Three incredible writers haven made history by becoming the first joint winners in the Short Story Section of the 2021 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards and impressive writing featured in the ABC Radio Children’s Awards. We are pleased to announce the winners:

Short Story: Joint winners: Co-authors Sagamba Muhira and James Page; and Carmel Lillis:

Sagamba Muhira

James Page

1st Co-authors Sagamba Muhira, Townsville QLD, and James Page, Redcliffe QLD – Out of Africa

And joint winner:

Carmel Lillis

1^st Carmel Lillis, Yarraville VIC –  Laughing like children

Contemporary Poetry

Mark O’Flynn

1^st Prize, Mark O’Flynn, Katoomba  NSW – Interesting times we could all do without

ABC Radio Children’s Awards

Lola Stafford

1^st Lola Stafford, Billywilliga near Bathurst NSW – Story – One Land …Two People

2^nd Sybilla Chapman, Bathurst NSW – Poem – Our Underwater Aussie Garden

3^rd Luke Favantines, Mt Victoria NSW – Poem – Light and Dark

Congratulations to all who entered the awards and the 2021 winners!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s Banjo Paterson Writing Awards. We just wanted to let you know we received  70 Short Story entries, 85 Bush Poetry and 84 Open Poetry and 40 Entries in the ABC Radio Children’s Writing Awards.

The entries are with the judges and winners will be announced on Monday 23 June.

Calling for entries in the annual Banjo Paterson Writing Awards to help celebrate his 150th anniversary from Monday 17^th February – (Banjo’s birthday!). There is a section for Short Stories, Bush Poetry, Contemporary Poetry and Children’s Writing Awards for children aged under 16 years to write stories or poems.  Entries close on Friday 18th April and winners announced on Monday 23rd June.  For guidelines, entry costs and details, call into the Library for an entry form, phone 6393 8120 or download:

BPWA-2014-EntryForm [Web Print Version]

Unleash your Banjo inspired words in this unique Poetry Competition. You have 2 mins to impress the judges selected from the audience. We need people aged 18 and under to get up and perform and people of all ages to be in the audience. It all happens at the CWA Hall, Robertson Park, on Saturday 15th February at 4pm. Talented spoken word artist Miles Merrill is your poetry slam host.

There will also be a workshop before the Slam from 2 – 3pm. See you there!

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