Happy Birthday Banjo Paterson: Writing Awards

It’s Banjo’s birthday (Sunday 17th February) and to celebrate we are announcing the call for entries in the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards.  Poet, solicitor, journalist, war correspondent and ballad writer Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson (1864 – 1941) was born near Orange and each year the Central West Writers’ Centre, in conjunction with Central West Libraries, The Central Western Daily and ABC Central West Radio announce the call for entries in the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards. 

There are four categories:  

         Short Story
         Open Poetry 
         Bush Poetry and
         ABC Central West Radio Children’s Writing Awards for writing by children aged 16 years and under 

2013 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards Entry Form 

 

Congratulations Banjo Paterson Writing Awards Winners

[caption id="attachment_2232" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Charlie Campbell won 2nd prize for his poem "][/caption]

Congratulations to all our Banjo Paterson Writing Award winners in this, the 21st anniversary, of the competition. Local winners were presented with their certificates and cheque prizes in a ceremony held at ABC Radio Studios in Orange this afternoon. After a tour through the studio with ABC Radio’s Brooke Daniels and taking turns sitting in the broadcasting “hot seat”, Orange City Mayor Cr John Davis presented the following awards:

Bush Poetry 2nd place to Debra Dunn for her work Monuments of Time. The Yvonne Zola Encouragement Award to Bella Stoyles for her work The Slingshot Sergeant and winner of the ABC Radio Banjo Paterson Children’s Writing Awards Parris Hammond, of Sydney, who has family connections in Orange. Parris won for his work Letter to the Moon. Poetry Judge Diana Bell Brooks was also on hand to meet Debra and commented on the quality of entries and how bush poetry is changing. Cr Davis thanked the ABC for their contnued support of the Children’s Writing Awards. All the winning entries can be read on the Central West Writers’ Centre home page www.wordsoutwest.com.au

Pictured are Debra Dunn, Cr John Davis Bella Stoyles, Brooke Daniels and Parris Hammond at the ABC Radio Studios. Also pictured is Charlie Campbell, of Ornage who won 2nd prize for his poem Just One Day about the Cronulla Riots. Charlie was presented with his prize at Orange City Library during the week.

2012 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards call for entries.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards and to celebrate the occasion adult category winners will receive a limited edition Banjo bust sculpture by local artist Michael Lewis as part of their prize.

Poet, solicitor, journalist, war correspondent and ballad writer Andrew Barton Banjo Paterson (1864-1941) was born on February 17 and to celebrate his birthday Central West Libraries in conjunction with the Central West Writers Centre, The Central Western Daily and ABC Central West Radio announce the call for entries to the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards.

There are four categories: Prose or Short Story (Category 1), Open Poetry (Category 2), Bush Poetry (Category 3), and ABC Central West Radio Childrens Writing Awards.

The judges will also consider Children’s entries for the Yvonne Zola Encouragement Award named in honour of the late Yvonne Zola, who was an inspiring English teacher.

The competition closes on Friday 20 April 2012 and winners will be contacted by phone on Monday 25 June 2012. Entry forms and guidelines are available from Orange City Library, by phoning 6393 8120, email: library@orange.nsw.gov.au or go to the website www.cwl.nsw.gov.au Good Luck!

2012 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards Entry Form

Banjo Paterson ABC Radio Childrens Writing Awards Presentation

Orange Mayor John Davis and ABC Local Radio content Manager Brooke Daniels presented Banjo Paterson Writing Award winners with their prizes and certificates recently. The Banjo Paterson Writing Awards have been running since 1991  for 20 years. These awards honour a great Australian writer and favourite son of Orange with a writing competition to foster stories and poems with Australian content. The children's writing entries showed lots of variety with tales of adventure, kidnap, soldiers, war, mother nature, emotions and animals. The Mayor praised all the entrants for the efforts and congratulated the winners for their writing achievements.
The winning entry was a poem called Black Temper by Adam Weitzer, of Melbourne, about recent natural disasters caused by Mother Nature. Awards were presented to Jesse for her futuristic adventure story: Traces of Tomorrow in 2nd place. Chloe won 3rd prize for her detailed story: Annie and the Shed Mystery. Bec was awarded the Yvonne Zola Encouragement Award for her emotive and patriotic poem: Falling to our Knees…We're Proud Australians. The award is in memory of the late school teacher Yvonne Zola to encourage creativity in writing.
The award winners were also given a tour of the ABC Radio studios and had the opportunity to record their stories. Pictured are Ornage City Mayor Cr John Davis with winners Jesse, Bec and Chloe and fellow presenter Brooke Daniels of ABC Radio. The winning entries can be viewed on the Central West Libraries website reading and writing page www.cwl.nsw.gov.au

2011 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards Winners

This year 280 entries were received in the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards with 128 Prose or Short Story entries, 76 in the Open Poetry, 44 in the Bush Poetry and 32 in the Children's section. This is a huge increase on the number of entries received in recent years. Orange City Librarian Elizabeth Barry said human relationships featured in many entries as well as Mother Nature, rain, storms and animals across all the sections of the competition.

The winning prose entry title The Magpie Lucky Dip was a great example of vivid storytelling with well developed characters that takes you to a particular moment. While the second placed entry The Snake was well written, quirky and funny with a delightful twist and the third placed story Jack and the Jillaroo was a lovely rural story.

Ms Barry said the Awards recognise Orange's literary history and further encouraged writers to develop their craft. Ms Barry congratulated all the entrants and was pleased to announce the following winners:

Short Story:
1. The Magpie Lucky Dip by Brian Yatman, Erskineville, NSW (Prize $ 1,000)
2. The Snake by Jane Lawler, Prahran, VIC ($400)
3. Jack and the Jillaroo by Trudi Refshauge, Woodstock, NSW ($200)

Bush Poetry
1. The Ghost of Old Ted by Wendy Enchelmaier Whiteside, QLD ($500)
2. Lorraine Carew by Ellis Campbell, Dubbo, NSW ($200)
3. The Battler by Sandy Thorne, Lightning Ridge, NSW ($100)

Open Poetry
1. Orpheus in the Desert by Jo Mills, Greenmount, WA ($1,000)
2. Three Monologues by Ron Stevens, Dubbo, NSW ($400)
3. Saddle Dreaming by Vanessa Page, Rosewood , QLD ($200)

ABC Central West Radio Children's Writing Awards
1. Poem Black Temper by Adam Weitzer, Caulfield South, Melbourne, VIC ($200)
2. Story Traces of Tomorrow by Jesse Lyon, Orange, NSW ($100)
3. Story Annie and the Shed Mystery by Chloe Petersen, Portland, NSW ($100)

The Yvonne Zola Encouragement Award goes to Bec Hobden, Orange, NSW for her poem Falling to our Knees …We're Proud Australians.