P.L. Travers, author of the beloved Mary Poppins book series, was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough on August 9, 1899, in the top floor apartment of the Australian Joint Union Bank that her father, Travers Goff, managed. Although Travers was three years old when her family left Maryborough for Brisbane, local legend holds that many of its residents were the inspiration behind some of the most famous characters in Mary Poppins -- most notably Arnie Twigg, Maryborough's beloved lamplighter whom Bert the Matchman may have been based on.
Everything from the town's crosswalks to its beautiful street art features Mary Poppins, and a Mary Poppins festival is held every year in May. Maryborough is also home to Australia's only museum dedicated to the life and works of P.L. Travers - The Story Bank.