2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize Winners Announced
First Prize:
Christopher (Kit) Kelen, ‘Dombóvár’
Second Prize:
Verity Laughton, ‘Welcome Swallow’
Third Prize:
Jenny Pollak, ‘Tornados, and other disasters’
Highly Commended:
Verity Oswin, ‘Glass Creek’
Jo Gardiner, ‘The Grasscutters’
Harri Jones Memorial Prize:
Andrew Menken, ‘Lake Days’
Hunter Writers’ Centre Member Award
Mark Tredinnick, ‘A Godwit Sonnet Cycle’
2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize Anthology - Dombóvár
Introducing the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize Anthology, Dombóvár, showcasing the very best of Australian poetry. The anthology presents the shortlisted poems from the 2024 competition, as well as the award-winning title piece, ‘Dombóvár’ by Christopher (Kit) Kelen.
Contributing (Shortlisted) Poets: Claire Albrecht, Emilie Collyer, B.R. Dionysius, Dan Disney, Jo Gardiner, Elena Gomez, Jennifer Harrison, Paul Hetherington, A. Frances Johnson, Christopher (Kit) Kelen, Shari Kocher, Jennifer Kornberger, Verity Laughton, Kathryn Lomer, J Marahuyo, Mal McKimmie, Greg McLaren, Glenn McPherson, Andrew Menken, Scott-Patrick Mitchell, Damen O’Brien, Verity Oswin, Jenny Pollak, Sarah Rice, Brendan Ryan, Paul Scully, Nathan Shepherdson, Jane Skelton, David Stavanger, Mark Tredinnick.
The 2024 anthology is available for purchase from the Hunter Writers’ Centre bookshop
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
The Hunter Writers’ Centre is an incorporated, not-for-profit organisation established in 1995, providing support and opportunities to writers, writing and storytelling in other artistic media in the Hunter Valley region.
Hunter Writers’ Centre promotes and supports writing and related cultural activities for both beginners and practised writers and artists. We achieve this through workshops, short courses, residencies, a network of local writer’s groups, competitions, and awards.
In 2021, the Hunter Writers’ Centre established Lighthouse Arts, a multi-arts activation of Nobbys-Whibayganba headland cottages. The project involves writer and artist residencies, studio spaces, exhibition space, an arts trading store, and live events.
