This winter Stella will be placing a selection of free books written by Australian women and non-binary authors on trams, trains, buses and public spaces across the country. All you have to do when you find one is grab it and start reading. Once you finish the book, you decide if you keep it or pass it on to a friend to read, put in a public place for someone else to grab.

stella ON THE GO fosters a national conversation about reading and takes us out of our screens – and here it does not matter if you love books or haven’t read one in ages, the invitation is open to everyone to read as much or as little as they like from these free books. From 18 June 2024, people will find books in Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. 

Reading has multiple benefits:

• Reading even if it is only for a few minutes a day, can be as effective as a yoga class to calm you down.
• Reading allows us to inhabit and understand others’ perspectives, nurturing empathy.
• Researchers have shown that reading for 20 minutes a day can help you live longer.

Next time you are on public transport and see a Stella book:

• Take it
• Read it
• Keep it or pass on

Please let us know which books you find, read, or put in a new public space on Instagram or Facebook  using the hashtag #stellaonthego.

If you have books you’d like to donate, please email info@stella.org.au.