University of Newcastle Book Fair: 2026 dates and guide

If you're the kind of person who can't walk past a second-hand bookstore without going in, mark the second week of September in your calendar. The University of Newcastle Book Fair, run by the Friends of the University of Newcastle, is the Hunter region's biggest literary event, and the 2026 edition takes over the Great Hall on the Callaghan campus from Friday 11 to Tuesday 15 September. It's the sort of place where you can turn up for one book and leave with a stack you didn't know you wanted.

The numbers are the first thing that impress. There are more than 40,000 second-hand books up for grabs, and it's not just books: CDs, DVDs, games, puzzles, music scores and records are all mixed in. The collection is built entirely from donations by the Hunter community, which is worth keeping in mind if you're wondering where it all comes from. On the weekend, a kiosk near the Great Hall does drinks and refreshments, so you can take a break and browse at your leisure.

What really draws people back, though, are the rare and unusual finds. The 2026 tables include a Bible and prayer book from the ship Sierra Nevada, Fashion in the Time of Fascism, a three-volume set of Paxton's Flower Garden and two rare First World War volumes of 7th F.A.B. Yandoo. Beyond the oddities, the fair is laid out in sections that make it easy to hunt, with fiction, Australiana, local history, crime, recipes, children's books, war, maritime transport and health all getting their own space.

There's a genuine cause behind the browsing, too. Every dollar raised goes towards 11 University of Newcastle scholarships across a range of disciplines, including nursing, education, business, law, psychology, computing and environmental sustainability, with each scholarship worth A$5,000 a year. The 2025 fair raised almost A$98,000, and a huge chunk of that came early: Book Fair Convenor Lesley Gent said almost 40 per cent of the money was raised in the first four hours on the Friday night opening, so if you want first pick, that early session is the one to aim for.

It's worth knowing the fair has a long history behind it, too. The first one was held in July 1983 with about 20,000 books, so it's grown considerably since then. On the practical side, the organisers have had a bit of a shuffle lately, moving their sorting area from the Bowman Building to the Industry Development Centre, and donations were paused during the move and again on 5 August because space ran tight. The Friends have asked people to hold onto their books until donations reopen at their new premises in International House in October, so if you've been meaning to donate, that's the plan for later in the year.

As for when to go, the hours shift across the five days. There's an early-bird session from 4pm to 8pm on Friday 11 September, then 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 10am to 4pm on Monday and Tuesday. Whether you're after a specific title, a bargain pile for the kids or just a bit of a rummage through the Hunter's donated bookshelves, it's a solid plan for a few hours in September.