There’s something electric about knowing a deadline is ahead of you. And that’s where writing competitions can be really useful!
Whether you’re dusting off a poem or shaping a short story, this is your chance to submit it for something real. The 2025-26 Sutherland Shire Literary Competition is open for entries.
Open to all Australian residents aged 18 and over, this competition invites original, unpublished work in three categories:
- Traditional verse (max 80 lines)
- Free verse (max 80 lines)
- Short story (max 2,000 words)
Entries open Monday 1 December 2025 and close Saturday 28 February 2026.
For each category the major prize is $1,000 for the winner, and the judges may award a “Highly Commended” prize of $500. There’s also a separate “Shire Resident’s Prize” of $500 in each category for writers who live in the Shire and didn’t win the major prize.
