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In case you missed it, there are currently a number of incredibly exciting writing competitions seeking enthusiastic writers across the region. The Whitsunday Writers Festival is hosting competitions in both poetry and prose with cash prizes up for grabs. Here is the list of competitions you should know about.
Flash Fiction Competition
The flash fiction competition tests writing in highly controlled circumstances. Writers are encouraged to craft an original story of no more than 250 words with the prompt: Something unexpected washed ashore on Whitehaven Beach.
The competition is open and will close at 11:59pm April 3rd. Entries must be submitted online via the Whitsundays Writers Festival website. The winning writer will receive a $100 cash prize along with a free day pass to the 2026 Whitsundays Writers Festival.
Stanza Bonanza
Writers are encouraged to submit to an original poem of up to 20 lines, inspired by the prompt: A Whitsundays postcard from 100 years ago, or 100 years from now.
The poet will receive a $100 cash prize along with a free day pass to the 2026 Whitsundays Writers Festival.
This competition closes at 11:59pm, April 3rd. Entries must be submitted online via the festival website.
Short Story Competition
This competition is being run as part of the Whitsunday Literary Heart Awards. It contains both an open age and Under 18 Division for original fiction of up to 3,000 words. The first prize is $1000 and the runner up will receive $500.
Submissions close Friday 17 July 2026 and $20 entry applies. See the website for more details.
The winners will be announced at the Writers Festival on 13 September at the Whitsunday Marine Club in Airlie Beach.
Poetry Prize
This competition is also run as part of the Whitsunday Literary Heart Awards. This competition is open to all for poems of any form, topic and length. The first prize is $1000 and the runner up will receive $500.
The winners will be announced at the Writers Festival in September.
For all competitions, the organisers have made it clear that the submission must be the writer’s own work. There will be AI usage checks in place to ensure integrity across all submissions.
Festival Director and author of nine novels Richard Evans, says the competition is designed not only to discover new voices, but to also celebrate the enduring role of storytelling in shaping community and culture.
“Stories connect us. They challenge us, entertain us, and help us understand the world around us. The Heart Awards are about encouraging writers of all ages to put their imagination on the page and share it with an audience”, he said.
The festival organisers have presented some wonderful opportunities to showcase the best writing talent across the region. Don’t be shy – you could be the next literary hero of the Whitsundays.
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