Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards seek to capture the imaginations of school students across Australia, inspiring them to express their thoughts and feelings through the medium of poetry in their pursuit of literary excellence. 1984 was the first year of the awards, with 300 entries registered. Today the judges read thousands of poems to determine the winning entry each year. The competition opens on the first day of March and ends on the last day of June each year. Award categories include lower and upper primary as well as junior and senior secondary students, assisted learning and school prizes. A new category was introduced in 2021: the Kurrumbede Award will be awarded to the best entry from a Primary and a Secondary School students residing within a 100km radius of Gunnedah centre. Visit the website for up to date competition details.