BLARNEY BOOKS & ART

29/05/2026

New sculptural install! Thanks to my clever husband Dean for this glowing tower of books now installed on the Blarney stage!

29/05/2026

Here's the list from our first Cookbook Book Club, held last night! Thanks everyone for the dishes, and the fun!

28/05/2026

We had our first Cookbook Book Club tonight, where we invited guests to cook a recipe from one of their favourite cookbooks and bring both book and dish along to share! It was a lovely, tasty evening with lots of wonderful treats to try! These were just some of the dishes, and the books …

27/05/2026

Are you joining our Cookbook Book Club? First meeting tomorrow (Thursday, 28 May) at 6pm. Bring along a favourite dish to share, from your favourite cookbook, AND your favourite cookbook, and let's share a meal, and talk cooking and books... We'll cover the drinks. PLEASE RSVP on our events page, to help us set up ...

18/05/2026

Our inaugural and monthly Cookbook Bookclub meet is coming up next Thursday, 28 May at 6pm. It's what it says on the can, really. Cookbooks, a shared food plate from your cookbook, eat, enjoy, discuss. We'll cover the drinks. For the first meeting, we're each going to bring a homemade dish from our own favourite cookbooks, and the book as well. From there, we'll focus on a different cookbook each month. Discounts on the books, obviously, for club members. You are welcome to bring along a non-cook, who is also welcome to enjoy the shared food. $10 for cooks, $20 for non cooks.

But we can't run it if we don't know you're coming - so please, please RSVP via our website's event page so we know that it's a goer.

18/05/2026

Sad news from Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery ...

After many beautiful years, we have made the deeply difficult decision to close the doors of Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery.

There are no words quite large enough to express our gratitude to everyone who has walked through our doors — the loyal readers, curious wanderers, holidaymakers, artists, writers, children discovering their first beloved stories, and the many friends we have made along the way. You have made Antipodes far more than a bookshop. Together, we created a place of conversation, imagination, connection, and community.

Independent bookshops hold a special place in the world. They are sanctuaries for ideas, quiet refuges from noise, meeting places for kindred spirits, and homes for stories that shape us. To have played even a small part in the literary and cultural life of Sorrento has been an extraordinary privilege.

We are endlessly thankful to have shared recommendations across the counter, hosted conversations and exhibitions, celebrated books and art, and witnessed the joy that stories continue to bring into people’s lives. Every purchase, every visit, every kind word and conversation helped sustain not only a small business, but a dream.

Running Antipodes has been one of the great honours of our lives. While closing this chapter brings sadness, it also leaves us with immense pride and gratitude for what this little shop became within the Sorrento community.

To our fellow local businesses, authors, artists, and supporters — thank you for believing in the importance of independent spaces and for helping us keep them alive for as long as we could.

Most of all, thank you to our readers. Thank you for reading widely, thinking deeply, supporting local, and reminding us every day why bookshops matter.

Though our doors may close, the conversations, friendships, and stories shared within these walls will remain with us always.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Jane and the beautiful team, Suze, Andrea, Miles

Antipodes Bookshop and Gallery

17/05/2026

5 sleeps before our opening night on Friday 22nd May, can feel the excitement building up among the casts and crew. Look forward to seeing you at the Port Fairy 2026 Short Play Festival.

17/05/2026

We have our rainbow flags flying daily.

Like the creative community we are very much a part of, we can't imagine life without our very diverse rainbow community. We particularly throw our support behind our trans friends and families. If you would like to throw in your support as well, you could send a few dollars to TGV, who are doing amazing work on the daily.

TGV is Victoria’s leading body for trans and gender diverse advocacy. We work to achieve justice, equity and inclusive service provision for trans and gender diverse people, their partners, families and friends.

16/05/2026

One the eve of The Stella Prize announcement, KYD content creator Sohani Goonetillake checked in with the surprised, slightly scared and incredibly talented winner, the graphic novelist Lee Lai. Read the interview in full in KYD magazine:
https://buff.ly/EJEQJbb

14/05/2026

It's so quiet in the bookshop today. I'll just put this here...

The Biblio. It's back. Art inspired by fiction.

Please share.