essay competitions australia 2022

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Competitions and Opportunities

Whatever your writing goals for 2024, you’ll find a range of opportunities in our round-up of literary prizes, competitions, fellowships, calls for submissions and more below—updated weekly! 

Subscribe to our weekly e-news for the latest opportunities straight to your inbox, and view a list of Australian and international publications here .

Writing prizes are a great way to give yourself a deadline, build your publication credits, as well offering a financial incentive at any stage of your writing career. Keep an eye on our program of workshops to get you ready to enter your best work.

Please note that inclusion on this page is not an endorsement. Writers should always carefully check terms and conditions for information on fees, rights, and eligibility.

Do you have an opportunity to share? Submit it for review here .

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Closes 1 July

Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award

With a major prize of $40,000, this award is Waverley Council’s annual celebration of the best in Australian research-based literature. Literary works of any genre first published between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 are eligible for submission.

Fellowships

2024 abr inglis fellowship.

The recipient of this fellowship will contribute three review essays and/or commentaries in the field of Australia history and culture, which the Australian Book Review will publish in print and online. The Fellow will receive a total of $5000, in three instalments, and will work closely with ABR Editor Peter Rose. Any writer aged thirty-five and under is eligible to apply: scholars, academics, journalists, commentators, creative writers, etc. 1 July.

Kate Challis RAKA Award

The Kate Challis RAKA Award is now open for applications from Indigenous screenwriters working in film and television. In 2024, the $25,000 award supports an Indigenous screenwriter who has the best script for film or television performed in the past five years.

Wasafiri Queen Mary New Writing Prize

The prize supports writers who have not yet published a book-length work, with no limits on age, gender, nationality, or background. Categories: Fiction, Life Writing and Poetry. Word Count: Max 3,000 words. Entry: £12 for a single entry, £16 for a double entry, and £6 for a single subsidised entry. Winners: £1,000 cash prize (for each category) and publication in Wasafiri’s print magazine. Deadline: 5pm BST on 1 July.

Closes 7 July

The Richell Prize for Emerging Writers

Entries are now open for unpublished writers of adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. The Prize will be judged on the first three chapters of the submitted work, along with a synopsis and detail about how the author’s writing career would benefit from winning the Prize. The winner will receive $10,000 in prize money and a year’s mentoring with one of Hachette Australia’s publishers.

Closes 12 July

Imago Fellowship

$50,000 – For creative writing – fiction or non-fiction, across any genre – utilising the collections of the State Library of NSW.

Closes 14 July

Carclew Fellowships

Carclew Fellowships offer financial support up to $10,000 to young artists and arts workers, across a variety of mediums including the written word. Age limit: up to 26 years; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants up to 30 years.

Closes 1 7 July

Australian Publishers Association (APA) – Children’s Editorial Program

APA’s new Children Editorial Program makes training available for editorial staff working in children’s publishing. A two-day picture book editing Intensive will take place at RMIT in Melbourne in October for successful applicants.

Closes 21 + 28 July

Open for submissions

Voiceworks – submissions.

Non-fiction pitches close: 21 July. Fiction & poetry submissions close: 28 July. Voiceworks publishes works by writers and artists under the age of 25. Submit fiction up to 3,000 words, poetry up to 100 lines, and pitches for non-fiction, for consideration for publication in upcoming issue Loaf .

Closes 21 July

July Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Calling writers of all ages and levels of ability to create an original piece of flash fiction of 500 words or less based on two typical writing prompts plus one “anti-prompt”. Compete for A$2,000 in cash prizes, including $1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and 2 ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice

Closes 27 July

The 2024 Nakata Brophy Short Fiction and Poetry Prize for Young Indigenous Writers

The Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, established in 2014 and now in its ninth year, recognises the talent of young Indigenous writers across Australia. In 2024, first prize will be awarded to the best poem up to 88 lines by an Indigenous writer who is 35 years or younger at the closing date of the competition. A runner-up prize may also be awarded. Entries close 27 July 2024 at 11:59pm AEST.

Closes 22 July

Call for submissions

Splinter journal.

We are thrilled to announce that our new literary journal, Splinter , has opened submissions for its inaugural issue. We warmly invite writers to send us writing across various fiction, non-fiction and poetic forms.

mindshare Awards

A poetry and creative writing competition open to South Australians with lived experience of mental health challenges. Categories include Unpublished Emerging Poets, Unpublished Emerging Writers, Published Established Poets, Published Established Writers. Prizes for shortlisted writers and winner.

Closes 31 July

The Hachette Australia Prize for Young Writers

Open to Australian secondary school-aged students; recognises writing excellence in three categories: Poetry (up to 100 lines), Fiction and Creative Nonfiction (up to 3,000 words). Prize winners in each category receive $500 and publication online with Express Media. 15 shortlisted writers participate in a writing masterclass.

Anthology Short Story Competition

Established to recognise and encourage creative writing and provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Short Story Competition is open to original and previously unpublished short stories in the English language by a writer of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Stories submitted must not exceed the maximum of 1,500 words.

Port Writers Open Writing Competition 2024

Entries invited in 2 categories – Short Story (to 2500 words), Poetry (to 32 lines). Prizes in each category – 1st $200, 2nd $50, Hastings Award (local writers) $50. Entry Fee $10 (limit in 3 entries per category).

Competition

New writers poetry competition 2024.

The New Writers Poetry Competition 2024 is open for entries of poems (42 lines max) on any theme and from anywhere in the world. The winner will receive £1,000 (with £300 for second place and £200 for third). The three winning poems will be published on the site and in a future New Writers Anthology. £1.00 from each entry will be donated to First Story, a creative writing charity for young people.

Flying Islands Poetry Manuscript Competition

Prize for a full length poetry manuscript (between 60-90 A4 pages); entries open to poets who have not yet published a full-length poetry collection. Winner receives $1,000 cash, publication Flying Island Pocket Poets Series, and consideration for a Arbaro Writers and Artists Residency. Other finalists may also be offered publication.

The Society of Women Writers Tasmania – Rose Frankcombe Short Story Award

Open to all Australian writers. Submit short fiction up to 1,500 words on the theme of Blue. First prize $200, second prize $50.

Australian and New Zealand Society of Indexers (ANZSI) Indexing Awards and John Simkin Medal 2024

Nominations are now open for the above awards. The ANZSI John Simkin Medal recognises an outstanding book index or periodical index compiled in Australia or New Zealand. ‘Highly Commended’ certificates may also be awarded.

Indexes may be nominated by authors, editors, indexers, publishers or readers.

Nomination forms, assessment criteria and lists of previous winners are available at the website .

The Ampersand Prize for Debut Manuscript

Awarded biennially to an extraordinary debut manuscript for children or young adults, with the winning author receiving a publishing contract with an advance against royalties, as well as editorial development to prepare the book for market.

UWA Publishing – submissions

University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP) is now accepting general submissions of adult fiction and poetry manuscripts. UWAP now also accepts submissions of scholarly and non-fiction manuscripts year-round.

Writers SA Varuna Fellowship

Each year we team up with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, to offer writing residency and development fellowships for South Australian writers working in any genre or form. The fellowships provide time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the beautiful Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples in the Blue Mountains. Opens for applications in July.

First Friday of each month

Writing challenges

Furious fiction.

On the first Friday of the month, you are invited to submit a short story up to 500 words, referencing the monthly theme, with only 55 hours to write.

Entries close monthly

The Wakefield Weekly Writing Competition

An exciting monthly challenge for authors Australia-wide. Each month, Wakefield Press release a new prompt for authors to respond to. The prize includes gift vouchers and the publication of winning entries on the Wakefield Press blog. 

Entries close Monthly

Submissions

Aniko press guest book reviews.

Aniko will be accepting one to two guest book reviews per month that fit with the tone and style of Aniko Press. The main focus is on literary and contemporary fiction, short story collections, poetry, interesting/experimental nonfiction and exciting graphic novels. Book reviews should be between 600-900 words, and contain a mix of literary criticism and personal opinion. Each published review is paid $50.00.

Entries close Various

Country Arts SA Grants 

Country Arts SA have a range of grants to support arts and cultural activities in regional South Australia . View the grants page for those currently open.

Closes Monthly

Right Left Write

QLD Writers Centre’s monthly short fiction competition Right Left Write is a great opportunity to get your writing published. Winning entries are published in the newsletter, on their website, and in an annual print anthology edition. Monthly.

Entries close 4 August

The 2024 Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize

In 2016 at the age of 93, the poet and activist Venie Holmgren passed away. To honour his mother, David Holmgren, permaculture co-originator established the Venie Holmgren Environmental Poetry Prize. *Fee

Entries close 11 August

SA Literary Fellowships 2025

Writers SA and State Library of South Australia have partnered to offer the SA Literary Fellowships program to support emerging, established, and First Nations writers. This program will offer five annual creative writing fellowships with a cash component, desk space, and access to the Library’s collections. It is open to all writers living in South Australia to encourage the original and imaginative use of the Library’s spaces and collections to develop new literary works.

Entries close 12 August

The Best Australian Yarn

The West Australian is calling all writers – published or unpublished – from every corner of Australia to get creative and submit their short story of up to 2,500 words. Whether you’re an accomplished author, a budding writer or a complete newcomer to creative writing, submissions from everyone 12 years and over are welcome. The prize pool is $80,000 across 18 prizes with the winning entry receiving a $50,000 cash prize.

Peter Blazey Fellowship

$17,000 award intended to further a work in progress from writers in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography and life writing.

The Hage Award for First Nations Writers

Over a period of 12 months, two First Nations writers will be awarded financial and in-kind support to develop a debut manuscript (fiction and/or nonfiction).

Entries close 15 August

Screen Australia/SBS/NITV Digital Originals Program

Calling all emerging SA writers. This program is aimed at developing exciting and innovative online scripted series, with applicant teams from around the country chosen to develop and produce bold and original series of 6 x 10 minute episodes for broadcast on SBS and NITV.

Entries close 25 August

2025 Varuna Fellowship s

The Writers SA Varuna Fellowship is open to all writers living in South Australia who are current Writers SA members. The fellowship provides time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the beautiful Country of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples in the Blue Mountains.

Entries close 26 August

ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Award

Open to nominations for published works (2022, 2023 or 2024) of young adult fiction, non-fiction, ​graphic novels and poetry that ‘pushes boundaries, challenges stereotypes, and celebrates diverse and marginalised people and communities’. 26 August.

Entries close 31 August

Olga Masters Short Story Award

Accepts entries of short stories (2,000–4,000 words) on the theme of life in rural Australia. Main Prize of $1,500 plus publication in Island magazine; $500 for runner-up.

Aesthetica Creative Writing Award

An international literary prize that is a hotbed for new talent in poetry and short fiction. Each winner is awarded with £2,500 as well as publication.

BREW Poetry Award

The BREW Poetry Award honours the profound beauty and transformative impact of verse, recognising poets who skillfully weave language to evoke emotions and imagery. Awards include Judges’ Pick and Community’s Pick, with winners receiving a badge, digital certificate, and potential feature in an anthology or in a The World’s Best Magazine print edition. Entry is free.

Anthology Personal Memoir Competition

Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours? Authors are invited to share a unique life experience. Whether your memoir recounts a transformative journey, a poignant moment, or a life-altering event, we welcome your story. The Anthology Personal Memoir Competition is open to original and previously unpublished memoirs in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. The winner will receive €500 and publication.

Entries close August

Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards

The most valuable literary prize in the country, with prizes for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Award for Indigenous Writing and Writing for Young Adults – each receive $25,000. The winner of the Award for an Unpublished Manuscript receives $15,000. The winners of the six main suite categories go on to contest the overall Victorian Prize for Literature, worth an additional $100,000. Usually closes August.

Sisters in Crime’s Scarlet Stiletto Awards

Cash prizes for the best crime short stories by Australian women. Maximum length: 5000 words.  $12,365 in prizes on offer. The awards usually close August.

Opens 1 September

Commonwealth Short Story Prize

The prize is free to enter and open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country who is aged 18 and over. It is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2,000–5,000 words). Regional winners each receive £2,500 and the opportunity to be published online by Granta magazine, and the overall winner receives £5,000. A free prize for unpublished short fiction, open to any citizen of a Commonwealth country. Translations or entries in languages other than English are also accepted. The 2025 prize will open for submissions on 1 September 2024.

Opens 6 September

ESU – Roly Sussex Short Story Competition

Literary award that fosters original creative writing, including ‘experimental, challenging or thought-provoking work’. Submit writing up to 3,000 words. First-place winners’ travel to attend the awards ceremony covered up to $500. All stories submitted will be considered for publication by ESU.

Entries close 23 September

2024 Illustration Prize for Children’s Picture Book Publishing

This annual, nationally recognised prize garners a great deal of interest from the industry and several of our winners have been awarded contracts with major publishers.

Closing 29 September

Open submissions

Story unlikely.

Story Unlikely is seeking short stories. Submission period runs from February 2nd through September 29th. No restrictions on genre (seeking all types of stories; fiction and creative nonfiction). 10k word limit (15k for Members). 8 cents a word, reprints are 1 cent a word (we cap payment at $200, or $400 for Members). All published stories are illustrated. No submission fee.

Closing September

Saddleworthy Book & Art Event

An artist and author event to be held in the Saddleworth Institute on 28th September 2024. This is an opportunity to showcase your talent and is open to everyone. EOIs are open now.

Closing 27 September

The Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing

The Thunderbolt Prize for Crime Writing is open to writers from all over Australia, for unpublished works in fiction, non-fiction, and poetry categories. Visit the New England Writers’ Centre (NEWC) website for information and guidelines. Entry fee is $10 for adults, and $5 for writers under-18 years. Submission window closes at the end of September, and winners announced in November. The entries are all judged anonymously by industry professionals.

Entries close 30 September

Campbelltown Writers’ Competition

Writers from across SA are invited to submit their original stories inspired by the theme of “Journey”. Open to all genres and formats, including short stories, factual articles, memoirs and poetry to 2,500 words, and must have a link to the Campbelltown or resident. 30 September .

The Letter Review Prize

For short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and unpublished books. Winners share in the $4000 USD total prize pool. Twenty writers are Shortlisted in each category. All entries considered for publication, and for submission to the Pushcart Prize and other anthologies.

Woorilla Poetry Prize

Be part of a highly recognised poetry competition that has assisted poets for over 30 years. Enjoy the opportunity to win cash prizes and have your work published in multiple categories.  Closes 30th September 2024.

The Moth Nature Writing Prize

The Prize will be awarded to three unpublished pieces of prose (word limit 4000) or poetry which best combine exceptional literary merit with an exploration of the writer’s relationship with the natural world. 1st prize €1,000 plus a week at Circle of Misse in France, 2nd prize €500, 3rd prize €250. Open to anyone (over 16). There is an entry fee of €15. This year’s judge is award-winning nature writer Cal Flyn.

Port Stephens Literature Award

The award is for short stories of up to 2000 words on any topic and must be original. $1100 in prize money.

Anthology Flash Fiction Competition

Established to inspire creativity, great writing and to provide a platform for publication. The Anthology Flash Fiction Competition is open to original and previously unpublished flash fiction pieces on any theme or genre in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for writing that is clever and unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling story. The winner will receive a €300 cash prize.

Anthology Nature Writing Competition

The Anthology Nature Writing Competition is created to celebrate the beauty of the natural world, inspire literary excellence and encourage Anthology’s readers to explore the great outdoors. Whether it’s the wonder of life right in your own garden, an encounter with wildlife, the serenity of a forest, a reflection on environmental challenges, or the healing power of nature, we welcome your stories. The winner will receive €500.

Applications close March & Sept

Carclew’s Project & Development grants for individuals

Carclew offers grants to early career artists aged 26 years or under, for arts projects with a tangible outcome and/or skills and career development. Project & Development grants for individuals provide up to $10,000 and are offered twice per year for activity occurring in the following six months.  Closing March and September.

Entries usually close September

Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli Fellowship for Writers

Open to mid-career writers, this $13,500 fellowship is awarded to someone in recognition of their literary achievements and commitment to humanity and social justice issues. Applicants must be under the age of 40 and identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, living with a disability, or culturally and linguistically diverse. Usually closes September each year.

May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Ian Wilson Memorial Fellowship

Apply for this “gift of time and support”, which includes accommodation, local support, and travel to Adelaide providing creative time away from home.

Entries close September

POEM FOREST

A free nature writing prize that breathes life back into the natural world that sustains us. Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, POEM FOREST invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received a tree is planted to help heal habitats. All POEM FOREST Prize entries are published in a digital library and have the chance to win $5,000 in prizes. Usually closes September.

Entries open September

Fellowship | Scholarship

Magabala books fellowship and scholarship.

The Fellowship, worth $10,000 is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers is intended to provide valuable time for a mid-career author to work on a current manuscript. The scholarships support professional development relating to writing, illustration and storytelling, and are open to both emerging and established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, artists, illustrators and storytellers. Applications usually open in September.

Closes 7 October

2025 Peter Porter Poetry Prize

Australian Book Review welcomes entries for the twenty-first Peter Porter Poetry Prize, which is open to all international poets from 1 July 2024 until midnight 7 October 2024. First prize is worth $6,000. Entries must be an original single-authored poem of not more than 60 lines written in English. The five shortlisted poems will be published in the January–February 2025 issue and the winner will be announced at a ceremony later that month.

Closes 20 October

October Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction

Calling writers of all ages and levels of ability to create an original piece of flash fiction of 500 words or less based on two typical writing prompts plus one “anti-prompt”. Compete for A$2,000 in cash prizes, including $1,000 for the winner, cash prizes for the entire shortlist and 2 ‘wildcard’ prizes. Winners are read aloud on the Not Quite Write podcast, where the judges share in-depth analysis about the entries and offer free writing advice.

Closes 30 October

Anthology Photography Competition

Open to photographers working at any level, the Anthology Photography Competition celebrates outstanding standalone images. It also provides a platform for photographers to showcase their work through publication. Images submitted must be on the theme of ‘Everyday Wonders’. Submissions will be judged on quality, creativity, originality, and visual/emotional impact. The winner will receive a €500 cash prize.

Anthology Travel Writing Competition

Established for writers who like to share authentic travel experiences and to provide a platform for publication. The Anthology Travel Writing Competition is open to original and previously unpublished travel articles in the English language by writers of any nationality, living anywhere in the world. We are looking for an engaging article that captures the reader’s attention, conveying a strong sense of the destination and the local culture. FIRST: €500

Closes 31 October

Anthology Poetry Competition

Established to recognise and encourage excellence in the craft of poetry writing and to provide a platform for publication, the Anthology Poetry Competition is open to original and previously unpublished poems in the English language. Entries are invited from poets of all nationalities, living anywhere in the world. There is no restriction on theme or style. Poems submitted should not exceed 40 lines. FIRST: €1,000 cash prize and publication

Anthology Art Competition

The Anthology Art Competition is established to foster and support both established and emerging visual artists and provide a platform for publication. The competition is open to multiple genres including painting, printmaking, mixed media, photography and digital media. The winner will receive €500 and editorial coverage in a future issue of Anthology.

Closes October

Competitions

Nsw premier’s literary awards.

The annual awards are the richest and longest running state-based literary awards in Australia, covering all genres of writing. entries usually close in October.

The Stella Prize

The Stella Prize awards the best book by an Australian woman, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry with $50,000. Nominations usually close October.

Entries close 8 November

The 2024 Marj Wilke Short Story Award

This competition is open to Australian Women Writers over the age of 18 years. Calling for short stories, any genre and up to 1500 words, not including title. Entry Fee is $15 or $40 for three. First prize $350, runner-up $150, and an encouragement award $75, plus certificates.

Closes November

Residencies and Fellowships

Writers sa varuna fellowships.

Each year we team up with Varuna, the National Writers’ House, to offer two new writing residency and development fellowships for SA writers working in any genre or form. The fellowships provide time, writing space, and consultation to work on your writing in a dedicated writers’ retreat in the Blue Mountains. Usually closes November.

Miles Franklin Literary Award

One of Australia’s most prestigious literature prizes, the Miles Franklin accepts applications from publishers usually until November.

Closing November

CBCA Book of the Year Awards

Awards for published Australian books for readers under the age of eighteen. Six categories including Book of the Year for Older Readers, Younger Readers, and Early Childhood Readers; Picture Book of the Year, Eve Pownall Award and Award for New Illustrator. Entries open March-November.

Entries close November 30

Residency at Lighthouse Arts Newcastle

Immerse. Focus. Create. Applications for Lighthouse Arts residencies are now open for August to December 2024. Open to writers and creatives of all backgrounds, disciplines, and stages, our residency rounds cater to both local and visiting artists.

Closing 31 December

Seeking submissions

Sojournal: one image one story.

Sojournal is a non-profit labour of love and at present we cannot offer payment to contributors. We will not be running any advertisements on our site so the only income we might achieve is through donations. Sojournal exists to support you in your story telling because we love great travel stories. If you are published by Sojournal we will spread your work as widely as possible.

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UPDATED 05/08/2024

The following information has been extracted from other websites and no assurance can be given as its correctnes s.

Give your hard work the best chance to win, make sure that you follow the entry requirements!

If the entry conditions don't specify it, then generally you can submit the same entry to different competitions at the same time - but if your entry places in one then you should inform the organisers of the other competitions. It is then up to them whether your entry is disqualified or not.

Allow for time to post and double-check closing dates, particularly if the organiser is in another time zone.

NEW LISTINGS THIS MONTH

Conflux & CSFG Short Story Competition Dickinson Memorial Literary Competition Heroines Women's Writing Prize Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize Noosa Arts Theatre National One-Act Playwriting Competition NSW Poetry Prize Odyssey House Victoria Short Story Competition Peter Porter Poetry Prize SAETA Spring Poetry Festival Scribes Writers - "Short Takes" The Best Australian Yarn The Henshaw Short Story Competition The Plaza Poetry Prize (20 lines) The Plaza Short Story Prize (2500 words) The Scarlet Stiletto Award The Writing Prize To Hull and Back Competition Writing is Magic

AWC Furious Fiction

Opens:  5pm (Sydney/Melbourne time) Monthly Closes: 55 hours later Open to:  17 years and older Theme:  Story prompt provided Accepts:  Flash Fiction Size:  500 words Entry Fee:  Nil Prize : Not mentioned

Flash 500 Flash Fiction Competition

Closing Date:  Quarterly competitions - see website Open to:  All Theme:  None Accepts:  Flash Fiction Size:  500 words Entry Fee:  £5 for one story, £8 for two stories Prize : First:  £300,  Second:  £200,  Third:  £100 Little Stories, Big Ideas Closing Date:  Quarterly competitions - see website Open to: Australian Secondary School Students Theme: See website * Accepts: Any literary style - Year 10 - 12 Size: 100 words Entry Fee: Nil Prize : First: VentralIP Hosting and Domain Name Package (value $140), Second: Express Media membership and latest issue of Voiceworks magazine,  Third: $50 voucher from Readings Bookstore * Accepts: Any literary style - Year 7 - 9 Size: 100 words Entry Fee: Nil Prize : First: $50 voucher from Readings Bookstore, Second: StoryCraft Writing Mentorship

The Letter Review Prize US COMPETITION Closing date: Every second month Open to: All Theme: None * Accepts: Short Fiction Size: 5,000 words Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Poetry Size: 70 lines Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Nonfiction Size: 5,000 words Entry Fee: $US 2 for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool * Accepts: Unpublished Book Size: Prose: First 5,000 words, Poetry: First 15 pages, Total size: Novels: minimum 45,000 words, Novellas: 25,000 – 45,000 words, Short Story Collections: minimum 25,000 words, Nonfiction: minimum 40,000 words. Poetry: minimum 20 pages (with some flexibility) Entry Fee: Nil for first, $US 5 thereafter Prize: $US 1,000 Prize pool

THROUGH THE YEAR

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MEET THE WINNERS OF THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION 2022

The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) is the world's oldest international schools' writing contest, established by the Society in 1883. With thousands of young people taking part each year, it is an important way to recognise achievement, elevate youth voices and develop key skills through creative writing. 

Each year, entrants write on a theme that explores the Commonwealth's values, fostering an empathetic world view in the next generation of leaders and encouraging young people to consider new perspectives to the challenges that the world faces. Themes have included the environment, community, inclusion, the role of youth leadership, and gender equality. 

In the past decade alone, this high-profile competition has engaged approximately 140,000 young people, over 5,000 schools and thousands of volunteer judges across the Commonwealth. 

This year, the competition theme was 'Our Commonwealth', reflecting on our Patron Queen Elizabeth II's seven decades of service to the Commonwealth as an inspiring example of the steadfast commitment and important contribution we can all make to our societies.

We were thrilled to receive a record-breaking 26,322 entries to the QCEC from every Commonwealth region, with the winners and runners-up from New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and India. Find out more about this year's winners below and watch their reactions on discovering this significant achievement!

Sawooly Li 

Senior Winner 

Age 17, New Zealand 

Sawooly Li is a 12th grade student from Rangitoto College in New Zealand. Reading and writing have always been second nature for her—a way of expressing visions, thoughts, and emotions. She loves drawing inspiration and learning from other great writers and their works. Both reading and writing are things which Sawooly aspires to continue far, far, into the future.

Sawooly also has a love for maths and physics, and is heavily involved in such areas in her school, running clubs and participating in competitions. Fostering a strong sense of community, she also leads several in-school organisations, such as UN Youth and UNICEF. In the winters, Sawooly enjoys snowboarding in New Zealand’s beautiful mountains with friends and family.

Read Sawooly's winning entry, 'Willow Trees and Waterholes' .

Madeleine Wood

Junior Winner 

Age 14, Australia 

Madeleine is 14 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is in grade 8 at Camberwell Girls Grammar School.

She loves travelling, particularly through Europe, and enjoys visiting the museums, historical landmarks and cities in each country. It is from these experiences that she gained a love for ancient, medieval, and renaissance history.

She is also an avid reader, plays the violin and spends much of her time playing basketball or swimming.

Read her winning poem, 'Catalina' .

Amaal Fawzi

Senior Runner-up

Age 17, United Kingdom

Amaal Fawzi is a 17-year-old girl who was born in Egypt, raised in Lebanon, and now lives in East London. She has an Iraqi father and a British mother, and because of the education system in Lebanon, she has started university a year early! She studies English Literature with Creative Writing and has been writing poetry for many years, though she wouldn’t say she’s been writing poetry well for all of them.

Most of the poetry and prose she likes to write is concerned with culture and identity. Her years in Lebanon formed the majority of her character and cultural experiences, so learning to interact with that in the UK has been a very interesting season. It makes for a lot of writing material, and she’d say that the way she writes is always personal and drawn somehow from her own life.

Read Amaal's poem, 'Nursing Homes' . 

Maulika Pandey

Junior  Runner-up

Age 13, India

Maulika Pandey, is an 8th grade student from Aurum the Global School.

She has always enjoyed writing since she was a child as she feels writing gives her the power to express her feelings in a creative way. Maulika also enjoys sketching and playing the guitar. Basketball is her favourite sport.

She aspires to be a successful entrepreneur but will definitely continue writing in the future.

She is a dedicated advocate for anti-bullying and body positivity.

Read her entry titled, 'The Molai Forest' .

Writing awards, competitions and opportunities for 2022

Writing and Publishing

Photo: Florian Klauer at Unsplash.

Writers, could this be the year you win that big prize or crack a prestigious publication? If you are thinking of entering a writing prize or competition in 2022 then populate your calendar with these prizes and opportunities.

Please note that some opportunities are listed based on when submission deadlines are open or closed, while other awards are listed by the date on which winners are announced.

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Thuy On is the Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the books editor of The Big issue for 8 years. Her debut, a collection of poetry called Turbulence, came out in 2020 and was released by University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP). Her second collection, Decadence, was published in July 2022, also by UWAP. Her third book, Essence, will be published in 2025. Twitter: @thuy_on Instagram: poemsbythuy

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ABR is delighted to announce that Tracey Slaughter – from Aotearoa New Zealand – is the winner of the 2024 Calibre Essay Prize. Slaughter becomes the first overseas writer to claim the Calibre Prize. Judges Amy Baillieu, Shannon Burns, and Beejay Silcox chose ‘ why your hair is long & your stories short ’, published in the May issue of ABR , from a field of 567 entries from twenty-eight countries. Copies of the May issue can be purchased here .

This year’s runner-up is ‘Hold Your Nerve’, by Melbourne writer Natasha Sholl, and third prize goes to Canberra-based journalist Nicole Hasham for ‘Bloodstone’. These essays will be published in ABR in 2024. Tracey Slaughter receives $5,000, Natasha Sholl receives $3,000, and Nicole Hasham receives $2,000. Founded in 2007, the Calibre Prize is one of the world’s leading prizes for a new non-fiction essay.

Status: Closed for entries, winner announced

Prize money: $10,000

Dates: 23 October 2023 – 22 January 2024, 11:59 pm 

Judges: Amy Baillieu, Shannon Burns, and Beejay Silcox

The judges said this of the overall field in 2024:

We were delighted to encounter works that took unusual approaches to the form ... Among them were essays exploring the ethics of AI and the repercussions of war, reflections on loss, climate change, and family, musings on lesser-known aspects of history and thoughtful approaches to political and personal subjects.

The judges said this about Slaughter’s winning essay:

In Tracey Slaughter’s “why your hair is long & your stories short”, a beauty salon becomes a refracting point for the dark complexities of womanhood ... Written in snips and snippets – the literary equivalent of a haircut – this piece is as sharp as good scissors, as evocative as it is incisive.’

The shortlist for the 2024 Calibre Prize was as follows (in alphabetical order by author surname):

Stuart Cooke (QLD) | Sounds of the Tip, or: learning to listen to the Oxley Creek Common Else Fitzgerald (NSW) | The Things We Don’t Say Live in My Body Chris Fleming (NSW) | Everything, Then Nothing, Just Like That Nicole Hasham (ACT) | Bloodstone Jeni Hunter (QLD) | Views from the Floodplain Sang-Hwa Lee (UK) | Looking Away Natasha Roberts (NSW) | Guide to losing your house in a bushfire Natasha Sholl (Vic) | Hold Your Nerve Tracey Slaughter (NZ) | why your hair is long & your stories short David Sornig (Vic) | Os Sacrum Carrie Tiffany (Vic) | Seven snakes

More information about the shortlisted authors can be found below.

The 2024 Calibre Prize shortlist

‘sounds of the tip, or: learning to listen to the oxley creek common’ by stuart cooke.

Stuart Cooke is a poet, essayist, and translator, and Associate Professor of Creative Writing and Literary Studies at Griffith University. His latest book is the poetry collection The grass is greener over your grave (Puncher & Wattmann, 2023).Stuart’s current projects include a non-fiction work about the late pop icon Michael Jackson, and a collection of essays about biology, ecology, and poetry. He lives in Brisbane, on Turrbal and Yuggera Country.

‘The Things We Don’t Say Live in My Body’ by Else Fitzgerald

Else Fitzgerald’s writing has appeared in publications including Australian Book Review , Meanjin , The Suburban Review, The Guardian , and Award Winning Australian Writing . Her collection of short speculative fiction, Everything Feels Like the End of the World , won the 2019 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers and was published by Allen & Unwin in 2022. Everything Feels Like the End of the World was shortlisted for the 2022 Aurealis Awards and the 2023 University of Southern Queensland Steele Rudd Award.

‘Everything, Then Nothing, Just Like That’ by Chris Fleming

Chris Fleming is an Australian writer and translator whose work has appeared in both the scholarly and popular media. He is the author or editor of ten books, including the acclaimed memoir On Drugs (Giramondo, 2019). As well as theoretical work and translations, his fiction, essays, poetry, and graphic work have appeared in places such as The LA Review of Books , Island , The Chronicle of Higher Education , Literary Hub , and Westerly . He is Associate Professor in Humanities and a Member of the Writing and Society Research Centre at Western Sydney University.

‘Bloodstone’ by Nicole Hasham

Nicole Hasham is a writer, journalist, and editor based in Canberra (Ngunnawal and Ngambri country). Her work has appeared in Griffith Review , The Monthly , The Guardian , the Sydney Morning Herald , and The Age , as well as the 2021 Best Australian Science Writing anthology. In 2010, she won a Walkley Award for journalism. Nicole was shortlisted for the UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing in 2021 and was awarded the Mick Dark Fellowship for Environmental Writing at Varuna, the national writer’s house, in 2023. Her first book, a work of narrative non-fiction, will be published by Black Inc. in 2025.

‘Views from the Floodplain’ by Jeni Hunter

Jeni Hunter was born on Whadjuk Nyoongar country (Perth) and is currently living in Meanjin (Brisbane). She is an early career writer who is completing a Bachelor of Arts with Majors in Writing and English Literature. As a dedicated reader, with an appreciation for evidence, nuance, and empathy, Jeni enjoys the immersive writing experience, and exploring the fragile balance between comfort and the unknown.

‘Looking Away’ by Sang-Hwa Lee

Sang-Hwa Lee is an educator and policy researcher specialising in geopolitics. She moved with her family from South Korea to the United Kingdom at the age of five, and is currently based in London. In her spare time, she enjoys writing essays and creative non-fiction on a wide variety of topics, including culture, history, philosophy, and politics. Raised by a Baptist pastor, she has since lost her faith but continues to indulge in her love of choral evensong.

‘Guide to losing your house in a bushfire’ by Natasha Roberts

Natasha Roberts has been writing professionally in the field of data protection and information law for many years, in both government and the private sector. In her spare time, she writes stories and is working on a novel with the support of her wonderful writing group. She lives with her partner and children in the Bega Valley/Yuin Country, in New South Wales.

‘Hold Your Nerve’ by Natasha Sholl

Natasha Sholl is a writer and lapsed lawyer based in Melbourne. Her work has appeared in The Guardian , The Age , The Sydney Morning Herald , Good Weekend , SBS Voices , Kill Your Darlings , and Mamamia . In 2020, she completed the KYD Mentors Program. She was shortlisted for a Varuna Fellowship in 2020 and attended a supported residency in 2022. Her first book, Found, Wanting , was published by Ultimo Press in 2022.

‘why your hair is long & your stories short’ by Tracey Slaughter Photo by Joel Hinton

Tracey Slaughter is a poet, fiction writer, and essayist from Aotearoa New Zealand. Her work has received numerous awards including the Manchester Poetry Prize 2023, the Fish Short Story Prize 2020, and the Bridport Prize 2014. In 2018 her poem ‘breather’ came runner-up in ABR ’s Peter Porter Poetry Prize. She teaches at the University of Waikato, where she edits the journals Mayhem and Poetry Aotearoa . Her recent books are Devil’s Trumpet (2021) and Conventional Weapons (2019), from Te Herenga Waka Press, and her latest collection the girls in the red house are singing comes out in August 2024.

‘Os Sacrum’ by David Sornig

David Sornig is the author of two books, the novel Spiel (UWAP, 2009) and Blue Lake (Scribe, 2018), a psychogeographic history of the long-forgotten swamplands and shanty town of West Melbourne, which won a Judges’ Special Prize in the 2019 Victorian Community History Awards. David has twice been a finalist in the Melbourne Prize for Literature Writer’s Prize for the essays ‘Jubilee’ (2015), about the Bendigo-born Afro-Caribbean singer Elsie Williams, and ‘Thirteen Men at the Sack of Troy’ (2021), about the industrial conquest of Melbourne’s west.

‘Seven snakes’ by Carrie Tiffany

Carrie Tiffany was born in West Yorkshire and grew up in Western Australia. She spent her early twenties working as a park ranger in Central Australia and now lives and works in Naarm/Melbourne. Her novels, Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living , Mateship with Birds and Exploded View , have been published internationally and are widely acclaimed. She is the editor of the Victorian Landcare Magazine and teaches Creative Writing at the Faber Academy and La Trobe University.

Past winners

Click the link for more information about  past winners  and to read their essays.

FAQs and Terms and Conditions

Please read our  Frequently Asked Questions  before contacting us with queries about the Calibre Prize.

Before entering the Calibre Essay Prize, all entrants must read the  Terms and Conditions .

Please sign up to our free ‘Prizes and Programs’ newsletter for more information about the 2024 Calibre Essay Prize.

ABR  thanks founding Patrons Mary-Ruth Sindrey and Peter McLennan for their continuing support for the Calibre Essay Prize. 

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IPSANZ and AIPPI Australia have IP essay competitions, closing in May 2022, with valuable prizes.  For more details, click on the heading of the competition.

John McLaren Emmerson QC Essay Prize 2022

• for an essay on a topic of the author’s choice regarding intellectual property
• entries between 5,000-10,000 words
• closing date 13 May 2022
• prize of AU$5,000 plus complimentary registration at the IPSANZ 35th Annual Conference scheduled to be held over the weekend of 16 – 18 September 2022, including 2 nights’ accommodation at the Park Hyatt, Melbourne, Australia and a return economy airfare from within Australia or New Zealand to the Conference

AIPPI Australia Essay Prize 2022

• for an essay on one of four specified topics, one of which is “moral rights”
• entries of no more than 10,000 words
• closing date 1 May 2022
• prize of complimentary registration at AIPPI’s 2022 World Congress, which is to be held in San Francisco in September 2022, together with return flights and accommodation

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Marlow Meares, a third-year law student at ANU, recently won the 2022 Sir Anthony Mason Constitution Law Essay Competition.

I’m interested in politics and law and thought ANU was the best choice given its strength in public law.

By Helen Tong (student ambassador)

Essay writing is an integral part of any law student experience.

For Marlow Meares, a third-year law student at The Australian National University (ANU), essay writing is a skill that he has clearly mastered.  

Marlow recently won the 2022 Sir Anthony Mason Constitution Law Essay Competition for his essay on how the High Court interprets referenda.

Named in honour of Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE , a distinguished professor at the ANU College of Law, the annual essay competition provides Juris Doctor and undergraduate law students with the opportunity to write on recent issues in constitutional law.

In his competition-winning essay, ‘ The Frozen Continent: The High Court’s Approach to Referenda Interpretation ’, Marlow argues that the “High Court should place more emphasis on the intent of the legislature and electors when interpreting provisions altered through referenda”.

In this Q&A, Marlow reflects on his essay, the significance of the competition and provides words of advice for future law students.

What was your essay about?

My essay was on how the High Court interprets referenda. It was a particularly timely topic given all Australians will vote in a referendum to enshrine a Voice to Parliament next year.

What motivated you to choose that topic?

I’m interested in theories of constitutional interpretation. Why some value the intentions of people from 120 years ago, while others see the constitution as a living document.

Sir Anthony’s question on referenda interpretation gave me the opportunity to further refine my thinking on these theories within the contemporary context of changing the constitution.

What are your top essay writing tips?

Drafting. After typing out my first draft I spent weeks deleting paragraphs, re-writing, and re-ordering my essay. I especially find it useful to leave my drafts for a few days and come back to them with a fresh perspective.

Why did you choose to study law at the ANU?

I’m interested in politics and law and thought ANU was the best choice given its strength in public law. From the generosity of academics to the ability to watch high profile cases in the High Court, I’m glad I chose to study at ANU.

What are you most looking forward to before graduation in your law studies?

I’m really looking forward to participating in the Legal Education for True Justice: Indigenous Perspectives and Deep Listening on Country course next year. The course is an immersive on-Country educational experience that will be like no other course I’ve ever taken.

Do you have any advice for first year law students?

Get involved in ANU. Join the ANU Law Students’ Society , attend events and book launches, and enter the wide variety of law competitions.

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Top Five: 2022 International Essay Writing Contests

Get your ultimate top five list of Essay Writing Contests for 2022 through OYA Opportunities!

Get out there and compete with people around the world in the competitions listed below for cash prizes and much more!

1. 2022 International Essay Contest for Young People

This annual essay contest is an effort to harness the energy, creativity, as well as initiative of the world’s youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to inspire society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of us can make a difference in the world.

Theme : My Values

Prize : 150,000 yen, gift prizes, certificates, and honorable mentions

Deadline : 15 June 2022

Organizer : goi peace foundation

Click here for more information.

2. Peter Drucker Challenge Essay Contest 2022

The Drucker Challenge is an annual international essay competition exploring a current topic in management, typically related to the theme of the Forum in the context of Peter Drucker’s human-oriented management philosophy.

Prize : $420,000, in-person pass for the 14th Global Peter Drucker Forum, Publication as well as Certificates

Deadline : 14 May 2022

Organizer : Peter Drucker Challenge

Click here to learn more

3. RD Walshe Memorial Writing for the Environment Prize 2022

Through the RD Walshe Memorial Writing for the Environment Prize, Sutherland Shire Environment Centre continues to value the role and place of the art of writing in bringing about change in issues of social justice as well as the environment. Writing offers a chance to reflect on these problems and their causes, as well as on the solutions and their causes.

This year’s competition intends to attract quality writing that can inspire or inform or incite change towards a more peaceful as well as the sustainable world – healthy people living on a healthy planet.

Theme : Peace and Sustainability

Prize : up to 700 dollar cash prize,

Deadline : 17 June 2022

Organizer : Sutherland Shire Environment Centre

Click here to learn more!

4. World Trade Organization Essay Award 2022 for Young Economists

The WTO has issued a call for young economists to submit papers for the 2022 WTO Essay Award. The award aims to promote high-quality research on trade policy and international trade cooperation as well as to reinforce the relationship between the WTO and the academic community.

Theme : trade policy and international trade cooperation

Prize : CHF 5,000 as well as an invitation to  the annual meeting of the European Trade Study Group (funded)

Deadline : 6 June 2022

Organizer : World Trade Organization

Click here for more information

5. Mountain Photo Essay Competition 2022

The Mountain Photo Essay Competition is a program of Mountain Culture at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. It promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share and find inspiration in mountain experiences, ideas, as well as visions.

Theme : Mountain Culture

Prize :  $2000 CAD Grand prize

Deadline : 2 May  2022

Organizer : BANFF

Moreover, click here for more information

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Nature Writing Prize

May 01, 2023 | Last updated May 04, 2023

2023 Nature Writing Prize Winners

The Winners of the 2023 Nature Writing Prize have been announced. Congratulations to Connor Tomas O’Brien who took out the $7500 major prize for his essay 'The Cryptids' and Lily Chan who received the Rosina Joy Buckman Award, a $1000 prize for highly commended essay, 'The Golden Age'.

Connor Tomas O'Brien: Connor Tomas O'Brien © Connor Tomas O'Brien

Lily Chan: Lily Chan © Lily Chan

2023 Nature Writing Prize : 2023 Nature Writing Prize Winner Announcement Event. © TNC Australia

Author Tim Winton: Author Tim Winton, the keynote speaker at the 2023 Nature Writing Prize event © TNC Australia

About the 2023 Competition

See the keynote presentation by Tim Winton here .

Join us for a special evening to celebrate the 2023 winner announcement and see who will be awarded the $7,500 prize for their winning essay in the genre of ‘Writing of Place’, with a keynote presentation from author and passionate conservationist, Tim Winton.

Wednesday 22nd November 2023, 7pm-9pm

Rmit’s the capitol,, 113 swanston st, melbourne vic, keynote presenter: tim winton.

Tim Winton is the author of 29 books. Listed as a National Living Treasure, few other Australian writers have had such a broad-ranging and far-reaching cultural impact, from the arts and sciences, to environmental education, and conservation policy. In June 2023, Tim Winton received an Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to literature as an author and novelist, to conservation, and to environmental advocacy.

The event is proudly brought to you by The Nature Conservancy Australia and has been made possible thanks to the vision, and a generous donation, from The McLean Foundation, which promotes and celebrates the literature of nature and literature in nature in Australia.

Read more for more information on the 2023 shortlist. 

'Writing of Place'

Essay between 3,000 and 5,000 words

$7,500 will be awarded to the winning author.

The winning writer will be announced at a very special event in Melbourne in November 2023, featuring keynote speaker Tim Winton.

They will also be offered for publication, with the possibility of being published in  The Monthly  at the discretion of Schwartz Media's editorial team. 

An additional author receiving a Highly Commended Prize - the Rosina Joy Buckman Award, a $1,000 prize, made possible thanks to the generous support of  Life at Springfield .

The prize is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Participants will need to pay an entry fee of $25.

Read the full  Terms & Conditions .

The competition’s judges are novelist, essayist and editor Ashley Hay and writer and environmental historian Cameron Muir.

They will award the prize to an Australian writer whose entry is judged to be of the highest literary merit and which best explores his or her relationship and interaction with some aspect of the Australian landscape.

Ashley works as a writer, editor, facilitator and mentor and is based in Brisbane. Between 2018 and 2022, she was the editor of the  Griffith Review  where she curated, commissioned and composed sixteen editions of Australia's leading quarterly of great writing and new ideas.  Learn more about Ashley Hay.

Cameron Muir

Cameron's essays and features have appeared in  Griffith Review, Meanjin, Inside Story, Overland, The Guardian, Australian Book Review, The Canberra Times  and  Best Australian Science Writing,  among others. He has been awarded the Griffith Review Emerging Writers’ Prize, an Australian Society of Authors Mentorship (with Bruce Pascoe), a Griffith Review Contributor’s Circle Varuna Fellowship, shortlisted for the 2019 Bragg Prize for Science Writing and was a finalist in the 2019 Eureka Prizes for Science Journalism. Cameron has a PhD in environnmental history from the Australian National University.  Learn more about Cameron Muir.

The Nature Writing Prize 2023 is proudly brought to you by The Nature Conservancy Australia and The McLean Foundation.

The Rosina Joy Buckman Award for Highly Commended essay, prize donated by:  Life at Springfield

Presented in partnership with:  RMIT Culture

Media partner:  The Monthly

Previous winners

In 2021, Gregory Day was awarded the Nature Writing Prize 2021 Winner, for his essay The Watergaw .

Gregory Day is a novelist, poet, essayist and musician from the Eastern Otways region of south-west Victoria. He is a winner of the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal, the Elisabeth Jolley Prize, and his latest novel, A Sand Archive, was shortlisted for the 2019 Miles Franklin Award. In 2020 Gregory received the prestigious Patrick White Award for his ongoing body of work.

The announcement event featured an interview between Ashley Hay, then Editor of the Griffith Review , where the essay was published, in conversation with Gregory.

Gregory’s essay was chosen by judges Tara June Winch and Geordie Williamson, out of almost 140 pieces of writing received in the last competition.

The judging process was completely anonymous. Each judge read one half of all essays received, then from each batch they choose a longlist (usually 10 essays each judge) and swapped these with their counterparts. A shortlist is chosen from these, of five essays in total, with one winner and one highly commended writer agreed by both.

Of Gregory’s piece The Watergaw , judge Tara June Winch said: “…striking for its nuance and accomplishment in expressing nostalgia, and the language of belonging to a place. A beautiful and subtle work.”

Other 2021 prize recipients

Read Crocodile Country.

Michael Bradley is an ecologist based in North Queensland. He studies how rivers, forests and reefs support diverse communities of fish, and how they in turn support people through rich and varied fisheries. Michael has worked across the tropical landscapes of the Indo-Pacific for more than ten years, with a focus on northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

He is a lecturer and research scientist at James Cook University, where he works with government and non-government organisations to better manage coastal ecosystems. In his first piece of nature writing,  Crocodile Country , Michael grapples with working alongside animals that see us as prey, and the very real possibility of becoming part of the food-chains he studies.

Judge Tara June Winch of Bradley’s work said “…written with depth and a strong literary quality, investigating predator and prey in the north.”

Read Meditation in Stone.

Marian McGuinness is a Sydney-based freelance writer. From the Antarctic to the Arctic; from skull-riddled catacombs to ice cathedrals; from French wine caves to opal-bearing tunnels. 

Marian’s interest in landscape and culture has seen her award-winning travel stories bunker down in major Australian newspapers, magazines and anthologies. Her recent story launched BBC Travel’s latest series, Nature's Curiosities.

Read Twelve and a Half Kilometres of Road.

Jenny Sinclair is a Melbourne writer. Her work has appeared in Griffith Review, Meanjin, Best Australian Stories, The Age, Island, Verandah, The Lifted Brow, The Big Issue and on ABC radio. Her non-fiction books are Much Ado About About Melbourne (2015) and A Walking Shadow (2012). She has been on staff at The Age and has written for a wide variety of publications. She holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Melbourne, currently teaches writing at the university and was the co-winner of the 2019 Nature Writing Prize. 

She lives and works on Wurundjeri and Dja Dja Wurrung land, with frequent excursions to the traditional country of the Djab Wurrung.

Read The Lone Tree of Mackay.

Dave Witty is an emerging writer, currently finishing a book on the storytelling power of trees. He moved to Melbourne in 2014 after spending several years living in Central Queensland where, among the gaunt eucalypts of the Peak Ranges, he developed his love of the Australian landscape. An urban planner during the day, Dave enjoys leaving the city behind at the weekend and exploring the bush. He also volunteers for the Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre.

Judge Tara June Winch of Witty’s work said “…an informative enquiry into Queensland’s history of slavery and bondage on the sugarcane fields, written with gentle meditative control.”

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Essay competition to amplify young voices

In celebration of International Youth Day (#IYD) 2024, the National Youth Council of Namibia (NYC) will have an essay competition to inspire and mobilise young people to explore the role of digital technology in sustainable development.

The #IYD 2024 Essay Competition is open to Namibian youth aged 16 to 35. 

Participants are invited to craft original essays in English, ranging between 1 200 and 1 700 words, focusing on how digital technology can foster sustainable development. 

This initiative seeks to amplify the voices of young people, and encourage them to reflect on the transformative power of digital tools and innovations.

International Youth Day, observed annually on 12 August, highlights youth issues on the global stage and celebrates the potential of young people as catalysts for change. 

This year’s theme is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development”. 

NYC chairperson Sharonice Busch said participants in the essay competition are required to submit original essays, which will be evaluated against the criteria outlined in the Concept Note. 

In each of the three categories, finalists will be selected and invited to present their perspectives/arguments in front of a panel of independent, invited judges. This is expected to take place towards the end of this month.

 “As we celebrate International Youth Day, we recognise the vital role of young people in harnessing digital technology for sustainable development. This essay competition provides an opportunity for youth to share their insights and contribute to the conversation on how we can overcome digital divides and use technology to build a more equitable and sustainable future,” she said.

Busch added that the competition in itself is not yetan annual endeavour. However, it is in commemoration of an annual celebration of young people’s potential.

“The top essays will be selected by a panel of judges and winners will receive prizes as well as recognition in a special ceremony. The competition not only aims to engage youth, but also to generate actionable ideas and solutions that can be implemented at local and national levels,” added the youth leader.

In each category, five finalists will be selected and invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation on a date to be announced.

Cash prizes of N$10 000, N$5 000 and N$2 500 will be awarded to the top three entrants, respectively, per category (topic), with the overall winner receiving N$15 000.

“So, as the saying goes, ‘The more the merrier!’,” she said enthusiastically. 

She added: “We seek diverse perspectives and insights from Namibian youth across the country, and, thus have not set any limit on the number of entrants into the Essay Competition.”

Recent statistics reveal that three-quarters of individuals aged 15 to 24 were Internet users in 2022, reflecting a higher engagement, compared to other age groups. 

Despite this, notable disparities remain, particularly in low-income countries, and among young women who often face barriers to digital access and skills development. 

The essay competition aims to address these gaps by promoting digital inclusion, and exploring how technology can drive positive change.

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Guest Essay

The China Hangover Is Here

By Michael Beckley

Mr. Beckley is the author of “Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China.”

In the 2000s, former President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela bet his country’s economic future on a rising China, securing tens of billions of dollars in investments and loans-for-oil deals. It paid off at first. China voraciously consumed Venezuelan oil and financed infrastructure projects, such as a high-speed railway and power plants.

The 2010s brought a reckoning. Oil prices fell, and growth in Chinese oil demand slowed along with its economy. Venezuela’s oil export revenues plummeted, to $22 billion in 2016 from more than $73 billion in 2011. Misrule by Mr. Chávez and his handpicked successor, Nicolás Maduro, and myriad other domestic problems already had Venezuela on the brink; the gamble on China helped push it over the edge. In 2014, Venezuela’s economy collapsed. People scavenged for food in garbage dumps, hospitals were short of essential medicines and crime surged. Since then, nearly eight million people have fled the country. China largely cut Venezuela off from new credit and loans , leaving behind a slew of unfinished projects .

Venezuela’s over-dependence on China was an early warning that the world ignored. Dozens of other countries that rode China’s rise are now at serious risk of financial distress and debt default as the Chinese economy stagnates. Yet China refuses to offer meaningful foreign debt relief and is doubling down at home on its protectionist trade practices when it should be undertaking reforms to free up and restart its economy, the world’s second-largest and a crucial engine of global growth.

That is the flip side of China’s “miracle.” After the 2008 global financial crisis, the world needed an economic savior, and China filled that role. Starting in 2008, it pumped $29 trillion into its economy over nine years — equivalent to about one-third of global G.D.P. — to keep it going. The positive ripple effects were felt worldwide: From 2008 to 2021 China accounted for more than 40 percent of global growth . Developing countries eagerly attached themselves to what seemed like an unstoppable economic juggernaut, and China became the top trading partner for most of the world’s nations. Like Venezuela, many discovered that the booming Chinese economy was a lucrative new market for their commodity exports, and they leaned heavily into that, allowing other sectors of their economies to languish.

China also lent more than $1 trillion abroad, largely for infrastructure projects to be built by Chinese companies under its Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past two decades, one in three infrastructure projects in Africa was built by Chinese entities. The long-term debt risks for fragile developing economies were often ignored.

Chinese lending has slowed to a trickle

Annual foreign lending

$90 billion

$87 billion

Source: Boston University Global Development Policy Center

China’s economic growth has slowed sharply over the last few decades

China has consistently reported higher economic growth than outside sources estimate. While The Conference Board in recent years estimated numbers close to China’s, Rhodium Group estimated much smaller growth.

15% annual growth of G.D.P.

Reported by China

Estimated by

The Conference Board

Estimated by Rhodium Group

Sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China; The Conference Board; Rhodium Group

China is a major trading partner across the world

Share of total trade with China

10 percent or less

more than 10 percent

No recent data availabe

No recent data available

More than 10 percent

Source: United Nations Comtrade

Note: Trade data as of 2023. For countries where 2023 data is not available, the most recent year is used.

China has been one of the world’s largest lenders to emerging markets

Aggregate external public debt owed by developing and emerging markets

$400 billion

International

Monetary Fund

Sources: Horn et al. (2021) “ China's O verseas L ending ,” Journal of International Economics; World Bank; Paris Club; International Monetary Fund

Note: Chart shows debt owed by developing and emerging markets included in the World Bank International Debt Statistics. Data on public debt owed to China is incomplete after 2017.

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