Short Story Competition

2023 – Under the Water

The theme for the 2023 Short Story Competition was "Under the Water". Water plays a huge role in all of our lives - we drink it, swim in it, sail across it and get rained on!

Check out the winning entries from each of the four categories below:

• The Town Under the Lake by Rebeca Cal – Winner– Adult Category
• Refuge by Karinne Law – Runner Up – Adult Category
• A Final Goodbye by Yamin Godschall-Johnson – Winner – Young Adult Category
• A Siren's Spell: The Enchanting Depths by Emily Metcalfe – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• Penguey's First Fish by Archer Love – Winner – Children Category
• Lost at Sea by Sebastian Sayer – Runner Up – Children Category

Winners of the First Five Category:

• Adeline Sayer
• Denver Herro
• Emma Mangles
• Hayley Harriss
• Korra Davison
• Octavia Walsh
• Portia Walsh
• Sophie Smith
• Stewart Wheadon
• Thesandi Galagedera

Read the 2023 Winning Stories

2022 – My Backyard

The theme for the Short Story Competition 2022 was "My Backyard". Check out the winning entries below:

• There’s Nothing Sadder Than Chinese Leftovers by Clinton Schmidt – Winner – Adult Category
• In My Post-Apocalyptic Backyard by James Byrne – Runner Up – Adult Category
• The Well by Jake Nona – Winner – Young Adult Category
• Danger in the Sky by Dorian Locke – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• That Day by Elsie Reeve – Winner – Children Category
• The Day an Alien Cried in our Backyard by Bethany de Leon – Runner Up – Children Category

Read the 2022 Winning Stories

2021 – My Family

The theme for the Short Story Competition 2021 was "My Family". Check out the winning entries below:

• Forget Me Knot by Madeline DeLeon – Winner – Adult Category
• The Un-Funny Moment Club by Katisha Lindee – Runner Up – Adult Category
  20 Years Have Passed by Eleanor Barker – Winner – Young Adult Category
• The Girl in The Room by Caitlin Allan – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• My Family by Evie Clay – Winner – Children Category
• Nana Attack! by Bella-Rose Potter – Runner Up – Children Category
• My Family by Lachlan Wheadon – Winner – First Five Category
• My Family by Isla Quinn – Runner Up – First Five Category
• Korbin visits the Museum by Korbin Culver – Runner Up – First Five Category

Read the 2021 Winning Stories

2020 – My Life in the North

The theme for the Short Story Competition 2020 was "My Life in the North". Check out the winning entries below:

• A Finding of Solace by Damien Lawardorn – Winner – Adult Category
• Chalk by Helene Kotzas-Lazaredes – Runner Up – Adult Category
• Death Amongst the Wallangarra by Lily Reeves – Winner – Young Adult Category
• The Riverside by Ethan Craperi – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• Grandma's House by Brooklyn Pritchard – Winner – Children Category
• A New Cycle by Tien Ern Chan – Runner Up – Children Category

Read the 2020 Winning Stories

2019

Check out the winning entries from the Short Story Competition 2019 below:

• The Girl in the Mango Tree by Suzy Gilmour – Winner – Adult Category
• Arm’s Reach by Courtney Thomson – Runner Up – Adult Category
• The Sound of Memory by Emily Price – Winner – Young Adult Category
• The Midsummer Night’s Dread by Mikayla Dickinson – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• Broken by Anais Lazaredes – Winner – Children Category
• Ambushed by Toby Skerratt – Runner Up – Children Category

2017

Check out the winning entries from the Short Story Competition 2017 below:

• Mick and Maisie by Wendy Levy – Winner – Adult Category
• Uncle Teddy by Jennifer Barret – Runner Up – Adult Category
• Fait Accompli by Lara Skerratt – Winner – Young Adult Category
• Family Flame by Erin Chin – Runner Up – Young Adult Category
• Tree of Life by Huon Evans – Winner – Children Category
• Hunter and Prey by Layla Horsington – Runner Up – Children Category

2016

Check out the winning entries from the Short Story Competition 2016 below:

• Bindal Boy by Ian McIntosh – Winner – Adult Category
• Bleached by Phoebe Evans – Winner – Young Adult Category
• Townsville Tunnels by Lindy Collins – Runner Up – Adult Category
• Past Ghosts by Kila Pope – Runner Up – Young Adult Category

Competition Terms and Conditions

Entry to the competition is open to residents of Townsville local government area, with the exception of Townsville City Council employees and their immediate families.

• The competition is for amateur and novice writers only.
• Writers may only submit one entry each.
• All entries must be previously unpublished original fiction works and must not have won prizes, contracts or cash in any other competition.
• Copyright will remain the property of the author.
• All entries must be typed with double line spacing in Microsoft Word with page numbers. Stories that exceed the word limit will be deemed ineligible.
• Manuscripts will not be returned.
• Entries that fail to comply with all the conditions with not be considered. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• Winners and runners up will have their stories published on Townsville City Council's website.
• Winners and runners up may be required to participate in media opportunities.