Chiltern’s literary past will be celebrated on the birthday of Henry Handel Richardson with the town’s inaugural Literary Heritage Day on 3 January.

Indigo Shire Council Mayor Cr Peter Graham said the community had worked together this year to extend the annual celebrations of the author’s birthday into a day long literary symposium.

He encouraged community members to delve into the fictional worlds of writers who have associations with Chiltern from Richardson to Alfred William Eustace, who wrote poetry.

“Chiltern has a rich literary heritage and we are lucky those in the community have the foresight to foster this and ensure the authors’ legacies are not forgotten,” he said.

“Many people are aware of Richardson’s association with Chiltern but there is a deeper literary story to be told with other writers associated with the town.

“Each year on the anniversary of Richardson’s birthday, January 3, Chiltern remembers her contribution to Australian literature by holding a birthday party in the grounds of Lake View, Richardson’s childhood home now managed by the National Trust.”

Event organiser Mr Clive Hansen said Richardson was regarded by many as Australia’s greatest novelist who spent a short but important period of her childhood in Chiltern.

He said the author refers to this period of her life in her best-known work, “The Fortunes of Richard Mahoney”

“What is not quite so well known is that Chiltern was also home to author Mary Gaunt, one of the first women to be admitted to Melbourne University and the successful author of 26 novels, travel books and collections of short stories,” he said.

“There is also a connection with Wilfred Busse author and early Chiltern historian and Alfred William Eustace the gum leaf painter and poet.

“At the Literary Heritage Day the contribution to its and Australia’s history by these people and others of note will be discussed at a symposium led by various historical experts including Professors Bruce Steele and Clive Probyn from Monash University and Professor Ross Harvey, CSU.”

This outstanding event is a must for anyone interested in Australian history/literature and will be held at the Chiltern Colonial Motor Inn from 9 am to 5pm.

Tickets, including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, are $45.

A BYO picnic tea at Lake View, from 6 pm, will feature Henry Handel Richardson experts Clive and Meg Probyn.  

Further information and bookings contact Clive Hansen on 03 57 261337 or email

chanse@bigpond.com.au