Hunter Writers’ Centre is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize.
Thirty-five outstanding poems have been selected by the judges for the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize shortlist.
The judges, Caitlin Maling and Peter Boyle said, “Over 800 poems were entered in the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize. We read all of these poems blind. It was a demanding task, but it also gave us the chance to experience many powerful and original poems. Experiencing these poems convinced us of the importance of the Newcastle Poetry Prize, no other prize in Australia allows for such variety of poetry to be considered in a competition.”
For over 30 years, the Newcastle Poetry Prize has championed Australian poets and their craft. With its generous prize pool sponsored by the University of Newcastle, and a first prize of $15,000, this significant competition provides a platform for both emerging and established voices to shine.
The Newcastle Poetry Prize stands out in Australia as it embraces the long form poem, allowing poets to explore their craft across up to 200 lines. This distinctive aspect presents a challenge for poets to skilfully sustain their work, carefully balancing tone, pace, and rhythm to captivate readers throughout the journey.
University of Newcastle Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Vice-President, Professor Mark Hoffman said, “Congratulations to the candidates who have been shortlisted for the Newcastle Poetry Prize. It’s a great achievement, and a significant acknowledgment of their craft. The University of Newcastle is proud to champion Australian poets through our support of the Newcastle Poetry Prize—an important platform for established and emerging voices to be heard and appreciated.”
The winners of the Prize will be announced at the Newcastle Poetry Prize ceremony to be held at the University of Newcastle on Saturday, 21 September 2024.
The Newcastle Poetry Prize is an initiative of Hunter Writers’ Centre, and proudly supported by the University of Newcastle.
2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize Shortlist
Poet – Title
Claire Albrecht – Region / Ritual
Emilie Collyer – If I hold out my hand
Brett Dionysius – Fishbone Fern
Dan Disney – crechaid
Jo Gardiner – The Grasscutters
Jo Gardiner – Falling, falling
Jo Gardiner – The Honey Room
Elena Gomez – Plissken in the City
Jennifer Harrison – Grass Sonnets
Jennifer Harrison – Finials
Paul Hetherington – A Commotion of Birds
A. Frances Johnson – Controlled Burn
Christopher (Kit) Kelen – Dombovar
Shari Kocher – Night Music Under the Sign of the Platypus
Jennifer Kornberger – The Thought Eagle
Jennifer Kornberger – Aeolian child
Verity Laughton – Welcome Swallow
Kathryn Lomer – Hyaena song
J Marahuyo – boiled potato makes me gag
Mal McKimmie – The Keeper of the Field
Greg McLaren – At sixes and sevens
Glenn McPherson – A Series of Sepia Photos Discovered in the Garage
Andrew Menken – Lake Days
Scott-Patrick Mitchell – The Luck Dragon
Damen O’Brien – Sonnets with the Moon
Verity Oswin – Glass Creek
Jenny Pollak – Tornados, and other disasters
Sarah Rice – The appeal of paint: A man waits for his execution
Brendan Ryan – The snaking accuracy of cow trails
Omar Sakr – The Nightmare Sequence*
Paul Scully – The Literate Detective (Excerpts)
Nathan Shepherdson – deadlight blisters write prescriptions in glass
Jane Skelton – Notes on the Dragon year
David Stavanger – the experience economy
Mark Tredinnick – A Godwit Sonnet Cycle
* Omar Sakr’s ‘The Nightmare Sequence’ has been withdrawn from the Newcastle Poetry Prize after shortlisting. The poem will be the title piece of a collection of poems and artworks to be published in 2025 by University of Queensland Press.
About the Newcastle Poetry Prize
For over 30 years, the Newcastle Poetry Prize has championed Australian poets and their craft. With its generous prize pool sponsored by The University of Newcastle, and a first prize of $15,000, this significant competition provides a platform for both emerging and established voices to shine. The national attention garnered by the prize has solidified Newcastle’s position as a prominent cultural hub for poetry in Australia.
Renowned poets and judges have lauded the Newcastle Poetry Prize for its notable impact on Australian literature. The Prize embraces the long form poem, allowing poets to explore their craft across up to 200 lines. This distinctive aspect presents a challenge for poets to skilfully sustain their work, carefully balancing tone, pace, and rhythm to captivate readers throughout the journey.
The accompanying anthology, a hallmark of the Newcastle Poetry Prize, captures the vibrant state of Australian poetry, featuring not only shorter verses but also longer, thought-provoking works that challenge and inspire.
About Hunter Writers' Centre
Hunter Writers’ Centre is an incorporated, not-for-profit charitable organisation in service to the stories and storytellers of the Hunter region and beyond.
Image Description: A vibrant abstract painting with rich colors including red, green, yellow, and purple. The text ‘Newcastle Poetry Prize’ is prominently displayed in white, with ‘Shortlist Announced’ below it. The image is attributed to Emma Nicholson.
