The Peter Cowan Writers' Centre 600 Short Story Competition is in recognition of the centre's namesake, Peter Cowan, an eminent short story writer, novelist and academic. Peter was best-known for writing in the short story genre, with eight published anthologies of short stories. He also wrote a biography of his grandmother, Dame Edith Cowan, entitled A Unique Position; became a Member of the Order of Australia in 1987; and was named a WA State Living Treasure in 1999.
