2025 Newcastle Short Story Award

Competition Information

Join writers from across Australia in one of the nation’s most respected short story awards!

Submission Guidelines

  • Accepting entries of original, unpublished fiction.
  • Fiction only — no poetry or plays.
  • Word limit of 2,000 words.
  • Open to Australian citizens aged 18+ residing anywhere in the world.

Judges: Catherine McNamara and Mirandi Riwoe

Entry fee:

  • Hunter Writers’ Centre members: $22 (incl. GST)
  • Non-members: $27.50 (incl. GST)
  • One story = One entry = One fee. There is no limit to the number of entries.

Prizes:

  • First Prize: $3,000
  • Second Prize: $1,500
  • Third Prize: $500
  • Members Prize: $500 (for current members of Hunter Writers’ Centre)
  • Highly Commended: $200 (Sponsored by FogHorn Brewery)
  • Various Local prizes

Deadline: 8 pm AEST on Sunday 14 September

Key dates: 

  • Shortlist announced: Early November
  • Winner’s announcement, award celebration, and anthology launch: Saturday 6 December

All details, all submissions via their website.

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