ACT Literary Awards

{{Short description|Australian literary awards in the ACT}}

{{use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

The ACT Literary Awards, formerly known as the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards, are a suite of Australian literary honours coordinated and presented annually by MARION (formerly the ACT Writers Centre).{{cite web|title="About MARION" |publisher= MARION|url=https://marion.ink/about-marion|access-date= 2 April 2025}} The awards recognise outstanding literary achievement in Canberra and surrounding regions, with categories spanning fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature. The suite also includes in memoriam prizes and funded mentorships that support both emerging and established writers.

History

The ACT Writers Centre was established in 1994 to support writers in the Australian Capital Territory.{{cite web|title="ACT Writers Centre Inc." |publisher= Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission|url=https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/e899b2a3-39af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile|access-date= 2 April 2025}}

The inaugural ACT Writing and Publishing Awards were presented in 2004.{{cite web|title="Literary Awards" |publisher= Libraries ACT |url=https://www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/frequentlyaskedquestions/Events/literaryawards|access-date= 2 April 2025}}

In 2022, the organisation was renamed MARION ACT, and the awards became known as the MARION Book Awards. Since then, the awards program has evolved into the ACT Literary Awards, which now encompasses multiple categories across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature. The suite also includes memorial prizes honouring distinguished individuals, as well as funded mentorships for emerging and established writers.

Categories

In 2004, the Centre launched the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards, coordinated and presented annually to recognise excellence in local writing.

In 2022, the organisation rebranded as MARION, and the awards were briefly renamed the MARION Book Awards. Since then, the program has expanded and evolved into the ACT Literary Awards, coordinated by MARION as part of its annual programming. The awards now include categories for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature, and also incorporate in memoriam prizes and funded mentorships supporting both emerging and established writers in the ACT and surrounding regions.

In 2023, MARION introduced the MARION Fellowship, a developmental opportunity open to emerging writers, regardless of location. In 2024, the Marion Halligan Award was established in memory of acclaimed Australian author Marion Halligan OAM. This award recognises work that demonstrates uniqueness, literary excellence, and a capacity to surpass genre. It is selected from across all categories of the ACT Literary Awards.

List of winners

= 2024 AWARDS =

Fiction Self-published

  • Highly Commended: The Last Famine by Elisa Cristallo

Fiction Traditional Publishing

  • Winner: Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham (Penguin Books Australia)
  • Highly Commended: Untethered by Ayesha Inoon (Harper Collins Australia)

NonFiction Self-published

  • Winner: Neither King nor Saint by Helen Topor

NonFiction Traditional Publishing

  • Winner: Bennelong & Phillip: A History Unravelled by Kate Fullagar (Scribner Australia)
  • Highly Commended: Helena Rubinstein: The Australian Years by Angus Trumble (La Trobe University Press, Black Inc.)

Children's Self-published

  • Winner: That Book About Space Stuff by David Conley
  • Highly Commended: Phoenix and Ralph by Barbie Robinson, ill. Ian Robertson

Children's Traditional Publishing

  • Winner - PICTURE BOOK: The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French, ill. Danny Snell (HarperCollins Australia)
  • Winner - NONFICTION: Wildlife Compendium of the World by Tania McCartney (Hardie Grant)
  • Winner - OLDER READERS: We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough (Allen & Unwin)
  • Highly Commended: Neil the Amazing Sea Cucumber by Amelia McInerney, ill. Lucinda Gifford (Affirm Press)
  • Highly Commended: Phonobet by Kathy Weeden, ill. Kim Drane (National Library of Australia)
  • Highly Commended: Surprise at the End of Onkaparinga Lane by Rhian Williams, ill. Martina Heiduczek (Walker Books Australia)

Poetry Traditional Publishing

  • Winner: The Moon the Bone: Selected Poems 1986-2022 by Tim Metcalf (Ginninderra Press)
  • Highly Commended: Meaty Bones by K A Nelson (Recent Work Press)
  • Highly Commended: Apostles of Anarchy by Sandra Renew (Recent Work Press)

The MARION Overall Special Book Award 2023

  • Winner: Whitefella Yella Tree by Dylan Van Den Berg (Currency Press)

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • First Place: Cate Furey, Momentum (ACT)
  • Second Place: Lucinda Ferguson, Wasabi Peas (NSW)    
  • Third Place: Hayden William, Now Who Let These Thoughts In? (NSW)

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Emerging Writers

  • Joint Award Winners: Jemima Parker and Gill Watson

The Marion Halligan Award Sleeplessness by Paul Hetherington (Pierian Springs Press)

Marion Fellowship Award 24/25 awarded to Callie Scott-Doyle (ACT)

JUDGES 2024 - Fiction: Beejay Silcox. Nonfiction: Frank Bongiorno. Poetry: Dr Paul Collis. Children's Book: Krys Saclier. The June Shenfield Poetry Award: Dan Hogan.

= 2023 AWARDS =

Fiction Small Press

  • Winner: Then Eve by Tanya Davies

Fiction Big Press

NonFiction Small Press

  • Winner: Neither King nor Saint by Helen Topor

NonFiction Big Press

  • Winner: The Glass Cricket Ball by Jan Williams Smith (Big Sky)
  • Highly Commended: Legitimate Sexpectations by Katrina Marson (Scribe Publications)

Children's Small Press

  • Winner: Charles the Gallery Dog by Barbie Robinson, ill. Ian Robertson (For Pity Sake Publishing)

Children's Big Press

  • Winner: Diary of a Rescued Wombat: The untold story by Jackie French, ill. Bruce Whatley (HarperCollins)
  • Highly Commended: Swifty the Super-Fast Parrot by Stephanie Owen Reeder, ill. Astred Hicks (CSIRO Publishing)
  • Highly Commended: Seree’s Story by Irma Gold, ill. Wayne Harris (Walker Books Australia)

Poetry Small Press

  • Winner: Translating Loss: A haiku collection by Maurice Nevile

Poetry Big Press

  • Winner: Beloved by Penelope Layland (Recent Work Press)
  • Highly Commended: Waterlines by Peter Ramm (Vagabond Press)

The MARION Overall Special Book Award 2023

  • Winner: Whitefella Yella Tree by Dylan Van Den Berg (Currency Press)

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • First Place: Rhian Healy (WA)
  • Second Place: Alana Kelsall (VIC)
  • Third Place: Rebecca Fleming (ACT)

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Emerging Writers

  • Linda Chen

Marion Fellowship Award 23/24 awarded to Maya Hodge (VIC)

JUDGES 2023 - Fiction: Lucy Neave. Nonfiction: Jessica Friedmann. Poetry: Subhash Jaireth. Children's Book: Anna Branford. The June Shenfield Poetry Award: Paul Hetherington.

= 2022 AWARDS =

Fiction Small Press

  • Winner: Everything I Am by Jenny Bond (The Hard Word)
  • Highly Commended: Dear Ibis by Kate Liston-Mills (Spineless Wonders)

Fiction Big Press

  • Winner: Milk by Dylan van den Berg (Currency Press/The Street Theatre)

NonFiction Small Press

  • Winner: Coolamon Girl by Dianne Lucas (Ginninderra Press)

NonFiction Big Press

  • Winner: Summertime by Danielle Celermajer (Penguin Books Australia)

Children's Small Press

  • Winner: Where the Heart Is by Irma Gold, ill. Susannah Crispe (Exisle Publishing)
  • Highly Commended: All Dogs Bark by Catherine Meatheringham and Deb Hudson (Windy Hollow Books)

Children's Big Press

  • Winner: The Last Dragon by Charles Massy, ill. Mandy Foot (NLA Publishing)
  • Highly Commended: Wiradjuri Country by Larry Brandy (NLA Publishing)

Poetry Small Press

  • Winner: It’s the Sugar, Sugar by Sandra Renew (Recent Work Press)
  • Highly Commended: Text/ure by Sarah Rice (Recent Work Press)
  • Highly Commended: Chalk Borders by Sarah St Vincent Welch (Flying Island Books)

Poetry Big Press

  • Winner: The Wear of My Face by Lizz Murphy (Spinifex Press)

The ACT Writers Overall Special Book Award 2022

  • Winner: Killernova by Omar Musa (Penguin Books Australia)
  • Winner: The Wear of My Face by Lizz Murphy (Spinifex Press)

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • First Place: If I Put It In A Poem by Rosa O’Kane (ACT)
  • Second Place: In the Oxford book of ballads by Andrew Spiker (VIC)
  • Third Place: Armillaris by Claire Miranda Roberts (VIC)

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Emerging Writers

  • Joint Awards Winners: Julia Faragher and Samantha Tidy

JUDGES 2022 - Fiction: Robyn Cadwallader, Shelley Burr. Nonfiction: Nicole Moore, Ginger Gorman. Poetry: Lucy Alexander, Samia Goudie. Children's: Tracey Hawkins, David Conley. The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award, Beatrice Smith.

= 2021 AWARDS =

Fiction Small Press

  • Winner: Neon Leviathan by TR Napper (Grimdark Magazine)
  • Highly Commended: The Philosopher’s Daughters by Alison Booth (RedDoor Press, UK)

Fiction Big Press

  • Winner: Desire Lines by Felicity Volk (Hachette Australia)

NonFiction Small Press

  • Winner: Pandemic: The Spanish Flu in Australia 1918-1920 by Ian W. Shaw (Woodslane Press)
  • Highly Commended: The Philosopher’s Daughters by Alison Booth (RedDoor Press, UK)

NonFiction Big Press

  • Winner: Radio Girl: The Story of the Extraordinary Mrs Mac, Pioneering Engineer and Wartime Legend by David Dufty (Allen & Unwin)

Children's Small Press

  • Winner: Vote for Me by Krys Saclier, ill. Cathy Wilcox (Wild Dog)
  • Highly Commended: Feathers by Karen Hendriks, ill. Kim Fleming (Empowering Resources)

Children's Big Press

  • Winner: Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish by Gina Newton, ill. Rachel Tribout (CSIRO)
  • Highly Commended: Australia’s Wild Weird Wonderful Weather by Stephanie Owen Reeder, ill. Tania McCartney (NLA Publishing)

Poetry Small Press

  • Winner: Nigh by Penelope Layland (Recent Work Press)
  • Highly Commended: Utterly by PS Cottier (Ginninderra Press)

Poetry Big Press

  • not awarded

The ACT Writers Overall Book Award 2021

  • Winner: On a Barbarous Coast by Craig Cormick, Harold Ludwick (Allen & Unwin)

JUDGES 2021 - Fiction: Robyn Cadwallader, Shelley Burr. Nonfiction: Nicole Moore, Ginger Gorman. Poetry: Lucy Alexander, Samia Goudie. Children's Book: Tracey Hawkins, David Conley. The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award: Beatrice Smith.

= 2020 AWARDS =

Fiction{{Cite web |title=ACT Writers Annual Awards - 2020 |url=https://www.actwriters.org/2020-actw-award-winners |access-date=2021-04-05 |website=ACT Writers |language=en-GB}}

  • Winner: The Light Bearer by Andrew Einspruch
  • Highly Commended: A Tale of Stars and Shadow by Lisa Cassidy
  • Highly Commended: How Not To Acquire A Castle by Amy Laurens
  • Highly Commended: Into Bones like Oil by Kaaron Warren

Nonfiction

  • Winner: Bandit Saints of Java by George Quinn
  • Highly Commended: Out of Order by Rob Donnelly
  • Highly Commended: Families in the Digital Age by Toni Hassan

Children's

  • Winner: Fauna: Australia's Most Curious Creatures by Tania McCartney
  • Highly Commended: Leaping Lola by Tracey Hawkins and Anil Tortop

Poetry

  • Winner: Acting Like a Girl by Sandra Renew
  • Highly Commended: blur by the by Cham Zhi Yi
  • Highly Commended: Catching the Light by Suzanne Edgar

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: "Bygone" by Sophie Clews
  • Highly Commended: The Navigators by Mick Donaldson
  • Highly Commended: Vertical by Ian Hart
  • Highly Commended: The Suitcase by Deborah Huff-Horwood

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • First Place: Part of its trunk by Elanna Herbert
  • Second Place: Paper Daisies by Carmel Summers
  • Third Place: The Cleaning Woman by Carla de Goede

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young Writers

  • Winner: Natalie Cooke
  • Winner: Emilie Morscheck

JUDGES 2020 - Fiction: Andrew Hutchinson, Leife Shallcross. Nonfiction: Helen Ennis, Patrick Mullins. Poetry: Andrew Galan, Eleanor Malbon. Children's Book: Leanne Barrett, Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern. The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award: Beatrice Smith. The June Shenfield Poetry Award: Judith Nangala Crispin, Scott-Patrick Mitchell.

= 2019 AWARDS =

Fiction

  • Winner: Triumviratus by Shane Smith
  • Highly Commended: A Perfect Marriage by Alison Booth
  • Highly Commended: After She Left by Penelope Hanley
  • Highly Commended: Years of the Wolf by Craig Cormick

Nonfiction

  • Winner: Backseat Drivers by Craig Cormick
  • Highly Commended: Joe Baker by Angelika Erpic
  • Highly Commended: Fire at Sea: HMAS Westralia 1998 by Kathryn Spurling

Children's

  • Winner: Billie by Nicole Godwin, ill. Demelsa Haughton
  • Winner: When Worlds Collide by Amy Laurens

Poetry

  • Winner: Things I’ve Thought to Tell You Since I Saw You Last by Penelope Layland
  • Highly Commended: Inlandia by KA Nelson

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: Pig Headed by Ron Schroer
  • Highly Commended: Nobody's Home by Sophie Campbell
  • Highly Commended: The Shearer's Wife by Elizabeth Egan

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • Winner: Satan’s Brew by Riahta Ranford
  • Highly Commended: Last Lights On the Great Divide by Simone King
  • Highly Commended: Keeping My Wits About Me by Rosalind Moran

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Emerging Writers

  • Awarded to Kellie Nissen
  • Shortlisted: Simone King, Rebekka Leary, Gemma Nethercote Way

JUDGES 2019 - Fiction: Kaaron Warren, Margaret Innes. Nonfiction: Amy Walters, Peter Papathansiou. Poetry: Hazel Hall, Merlinda Bobis. Children's Book: Tania McCartney, Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern. The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award: Beatrice Smith. The June Shenfield Poetry Award: Lucy Alexander.{{Cite web |last=Musa |first=Helen |date=2019-12-05 |title=Locals write some big wins in publishing awards |url=https://citynews.com.au/2019/locals-write-some-big-wins-in-publishing-awards/ |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=Canberra CityNews |language=en-AU}}

= 2018 AWARDS =

Fiction

  • Winner: Paper Cuts: Comedic and satirical monologues for audition or performance by Kirsty Budding

Nonfiction

  • Winner: Verity by Robert Lehane

Children's

  • Winner: Trouble in Tune Town by Maura Pierlot

Poetry

  • Winner: A Constellation of Abnormalities by Paul Cliff

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: Loyal Animals by Amanda McLeod

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • Winner: Incursion, Extinctions by Natalie Cooke

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young Writers

  • Winner: Gemma Killen{{Cite web |date=2018-12-10 |title=Monday musings on Australian literature: ACT's literary awards |url=https://whisperinggums.com/2018/12/10/monday-musings-on-australian-literature-acts-literary-awards/ |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=Whispering Gums |language=en}}

= 2017 AWARDS =

Fiction

  • Winner: The Grief Hole by Kaaron Warren
  • Highly Commended: All the King's Men by Shane W. Smith
  • Highly Commended: Fabel by Tom Heffernan

Children's

  • Winner: Amazing Animals of Australia's National Parks by Gina Newton
  • Highly Commended: Australia Illustrated by Tania McCartney

June Shenfield Poetry Award

  • Winner: third daughter by Penny O'Hara
  • Winner: Recycling by Ella Jeffery
  • Highly Commended: The Uses of a Shark by Damen O'Brien

Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: 273 by Cherisse Kelly
  • Highly Commended: The Secret Moons by Frances Seymour
  • Highly Commended: Intersection by James Salvage

Anne Edgeworth Fellowship

  • Winner: Jemimah Cooper
  • Winner: Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern
  • Highly Commended: Ellen Harvey
  • Highly Commended: Kathryn Hind {{Cite web |last=CityNews |date=2017-12-07 |title=Kaaron wins ACT's top fiction award |url=https://citynews.com.au/2017/kaaron-wins-acts-top-fiction-award/ |access-date=2020-08-03 |website=Canberra CityNews |language=en-AU}}

= 2016 AWARDS =

Fiction

Nonfiction

  • Winner: Building a City: CS Daley and the Story of Canberra by Jennifer Horsfield
  • Highly Commended: Paths into Inner Canberra by P.S. Cottier
  • Highly Commended: Australian Predators of the Sky by Penny Olsen
  • Highly Commended: Weekend Warriors: A Funny Side by James Sanderson

Children's

  • Winner: Horace the Baker’s Horse by Jackie French, ill. Peter Bray
  • Highly Commended: Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony by Stephanie Owen Reeder
  • Highly Commended: This is Captain Cook by Tania McCartney, illustrated by Christina Booth

Poetry

  • Winner: Deep in the Valley of Tea Bowls by Kathy Kituai
  • Highly Commended: Ripples Under the Skin by Janette Pieloor

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: Sandman by Ron Schroer
  • Second Place: Roadwork Ahead by Greg Burgess
  • Highly Commended: Fight or Flight by Isabelo Gacusan
  • Highly Commended: The Abject Redemption of Athalie Roche by Erin Prothero

The June Shenfield Poetry Award{{Cite web |title=ACT Writers Centre: June Shenfield Poetry Award |url=https://www.actwriters.org.au/what-we-do/awards/june-shenfield-poetry-award/ |access-date=2017-05-14 |website=www.actwriters.org.au |language=en}}

  • Winner: Ghost by Hessom Razavi
  • Second Place: Tumbleweed by Daniel Hutley
  • Second Place: White Lilac (For Deb) by Saaro Umar
  • Highly Commended: brontebright by Samuel Guthrie
  • Highly Commended: My Grandmother’s Language by Nadia Niaz
  • Highly Commended: The Lumber Room by Stephen Smithyman

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young Writers

  • Winner: Rosanna Stevens
  • Shortlisted: Shu-Ling Chua
  • Shortlisted: Grace Finlayson
  • Shortlisted: Leearni Hamilton

JUDGES 2016 - Fiction: Karen Viggers, Craig Cormick. Nonfiction: Biff Ward, Kristen Alexander. Poetry: Geoff Page, Andrew Galan. Children's: Tracey Hawkins, K.J. Taylor. The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award: Kaaron Warren. The June Shenfield Poetry Award: Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, Ann Shenfield, Holly Zhangthe{{Cite web |last=actwriterscentre |date=2017-01-19 |title=2016 ACT Writing and Publishing Award Winners |url=https://actwritersblog.com/2017/01/19/2016-act-writing-and-publishing-award-winners/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726110349/https://actwritersblog.com/2017/01/19/2016-act-writing-and-publishing-award-winners/ |archive-date=2017-07-26 |access-date=2017-05-14 |website=CAPITAL LETTERS}}

= 2015 AWARDS =

Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award{{Cite web |title=ACT Writers Centre: Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award |url=https://www.actwriters.org.au/what-we-do/awards/marjorie-graber-mcinnis-short-story-award/ |access-date=2017-05-14 |website=www.actwriters.org.au |language=en}}

  • Winner: Torvald's Year by C.H. Pearce
  • Highly Commended: Frozen Stiff by Elizabeth Egan
  • Highly Commended: Now and Then by Jennifer Hand

Michael Thwaites Poetry Award

  • Winner: Ode to a Papermate Inkjoy 100 by Penny O'Hara
  • Highly Commended: Winter evening on the Monaro by Laurence Anderson
  • Highly Commended: Action (Bus Route 2) by Sarah Rice
  • Highly Commended: Memorabilia by Michelle Brock

Z4 Review Writing Award

  • Winner: Excavate by Shu-Ling Chua

Publishing Awards: Fiction Category

  • Winner: Uncle Adolf by Craig Cormick
  • Highly Commended: Capital Yarns by Sean Costello

Publishing Awards: Nonfiction Category

  • Winner: Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain by Kristen Alexander
  • Highly Commended: The Pearl King by Robert Lehane

Publishing Awards: Children's Fiction Category

  • Winner: Midnight Burial by Pauline Deeves
  • Highly Commended: Tottie and Dot by Tania McCartney

Publishing Awards: Poetry Category

  • Winner: Fire in the Afternoon by John Stokes
  • Highly Commended: The Stars Like Sand: Australian Speculative Poetry by P. S. Cottier and Tim Jones

Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young Writers{{Cite web |title=ACT Writers Centre: Anne Edgeworth Young Writers' Fellowship |url=https://www.actwriters.org.au/what-we-do/awards/anne-edgeworth-young-writers-fellowship/ |access-date=2017-05-14 |website=www.actwriters.org.au |language=en}}

  • Winner: Louis Klee {{Cite web |last=actwriterscentre |date=2015-12-16 |title=ACT Writing and Publishing Award Winners |url=https://actwritersblog.com/2015/12/17/act-writing-and-publishing-award-winners/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917182423/https://actwritersblog.com/2015/12/17/act-writing-and-publishing-award-winners/ |archive-date=2016-09-17 |access-date=2017-05-07 |website=CAPITAL LETTERS}}

= 2014 AWARDS =

Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: A White Woman in Ōjin by Ashley Thomson
  • Highly Commended:
  • Hooking In by Christine Kearney
  • The Loose Thread and the Sterile Needles by Cara Lennon
  • The Garden House by Alison O’Hara

Michael Thwaites Poetry Award

  • Winner: Stilettos by Robyn Lance
  • Highly Commended: Calling me in by Susan McGrath, Jack and Jill by Gregory A Gould, Implausible Birds by Kavya Robinson

Nonfiction Book Category

  • Winner: 18 Days – Al Jazeera English and the Egyptian Revolution (Editia) by Scott Bridges
  • Highly Commended:
  • Meat Pies and Mumbling Blokes – A Canberra Memoir (Ginninderra Press) by Margitta Acker
  • Australian Eagles: Australians in the Battle of Britain (Barrallier Books) by Kristen Alexander

Fiction Book Category

  • Winner: The Happiness Jar (Storytorch Press) by Samantha Tidy
  • Highly Commended: Round and Round by Jordan Morris

Poetry Book Category

  • Winner: The Petrov Poems ( Pitt Street Poetry) by Lesley Lebkowicz
  • Highly Commended:
  • Improving the News (Pitt Street Poetry) by Geoff Page
  • Drag down to unlock or place an emergency call (Pitt Street Poetry) by Melinda Smith
  • Extravagance (Ginninderra Press) by Irene Wilkie

Children's Book Category

  • Winner: An Aussie Year (Exisle Publishing) by Tania McCartney
  • Highly Commended:
  • The Very Sad Fish-lady by Joy McDonald
  • A Lion, a Whale and a Flea by Maree Teychenne

Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young ACT Writers

  • Winners: Zoya Patel and Lisa Fuller {{Cite web |last=actwriterscentre |date=2014-12-17 |title=Winners of the 2014 ACT Writing and Publishing Awards |url=https://actwritersblog.com/2014/12/17/winners-of-the-2014-act-writing-and-publishing-awards/ |access-date=2017-05-15 |website=CAPITAL LETTERS}}

= 2013 AWARDS =

Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: This Square Called a Ring by Monica Carroll
  • Highly Commended:
  • Breath by Michelle Brock
  • Feather-light by Claire Delahunty

Michael Thwaites Poetry Award

  • Winner: Ode to a Toothbrush by Penny O'Hara
  • Highly Commended:
  • After Nights by Claire Delahunty
  • An Untimely Death by Rebecca Fleming

Nonfiction Book Category

  • Winner: Canberry Tales: An Informal History (Arcadia) by G.A. Mawer
  • Highly Commended: Leaving the Rest Behind: An Immigrant’s Story by Ann Nugent

Fiction Book Category

  • Winner: Through Splintered Walls (Twelfth Planet Press) by Kaaron Warren
  • Highly Commended:
  • I’m Ready Now (Blemish Books) by Nigel Featherstone
  • Provocation (Arcadia) by Donald McMaster

Poetry Book Category

  • Winner: First…Then… (Ginninderra Press) by Melinda Smith
  • Highly Commended:
  • The Love Procession (Ginninderra Press) by Suzanne Edgar
  • In Country (Bat Trang Road Press) by Leon Trainor

Children's Book Category

  • Co-winner: Sarah’s Song (A Tiny Publication) by Tanya Davies
  • Co-winner: My Aunt Ate a Plate (Starry Night Publishing) by Maree Teychenne{{cite web |date=2 March 2014 |title='A celebration of words' |url=https://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/2122418/a-celebration-of-words/}}

Z4 Award for book reviews

  • Winner: Duncan Driver's review of Martin Amis's novel Lionel Asbo: State of England

Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young ACT Writers

  • Brian Obiri-Asare to produce his play In Between the Solitude of Sunburnt Islands {{Cite news |date=2013-12-20 |title=Winners, winners everywhere - Canberra CityNews |url=http://citynews.com.au/2013/winners-winners-everywhere/ |access-date=2017-05-15 |work=Canberra CityNews |language=en-US}}

= 2012 AWARDS =

Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

  • Winner: Paper Cranes by Rachael Rippon
  • Highly Commended: Fiona Hamer

Michael Thwaites Poetry Award

  • Winner: Isi Unikowski
  • Highly Commended: Monica Carroll

Children's Book category

  • Winner: Tracey Hawkins

Nonfiction Book category

  • Winner: Irma Gold
  • Highly Commended: Ann Villiers
  • Highly Commended: Alan Foskett

Fiction Book Category

  • Winner: Nigel Featherstone
  • Highly Commended: Irma Gold
  • Highly Commended: Elizabeth Egan

Poetry Book Category

  • Winner: Michael Byrne

Z4 Award for book reviews

  • Winner: Colin Steele

= 2011 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Who Lied? The Ly-ee-moon Disaster and a Question of Truth by Graeme Barrow
  • Fiction – Dead Sea Fruit by Kaaron Warren
  • Poetry – A Man of Emails by Michael Byrne
  • Children's – (not awarded)
  • Short story – The Day for Travelling by Robyn Cadwallader{{cite web |title=2011 ACT Writers Centre awards results |url=http://www.actwriters.org.au/awards/2011-winners.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025104150/http://www.actwriters.org.au/awards/2011-winners.shtml |archive-date=2012-10-25 |accessdate=25 July 2015 |website=www.actwriters.org.au |publisher=ACT Writers Centre}}

= 2010 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Capital Sailing: The history of the Canberra Yacht Club 1959–2009 by Alan Foskett
  • Fiction – Hornet Bank by Gordon Reid
  • Poetry – Before Afterwards by Leon Trainor
  • Children's – (not awarded)
  • Short story – "Acts of Kindness" by Jennifer Shapcott

= 2009 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – The Campbell Community by Alan Foskett
  • Fiction – Smoke and Mirrors by Kel Robertson
  • Poetry – Sleeping Alone by Michael Thorley
  • Children's – Butterscotch: Family and Friends by William Nevin Morison & Rebecca Dempsey
  • Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award – Basant by Maryanne Khan

= 2008 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Rainbow by Jennifer Horsfield
  • Fiction – Not a Flotation Device by Peter Frankis
  • Poetry – Migrant writer on a bus, thinking of Kundera by Danijela Kambaskovic-Sawers (unpublished poem by an ACT writer) Andy Jackson (unpublished poem by an Australian writer)
  • Children's – (not awarded)

= 2007 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Men at Birth by David Vernon
  • Fiction – Ghosts in the Helmet Trees by Rory Steele
  • Poetry – Verbal Medicine by Tim Metcalf
  • Children's – Secrets by Stephen Matthews{{cite web|title="Canberra Writers Celebrated" |publisher= Canberra Times, 14 Dec 2007|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1019942440|access-date= 2 April 2025|id= {{ProQuest|1019942440}}}}

= 2006 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Unlocking History's Secrets by Graeme Barrow and Australian Speculative Fiction: A Genre Overview by Donna Maree Hanson
  • Fiction – The Grinding House by Kaaron Warren
  • Poetry – Southbound by Michael Byrne
  • Children's – Not Awarded{{cite web|title="ACT Writing and Publishing Awards 2006" |publisher= ACT Writer's Centre|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831195402/https://actwriters.org.au/competitions/winners%202005%20publishing%20awards.htm|access-date= 2 April 2025}}

= 2005 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Days of Innocents edited by Hilary Trotter
  • Fiction – Trouble in the Garden by Peter Frankis
  • Poetry – Unfinished Journey by Michael Thwaites
  • Children's – The Year of the Mean Queen by Graeme Hume and Caroline Ambrus

= 2004 AWARDS =

  • Nonfiction – Huts in the Victorian Alps by Klaus Hueneke
  • Fiction – You by Narelle Wickham
  • Poetry – Indigo Book of Modern Australian Sonnets by Geoff Page{{cite web |title=ACT Writing and Publishing Awards Winners (2004 + ) |url=http://www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/frequentlyaskedquestions/Events/literaryawards/literaryawards4 |accessdate=29 November 2013 |work=website |publisher=Libraries ACT}}

References

{{reflist}}