Think you know what a writers’ festival is?  Think again. Totally Lit is coming to Fremantle/Walyalup 2-16 October to prove that stories belong everywhere and to everyone. With more than 60 unique events catering to all ages, Totally Lit will be bringing live literature to the Port and the Prison, to the beach, streets, bars, museums and other unexpected places.

Gather your team of detectives and get ready to begin your investigation now. ‘An Untimely Murder’ is a real-world treasure hunt through Fremantle/Walyalup!  Follow the map to find six unusual books, unravel clues and solve the murder of a famous author.

‘An Untimely Murder’ is the latest immersive quest created specifically for Totally Lit by Fremantle’s own puzzle plotters and escape room specialists, Fictional Reality.

Presented by: Totally Lit and Fictional Reality
Dates: 2-16 October
Time: 10am-5pm daily
Cost: $20.00 per group

If you love tea, cakes, books and good conversation then this special morning tea with WA author Amanda Curtin is for you! Be transported from Fremantle to Paris – and back again – as Amanda discusses her two most recent books – Kathleen O’Connor of Paris and Six Days –in conversationwith Chrissie Maus.

With morning tea catered by Fremantle’s iconic Culley’s Tearooms you’ll also be able to enjoy some of the savoury and bakery items that have made Culley’s an enduring favourite!

This event is restricted to a maximum of 20 people. Book quickly to avoid disappointment.

Presented by: Totally Lit in association with Fremantle Chamber of Commerce
Date: Thursday 15 October
Time: 10.00am-12.00 noon
Cost: $60.00 (+ booking fee)
More Information and to book: https://totallylit.au/program/novel-tea/

Gather your team of detectives and get ready to begin your investigation now. ‘An Untimely Murder’ is a real-world treasure hunt through Fremantle/Walyalup!  Follow the map to find six unusual books, unravel clues and solve the murder of a famous author.

‘An Untimely Murder’ is the latest immersive quest created specifically for Totally Lit by Fremantle’s own puzzle plotters and escape room specialists, Fictional Reality.

Presented by: Totally Lit and Fictional Reality
Dates: 2-16 October
Time: 10am-5pm daily
Cost: $20.00 per group

Lyrical, lively and occasionally ludicrous letters about the issues that make our blood boil and get our knickers in a knot, performed live, hosted by writer and storyteller Annabel Smith. For lovers of live storytelling and comedy about the awkwardness and sheer bloody frustration of modern life: it’s hilarious, it’s heartfelt, it’s unhinged. Come early and enjoy dinner at Da Napoli restaurant (open from 4pm).

Presented by: Annabel Smith in association with Totally Lit and Republic of Fremantle
Date: Thursday 15 October
Time: 7.30 – 8.45pm
Cost: $33.00 (+ booking fee) | $22.00 Friends of the Festival & Concession (+ booking fee)
More Information and to book: https://totallylit.au/program/to-whom-it-may-concern-complaint-letters-live/

Gather your team of detectives and get ready to begin your investigation now. ‘An Untimely Murder’ is a real-world treasure hunt through Fremantle/Walyalup!  Follow the map to find six unusual books, unravel clues and solve the murder of a famous author.

‘An Untimely Murder’ is the latest immersive quest created specifically for Totally Lit by Fremantle’s own puzzle plotters and escape room specialists, Fictional Reality.

Presented by: Totally Lit and Fictional Reality
Dates: 2-16 October
Time: 10am-5pm daily
Cost: $20.00 per group

Trivia Night for the Dogs!

Gather your smartest friends and join us for a fantastic night of fun, laughter, and fundraising in support of Desperate for Love Dog Pound Rescue.

Hosted by the brilliant team at Loosey Goose Quizzes, this promises to be an evening packed with entertainment, friendly competition, and plenty of opportunities to help rescue dogs in need.

WORLD TRAILS FILM FESTIVAL 2026 GLOBAL PREMIERE EVENT

Trails Film’s 2026 Film Collection brings together 47 films from 35 countries, with stories ranging from extraordinary adventures and personal journeys to conservation, culture, community, accessibility, and the people working to protect and build trails. We’re coming to Perth/Boorloo, Australia, to host our Global Premiere in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time.

Experience trail stories from around the world, 18-19 October. Bike, hike, run, paddle — but don’t miss out!

ANOTHER WAY UP: TWO FILMS FROM NEPAL (FILMMAKER Q&A)

• 18 Oct, 11 am — Perth Town Hall

• Tickets: $20 ($48 Day Pass Eligible)

Two films from Nepal challenging dominant ways of expeditioning to the ‘roof of the world’ and, in doing so, aim to benefit local communities, the environment, and travelers alike.

FILMMAKER Q&A: Bob Henderson & Margot Peck, The Anti-Expedition

• The Anti Expedition — Directed by Elena Jean — Travelers exploring a sacred Himalayan valley challenge modern adventure culture by searching for a deeper, more responsible way to experience the world.

• The Extra Mile — Directed by Rafael Duarte — While climbing Mount Everest, mountaineer Bernardo Fonseca confronts the environmental cost of adventure and searches for ways to protect the fragile world above the clouds.

GLOBAL TRAIL MIX (5 SHORT FILMS & FILMMAKER Q&A)

• 18 Oct, 2 pm — Perth Town Hall

• Tickets: $28 ($48 Day Pass Eligible)

Journey to four continents in our mix of short films sharing stories of finding connection to home and identity, of personal challenges and the pursuit of dreams, and appreciation for nature.

INCLUDES FILMMAKER Q&A: Zelzin Aketzalli — Zelzin made history as the first Mexican to complete the Triple Crown of Hiking, and she is also leading the effort to create the Baja Sierra Trail, an estimated 1,300-mile trail that would become Mexico’s first long-distance National Trail.

• Trail to Bayanihan (Philippines)

• The Nordland Trekking Trail (Norway & Sweden)

• Talk To Frank (France)

• The Nomad with Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco & Switzerland)

• Zelzin, footprints that Inspire (Mexico)

REMAINING NATIVE (BEST FEATURE WINNER)

• 18 Oct, 7 pm — Perth Town Hall

• Tickets: $28 ($48 Day Pass Eligible)

A Native American teenager chasing his dream of collegiate running discovers that his greatest race is learning how to carry the legacy of his great-grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school. 

Ku Stevens (17) is the solo runner at his high school with no coach. Living on the Yerington Paiute reservation in Northwest Nevada, he needs more to be seen by his dream school, the University of Oregon.

As Ku trains, unreconciled emotions unearth the memory of his great-grandfather, Frank Quinn. At 8 years old, Frank ran 50 miles across the desert to escape an Indian boarding school. Frank’s story becomes interwoven with Ku’s journey to run a collegiate qualifying time.

Will Ku outrun his history or will he learn to run in parallel with it to achieve his dreams?

MORE THAN A TRAIL (5 SHORT FILMS)

• 19 Oct, 1 pm — STATE THEATRE LIBRARY

• Tickets: $20 (No day passes available)

Trails are much more than simple lines on the ground. They can be a path toward independence, healing, purpose, and connection. These four films celebrate journeys taken by people who find—and create—those paths in remarkable ways.

• Corteza (Colombia)

• Best Day Ever (USA)

• Mother River (USA),

• Songs and Flowers (Bolivia)

ABOUT THE WORLD TRAILS FILM FESTIVAL

The World Trails Film Festival was created by trail lovers to support trail organizations worldwide and to celebrate the importance of trails. Not just adrenaline adventures, Trails Film’s diverse curation of films speaks to the heart of why trails matter. Come for a memorable journey around the globe, stick around for the community supporting trail stewardship.