Cloncurry Prize Poetry Competition

The Cloncurry Prize is one of Australia’s richest poetry competitions with a cash prize of $10,000. The competition aims to showcase the essence of outback Australia. The Cloncurry Prize has a $25 entry fee and is open to Australian Citizens, living in Australia with all entries to be assessed by a select panel of judges.
The theme of the 2023 Cloncurry Prize Poetry Competition is “Outback Heroes”.
The inaugural Cloncurry Prize launched in 2020 to commemorate the 155th Birthday of Dame Mary Gilmore DBE, who returned to Cloncurry to lay rest with her husband in December 1962. The national competition pays tribute to Dame Mary, an Australian writer and journalist who features on the $10 note, known for her prolific contributions to Australian literature and the broader national discourse.
Judges
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Tania Kernaghan
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Allan Cooney
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Brenda-Joy Pritchard
Junior Cloncurry Prize
The Junior Competition is open to Queensland school aged individuals with a cash prize of $250. Entry is free.
- Entries open: 21 March 2023 at 9:00am AEST
- Entries close: 1 May 2023 at 11.45pm AEST
- Longlisting (selection of the top 50 entries): between 8 May 2023 and 21 May 2023
- Shortlisting (selection of each judge’s top three entries): between 22 May 2023 and 4 June 2023
- Final judging: between 5 June 2023 and 9 June 2023
- Prize announcement: 23 June 2023
Cloncurry Prize
Junior Competition
Entries must be submitted observing the following formatting and stylistic elements:
- Each entry must be a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf);
- The document file name should be the title of the poem only
- Entries must be a single poem of no more than two pages written in English. Pages must be numbered.
- Entries must be typed in Calibri or Times New Roman font, no smaller than size 11
- All stanza breaks must be clearly spaced
- The poet’s name should not appear anywhere in the document body unless it is relevant to the work (entries are judged anonymously)
The theme of the Cloncurry Prize Poetry Competition in 2023 is “Outback Heroes”.
Longlisting Criteria (Top 50)
- Theme Relevance – Spirit of the Outback = 60%
- Form – word choice, commas, stanzas = 20%
- Language – choice of words, and order is precise = 20%
Shortlisting criteria (Top 10)
- Theme Relevance – Spirit of the Outback = 60%
- Form – word choice, commas, stanzas = 15%
- Language – choice of words, and order is precise = 15%
- Legacy – timelessness of Poem = 10%
The competition Terms & Conditions contain valuable information including key dates, eligibility and formatting. A copy of the Terms & Conditions can be found HERE.
I am delighted that Cloncurry Shire Council has initiated the ‘Cloncurry Prize ~ Spirit of Outback’ Poetry Competition.
Dame Mary Gilmore was my great-great aunt. She was a beloved family member, and a source of pride - for her poetry and her place as a voice of our people.
When I see her wise face looking out from our $10 notes, I imagine her surveying modern Australia with wonder, and I suspect with a few helpful suggestions.
Much of what she spoke for has come to pass, so much of what she valued remains, and so much of our nation's promise has been fulfilled. I can't think of a better place than Cloncurry, where Aunt Mary rests with her husband William, to uncover the next bard of Australia, whoever she or he may be.
Australia is an ancient land of stories that reach back for millennia. The rich oral and visual imaginings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, the poems of colonial Australia, and the verse that grew from our developing nation reflect the epic narrative of our history. In times of trouble and challenge, these are the stories we turn to for comfort and hope.
The stories of Australia come from the city and the bush. They are made in the past and the present. They are our beacon for the future. They are the words of our national spirit, which transcends politics, religion, ethnicity or capital. Aunt Mary wrote once 'I see the world as one'. It's my belief that true poetry comes from that vision and brings people together.
Our poets tell our stories and show us who we are. Sometimes, as the days race by, we forget to stop and listen to those voices. I'm grateful to the people of Cloncurry who have endured so much in recent years, for encouraging us to change that - to hear our stories anew and celebrate the spirit they represent.
The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister of Australia
September 2020
For media enquires, please contact Council's Media and Public Relations Officer, Ella Thompson on 07 4742 4100 or cloncurryprize@cloncurry.qld.gov.au
For general enquires, please contact Council's Community Activities Officer, Celene Franklin on 07 4742 4100 or cloncurryprize@cloncurry.qld.gov.au
WINNER
RUNNER UP
Winner
The Heart and Soul of Australia - by David Campbell
Runner Up
Broken Down - by Jennifer Harrison
Meritorious mention
a portrait in the theatre of desire - by Brian Obiri-Asare



