Adults, All ages Puppet Playtime Puppet Playtime is an interactive experience specially crafted for children aged 3 to 5. Designed to nurture their creativity and love for storytelling, each session brings a beloved children’s book… 3 October 2026 @ 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Children and young people $12.00 (+ booking fee) Accompanying adults attend for free. Literally, Freo: Placemaking in a Port City Few places leave a sensory imprint quite like Fremantle/Walyalup. Discover how to capture that feeling on the page in this immersive 2-hour writing workshop. Explore how place can become more… 3 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Adults, Students Meet Whale Shark Jack – and his creator! Ever wonder what happens when a book turns into a movie? Come hang out with Kathryn Lefroy, the author and screenwriter behind ‘Whale Shark Jack’, and find out! She’ll spill… 3 October 2026 @ 10:30 am to 11:15 am Children and young people Weekend Walks at the Port | 3 & 4 Oct Stroll around Victoria Quay and listen as port experts tell you the stories of Fremantle Ports and the Inner Harbour. See the working Inner Harbour in action! Hear tales from… 3 October 2026 to 4 October 2026 @ 11:00 am to 12:15 pm Whale Shark Jack – Feature Film By arrangement with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, we are delighted to offer this free screening of ‘Whale Shark Jack’. Sarah lives on a boat with her parents, who research… 3 October 2026 @ 11:30 am to 1:00 pm A Glass of Wine & A Good Book – with Anthea Hodgson A Glass of Wine & A Good Book brings together two of life’s greatest pleasures – fine writing and quality wines. For this special Totally Lit event you are invited… 3 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm $40.00 (+ booking fee) Dive into ‘The Deep’ Meet the Nekton family – a brilliant team of underwater explorers – as they investigate the mysterious depths of the ocean. [pssst – did you know the Nekton family actually… 4 October 2026 to 11 October 2026 Children and young people, Families Treasures from the Deep If you go down to the beach today you’re in for a big surprise! Some friendly creatures from the deep have been safeguarding a really important treasure. Today is the… 4 October 2026 @ 11:00 am to 12:30 pm Children and young people, Families Backstories by Centre for Stories returns to Walyalup/Fremantle for Totally Lit. This event brings you live stories of true experience told by people from the local community. Told in a… 4 October 2026 @ 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Story Wheel Day 1 Step into the Story Wheel gondola and treat the young people in your life to their own private 10-minute story time experience with one of WA’s leading writers for children…. 5 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Children and young people ‘Midwest’ – Book Launch Caitlin Maling’s new book Midwest wrestles with the effects of climate catastrophe on the mid-north western coastal ecologies of Western Australia, specifically Ningaloo Reef, Denham, Geraldton and the Turquoise Coast. Set both… 5 October 2026 @ 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Adults, Students Story Wheel Day 2 Step into the Story Wheel gondola and treat the young people in your life to their own private 10-minute story time experience with one of WA’s leading writers for children…. 6 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Children and young people In a turbulent world, novelists and storytellers offer what others often cannot: nuance, intimacy and insight into lives disrupted by upheaval. Through personal experience and artful storytelling, they challenge binaries… 6 October 2026 @ 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Adults, Students $15.00 (+booking fee); $12.00 Concession (+booking fee) Poetry in Motion with Caitlin Maling Be one of a handful of people to have the unique experience of enjoying ‘uplifting’ poetry while soaring above Fremantle on the Fremantle Wheel. Join award-winning poet Caitlin in the… 7 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Flash & Fizz – with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of freckles! Meet two of WA’s stellar flash fiction authors, Gillian O’Shaughnessy and Alison Davis. Gillian’s debut collection, Salt City Runaway (Night Parrot Press), is already a best-seller. Alison’s self-published collection, Freckles… 7 October 2026 @ 6:15 pm to 8:00 pm Adults, Students The Legend of Moondyne Joe Moondyne Joe was not known for gunfights or robbing banks. It was the convict bushranger’s amazing ability to escape every time he was placed behind bars that won him fame… 8 October 2026 to 9 October 2026 @ 10:30 am to 12:00 pm Children and young people Plain Speaking Jane – A literary lunch with Jane Caro Join us at Anglesea for a delicious 3-course meal served with sparkling conversation! Recognised as one of Australia’s sharpest social commentators, Jane Caro is also a Walkley Award-winning journalist, a… 8 October 2026 @ 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm Catalpa: Escape to Freedom Catalpa: Escape to Freedom recounts Australia’s most daring prison escape – from friendships, alliances and secret letters to the undercover spies and treachery that dogged the bold Fenians in their… 8 October 2026 to 9 October 2026 @ 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm Children and young people Throughout its fifty-year history, Fremantle Press has championed Western Australian writing and storytelling. In her publishing memoir, A Tale of Two Publishing Houses, Linda Martin documents the trailblazing work commenced… 8 October 2026 @ 6:15 pm to 8:00 pm Adults, Students Grey Maali – Listen! Grey Maali is a cross-disciplinary performance ensemble bringing together spoken word, song, cello, didgeridoo and electric guitar. Drawing on almost three decades of artistic collaboration, Grey Maali brings together four… 8 October 2026 @ 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Full Price $10.00 (+ booking fee) | Concession $7.00 (+ booking fee) Barefaced Stories | Strange but True Some stories are too weird to make up. Join Barefaced Stories for a special Fremantle edition, Strange But True, hosted by ABC Radio Perth’s Amber Cunningham. From impossible coincidences and… 8 October 2026 @ 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm $35.00 (+ booking fee) Australian authors Jane Caro and Sara Foster are best-selling crime/thriller writers known for their strong, complex female characters. In novels that unflinchingly address gender-based violence, misogyny, slavery, and coercive control,… 9 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm Adults, Students Poetry in Motion with Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes Be one of a handful of people to have the unique experience of enjoying ‘uplifting’ poetry while soaring above Fremantle on the Fremantle Wheel. Float away with words as you…

9 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Crime Time – Full Day Pass Immerse yourself in crime writing – fiction and non-fiction – and be prepared for a day of surprises, challenges and thought-provoking conversations. Experience the atmosphere of Fremantle Prison’s East Workshops… 10 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Adults, Students $50.00 Full Day Ticket (+booking fee) Writing unmasked: Tips for writers with ADHD In this immersive two-hour workshop, participants will learn tips and tricks to work with the creative magic of the ADHD brain. Discover tried and tested hacks from ADHD writers who… 10 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Adults, Students The Crime Scene WA is home to a burgeoning cohort of crime writers. In this session, moderated by local author Brooke Dunnell, we survey the local crime writing scene and put the spotlight… 10 October 2026 @ 10:40 am to 11:40 am Adults, Students $15.00 (+booking fee); $12.00 Friends and Concession (+booking fee) Weekend Walks at the Port | 10 & 11 Oct Stroll around Victoria Quay and listen as port experts tell you the stories of Fremantle Ports and the Inner Harbour. See the working Inner Harbour in action! Hear tales from… 10 October 2026 to 11 October 2026 @ 11:00 am to 12:15 pm Crime and Punishment For over 130 years Fremantle Prison remained in continuous use, becoming known as a place of floggings, executions, dramatic escapes and prisoner riots. Inmates, both male and female, included imperial… 10 October 2026 @ 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Adults, Students $15.00 (+booking fee); $12.00 Friends and Concession (+booking fee) Aiding & Abetting; the rise of techno-crime How is technology shaping the crime and law enforcement landscape? Best-selling crime fiction author Alan Carter and Assistant Police Commissioner Arlene Mavratsou share the stage with writer and academic Richard… 10 October 2026 @ 1:20 pm to 2:20 pm Adults, Students $15.00 Full Price (+booking fee); $12.00 Friends of the Festival and Concession (+booking fee) Eungedup: A Wetland Summer Diary Nestled between Albany and Denmark, the Eungedup wetlands are brimming with vibrant life. Drawn to this biodiverse wonderland at a time when he was also negotiating life with chronic fatigue,… 10 October 2026 @ 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Murder and the Media Does the media’s coverage of criminal events contribute to the escalation of crime? Can we understand the rise of events such as mass shootings in relation to the way the… 10 October 2026 @ 2:40 pm to 3:40 pm Adults, Students $15.00 Full Price (+booking fee); $12.00 Friends of the Festival and Concession (+booking fee) Opposites Attract: Two Different Writing Approaches, One Creative Marriage Married writers Katherine Allum and Michael Burrows are both award-winning authors, but their approaches to the creative process differ in some surprising ways. During this event, they will discuss their… 10 October 2026 @ 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Adults, Students International Crimes & Consequences How might we bring about positive, ethical and lawful change to a world that seems increasingly overwhelmed by lawlessness and unaccountability? A prestigious panel of experts including Geoffrey Robertson KC… 10 October 2026 @ 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm $15.00 Full Price (+booking fee); $12.00 Friends of the Festival and Concession (+booking fee) Poetry in Motion with Jake Dennis Be one of a handful of people to have the unique experience of enjoying ‘uplifting’ poetry while soaring above Fremantle on the Fremantle Wheel. Step on board Fremantle Wheel’s dedicated… 10 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm What happens when readers become crime writers? In this fast-paced, highly interactive workshop, participants work in small groups to build an original murder mystery under the guidance of three Sisters… 11 October 2026 @ 1:00 am to 2:30 pm Adults, Students Big Book Market Meet us in Walyalup Koort for Totally Lit’s Big Book Market. On Sunday, 11 October, Fremantle/Walyalup will host the Big Book Market – an opportunity for book lovers of all… 11 October 2026 @ 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Spontaneous Storytime with James Foley James Foley is the creator of this year’s Totally Lit Trail artwork. His pirate crew have been having all manner of adventures and hi-jinks across Fremantle. During this free event on… 11 October 2026 @ 11:30 am to 12:30 pm The Author, the Photographer and the Elusive Sea Captain In this 150th anniversary year of the S.S. Georgette shipwreck disaster off the south-west coast of WA, author Marcia van Zeller and photographer John Bowskill reveal the contradictory accounts of… 11 October 2026 @ 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Adults, Families, Students The Hougoumont and The Batavia: Convicts, Mutiny and Love In Fremantle’s Shipwrecks Museum, surrounded by the echoes of the past, authors Stefanie Koens and Lynsey McDonnell discuss the fascinating West Australian history that inspired each of their novels. Stefanie… 11 October 2026 to 11 February 2026 @ 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm Adults, Students Full Price $10.00 (+ booking fee) | Concession $7.00 (+ booking fee) Backstories # 2 Backstories by Centre for Stories returns to Walyalup/Fremantle for Totally Lit. This event brings you live stories of true experience told by people from the local community. Told in a… 11 October 2026 to 11 February 2026 @ 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Yorga Manjar Waangk: Women Gather Speak Join us for an evening with Aboriginal women as they yarn about the power and process of women gathering and telling stories through community-led conversations and collaboration. The authors and… 13 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm tête-bêche; two books, one spine tête-bêche = head to toe. Publisher Laura Keenan (Night Parrot Press) and award-winning authors Karleah Olson and Rashida Murphy discuss the inventive collaboration which has resulted in tete-beche, two books,… 13 October 2026 @ 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm Adults, Students $15.00 Full Price (+booking fee); $10.00 Concession (+booking fee) For one night only, ten authors gather in a special place to tell ten stories to ten strangers. Room 19 will host a unique evening of storytelling featuring a little… 14 October 2026 $10.00 (+booking fee) Representing Neurodivergence Across Genres Three writers discuss how they have drawn on personal experiences to represent neurodivergence in their chosen genre: Libby Iriks, author of romantic women’s fiction; Erica Lee, memoirist writing about raising… 14 October 2026 @ 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm Double the Trouble – launching ‘Last Bastion’ AND ‘Free World’ From the millennium to this brave new world and from Y2K to Deep Fakes – Fremantle’s favourite crime writers David Whish-Wilson and Alan Carter are set to bring your worst… 14 October 2026 @ 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm If you love tea, cakes, books and good conversation then this is the event for you! Join us in the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce Board Room for a special morning… 15 October 2026 @ 10:00 am to 12:00 pm $60.00 (+ booking fee) The Costs of Bearing Witness Organisations like PEN International argue that around the world legal and illegal attacks on writers are on the increase. But is poetry inherently risky business? Do poets have to take… 15 October 2026 @ 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm Adults, Students $12.00 (+ Booking Fee); Festival Friends and Concession $7.00 (+ Booking Fee) Hem Poetics is a multi-modal poetry project that spans written, spoken, and sung word. In print, Hem takes the shape of a monthly column in the Fremantle Herald publishing work… 15 October 2026 @ 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm $15.00 Full | $7.50 Buffalo Club Members To Whom It May Concern: Complaint Letters Live Childhood wounds with a sprinkle of petty grievances? Check! Vulnerability with a twist of absurd humour? Check! Lyrical, lively and occasionally ludicrous letters about the issues that make our blood… 15 October 2026 @ 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm $33.00 (+ booking fee) | $22.00 Friends of the Festival & Concession (+ booking fee) 35th Hungerford Award Celebration Join us as we announce the 2026 Hungerford Award winner and celebrate with alumni Natasha Lester, Fiona Wilkes, Deb Fitzpatrick and Howard McKenzie-Murray. Readers and writers of Western Australia –… 16 October 2026 @ 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm Get ahead of the crowd Sign up and be the first to find out about events & experiences.