Whitsundays Writers Festival Celebrates Creativity with 2026 Competition Winners

The Whitsundays Writers Festival has announced the winners of its 2026 Stanza Bonanza poetry competition and inaugural Fast Fiction competition, showcasing storytelling talent inspired by the Whitsundays’ landscapes, people and imagination.

Sydney writer and journalist Linda Daniele was named the winner of the 2026 Stanza Bonanza poetry competition, while Airlie Beach author Natalie Stockdale took out the festival’s first Fast Fiction title.

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Presented to mark World Poetry Day, the Stanza Bonanza competition invited poets of all levels to submit an original poem of up to 20 lines inspired by the prompt: “A Whitsundays postcard from 100 years ago, or 100 years from now.”

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Meanwhile, the Fast Fiction competition — launched for International Day of Storytelling — challenged writers to craft a story in 250 words or less responding to the prompt: “Something unexpected washed ashore on Whitehaven Beach…”

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Festival Director Richard Evans said both competitions attracted a strong response from writers across a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels.

“The response to Stanza Bonanza was a wonderful reminder of how powerfully poetry can connect place, memory and imagination,” Richard said.

“Writers embraced the prompt in inventive and surprising ways, and the standard of entries was exceptionally strong.”

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Speaking about the inaugural Fast Fiction competition, Richard said the quality of submissions highlighted the creativity within the region and beyond.

“The standard of entries in our first Fast Fiction competition was excellent,” he said.

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“It was exciting to see so many writers embrace the challenge of telling a compelling story with limited words and time.”

Based in Sydney, Ms Daniele is a writer, journalist and editor who has worked in legal publishing for more than 15 years, alongside freelance journalism and editorial work for On The Side. Her writing has also been recognised in the Sydney Mardi Gras Short Story Competition.

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Her winning poem, Dear You—, explored themes of memory, time and environmental reflection through imagery inspired by the Whitsundays landscape.

Airlie Beach-based Ms Stockdale is published by Big Sky Publishing and works professionally as a memoir writer. Like many locals, she draws inspiration from the region’s natural beauty, including Whitehaven Beach, which she describes as “our own backyard”.

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Her winning short story follows a man confronting memories of conflict after discovering a rusted rifle washed ashore decades after losing it during the Rhodesian conflict.

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A highlight of the Fast Fiction competition was the participation of students from Whitsunday Christian College and Proserpine State School.

“Seeing teachers and students encourage with the competition reminds us why these opportunities matter – they create space for young people to imagine, write, and share their voices,” Richard said.

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Both winners will receive a $100 cash prize and a free day pass to the 2026 Whitsundays Writers Festival, which will be held on Sunday, September 13, at the Whitsunday Marine Club.

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Richard encouraged entrants to continue exploring opportunities through the festival’s literary programs and competitions.

“We’re grateful to everyone who entered,” he said.

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“The quality of work we received was inspiring, and we encourage all entrants to keep writing, keep experimenting, and keep sharing their work.”

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Festival organisers have confirmed the full 2026 program and tickets are now available through the festival website.

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