Mayor's Short Story Writing Awards 2026

8-12 Years

• 500-word limit/ short creative fiction only 
•  $500 prize and bookstore voucher 
•  Story published in MP Magazine

13-17 Years

• 1000-word limit/ short creative fiction only 
•  $800 prize and bookstore voucher 
•  Story published in MP Magazine

18+ Years 

• 2000-word limit/ short creative fiction only 
•  $2000 prize, bookstore voucher and two-week Police Point Artist Residency  
•  Story published in MP Magazine

The Shire is proudly funding the prize money and the residency at Police Point, while bookstore vouchers have been generously donated by local businesses including Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery, Farrells Bookshop, Petersen’s Bookstore and Rosebud Book Barn.

8-12 Years

Winner: Raya P, 'What's Left Behind'(PDF, 57KB)

Highly Commended: Maya L, 'A Person Unknown'(PDF, 84KB)

Highly Commended: Miles G, 'Fallen Gums'(PDF, 84KB)

13-17 Years

Winner: Mieka C, 'The Things We Carry'(PDF, 59KB)

Highly Commended: Renee K, 'Boiled Eggs'(PDF, 68KB)

18+ Years

Winner: Sascha Elk, 'Nest'(PDF, 100KB)

Highly Commended: Mattias Mazza, 'A Grave in the Mountains'(PDF, 120KB)

8-12 Years Category

Winner: Kira B, The Forlorn Umbrella(PDF, 106KB)

Highly Commended: Ernestine H, F.(PDF, 53KB)

13-17 Years Category

Winner: Squid B-S, The underground(PDF, 103KB)

Highly Commended: Lucy T, I Believe(PDF, 93KB)

Highly Commended: Aaron M, A Geometrically Focused Visitation(PDF, 70KB)

18+ Category

Winner: Jodie Kewley, Milk(PDF, 126KB)

Highly Commended: Peter Martin, Winnie Blue(PDF, 92KB)

Highly Commended: Jackie Bos, Thirty seconds; thirty beats(PDF, 118KB)

8 - 12 Years

Winner: Macy A-W, Feather(PDF, 59KB)

Highly commended: Aaron M, The Raccoon(PDF, 97KB)

13 - 17 Years

Winner: Camryn S, The Garden of Lost Stories(PDF, 57KB)

Highly commended: Maya E-J, The Mysterious Disappearances of Wonga(PDF, 62KB)

Highly commended: Georgia H, Blooming(PDF, 130KB)

18+ Years

Winner: Jodie Kewley, All There Is(PDF, 115KB)

Highly commended: Sean Kelly, The Good Boy(PDF, 77KB)

8-12 Years

Winner: Xavier G, From the Window(PDF, 109KB)

Highly commended: Jasmine S, Cloud 9(PDF, 63KB)

13-17 Years

Winner: Emma D, A Dragon's Cry(PDF, 52KB)

Highly commended:Thomas H, Percy's Toy Plane(PDF, 144KB)

18+ Years

Winner: Suzi Mezei, Altitude(PDF, 177KB)

Highly commended: Kate Herring, Carol(PDF, 113KB)

Highly commended: Rebecca Fraser, Dishlickers(PDF, 137KB)

8-12 Years

Winner: Chloe B, Running with the wolves(PDF, 83KB)!

Highly commended: Gracie M, In My Wildest Dreams(PDF, 592KB)

12-17 Years

Winner: Maddy M, the story of Jake(PDF, 62KB)

Highly commended: Amira L, the story of Eleanor(PDF, 79KB)

18+ Years

Winner: Rebecca Fraser, Due South(PDF, 156KB)

Highly commended: Deline Skinner, Close to Home(PDF, 151KB)