Meet the wordsmiths of the Peninsula

Where do great stories come from? For this year’s Mayor’s Short Story Award winners and highly commended, inspiration came from the world around them – from birds and wildlife to family memories and moments of empathy.

At Friday night’s awards we caught up with some of the winners and highly commended local storytellers. 

Their advice to other young writers was just as heartfelt as their writing: “You can always edit a page, but you can never edit a blank page,” said one winner. Another encouraged budding storytellers not to give up, reminding us that ideas often appear when you least expect them.

This year’s awards drew more than double the submissions of 2024, with three winners and four highly commended across the 8–12, 13–17 and 18+ categories. With over 100 people in the audience, the night was a true celebration of local creativity and community.

To see the winners share their inspiration in their own words, watch our short video below.

Want to learn more? Read the full list of winners and learn more about the Awards Evening in our Peninsula storytellers take centre stage story.