Banjo Paterson Writing Awards (1991-)
Subcategory of Awards — Australian Awards
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History

The Banjo Paterson Writing Awards have been conducted annually since 1991. They are an initiative of Central West Libraries, in New South Wales. As of 2013, the award categories are: Prose or Short Story, Open Poetry, Bush Poetry, and also a Children's Writing Award.

2012 winners are listed on the Central West Libraries' web site.

Notes

  • The Award was first held in 1991 to honour Banjo Paterson 'a great Australian writer and favourite son of Orange' and to encourage the writing of prose and poetry with Australian content. One award was presented in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Two categories, Prose and Open Poetry were introduced in 1994 with a third, Comic Poetry in 1997. There was no award for Comic Poetry in 2002. The Comic Poetry category was renamed Bush Poetry in 2003. The Award is administered by the Orange City Library. There is a separate competition for children 16 years and under.

Latest Winners / Recipients

Year: 2023

winner (Contemporary Poetry) Jonathan Cant for 'Thunderstorm at Newton Boyd'.
joint winner (Short Story) Timothy Guy for 'Anna'.
joint winner Kaitlyn Rutledge for 'Blood Runs Faster Than Water'.
joint winner Ebony Inman for 'We're Gonna Be Okay'.
joint winner Jenna Poore for 'The Journey through the Simpson Desert'.

Year: 2022

winner (Contemporary Poetry) David Judge for 'I Am Who They Have Been'.
winner (Short Story) John Scholz for 'Steeple'.

Year: 2021

joint winner (Short Story) James Page with Sagamba Muhira for 'Out of Africa'. Prize shared with Carmel Lillis for 'Laughing with Children'. Judges noted: 'Moving and powerful in its simplicity, this story tells the tale of one man's experience of war and devastating ethnic violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his eventual resettlement, with his sister, as refugees in Queensland. [...] It is a testament to the author's skill that they have accomplished all this - such a sweep of the personal and the universal - in so few words.'
joint winner (Short Story) Sagamba Muhira with James Page, for 'Out of Africa'. Prize shared with Carmel Lillis for 'Laughing with Children'. Judges noted: 'Moving and powerful in its simplicity, this story tells the tale of one man's experience of war and devastating ethnic violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his eventual resettlement, with his sister, as refugees in Queensland. [...] It is a testament to the author's skill that they have accomplished all this - such a sweep of the personal and the universal - in so few words.'
joint winner (Short Story) Carmel Lillis Prize shared with James Page and Sagamba Muhira for 'Out of Africa'.
winner (Poetry) Mark O'Flynn for 'Interesting Times We Could All Do Without'.

Year: 2020

winner (Short Story) Jaclyn Riley-Smith for 'Literally the Worst'.
winner (Poetry) Jo Mills for 'Aurora Australis'.

Year: 2019

winner (Short Story) Paul Clarke for 'Dave and Mackie'.
winner (Poetry) David Taylor for 'Water Soul'.
VIEW ALL LISTED RECIPIENTS (120)

Works About this Award

Litbits 2002 single work column
— Appears in: Canberra Sunday Times , 23 June 2002; (p. 54)
Oh, Happy Day Heather Bird , 1993 single work short story
— Appears in: Live at Don Bank : Live Poets' Society Anthology no.2 1993; (p. 19-21)
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (2)
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