Hunter Writers’ Centre is pleased to announce the 2024 Newcastle Poetry Prize is open for submissions. It is our honour to welcome Caitlin Maling and Peter Boyle as the 2024 judges for the Prize.
About the Newcastle Poetry Prize
For more than three decades, the Newcastle Poetry Prize has championed Australian poets and their craft. Since 2005, the University of Newcastle has generously sponsored a substantial prize pool, with a first prize of $15,000. This significant competition provides a platform to showcase both emerging and established voices.
Renowned poets and judges have lauded the Newcastle Poetry Prize for its notable impact on Australian literature. The Prize embraces the long form poem, allowing poets to explore their craft up to 200 lines. This distinctive aspect presents a challenge for poets to skillfully sustain their work, carefully balancing tone, pace, and rhythm to captivate readers throughout the journey.
The national attention garnered by the prize has solidified Newcastle’s position as a prominent cultural hub for poetry in Australia.
The accompanying anthology, a hallmark of the Newcastle Poetry Prize, captures the vibrant state of Australian poetry with thought-provoking works that challenge and inspire.
2024 KEY INFORMATION
Newcastle Poetry Prize, sponsored by the University of Newcastle, is one of the most significant poetry prizes in Australia.
NEW IN 2024
- A publishing fee of $100 is paid for all non-prize-winning poems printed in the Newcastle Poetry Prize anthology.
- Discounted entry fees for Hunter Writers’ Centre members (Become a Member)
- Hunter Writers’ Centre member prize increased to $1,000
PRIZE POOL
University of Newcastle, Patron and supporter since 2005, sponsors the generous prize pool of the Newcastle Poetry Prize
- First Prize: $15,000
- Second prize: $5,000
- Third Prize: $1,000
- Harri Jones Memorial Prize: $500
- Highly Commended Awards (x2): $250 each
- Hunter Writers’ Centre Member Award: $1,000
KEY DATES
- Entries open: Friday 21 March, 2023
- Entries close: 11.59pm, Friday 31 May, 2024 (AEST)
- Shortlist announced: July 2024
- Newcastle Poetry Prize Ceremony: Saturday 21 September, 2024
ENTRY FEES
- Non-Members: $35.20 per entry ($32.00 + GST).
- Hunter Writers’ Centre Members: $30.25 per entry ($27.50 + GST) Become a Member
- One poem = one entry = one entry fee.
WHAT CAN BE ENTERED?
Poems up to 200 lines can be entered. This includes titles and sub-headings. There is no minimum line limit.
WHO CAN ENTER?
Australian citizens or residents over the age of 18 years or older.
HOW TO ENTER
Newcastle Poetry Prize is open for entries from Thursday 21 March 2024, and close on Friday 31 May, 2024.
- IMPORTANT: Read carefully the Terms and Conditions of Entry, and the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Fill out the submission form and upload your entries. We only accept Word documents (.doc, docx). There is no limit on the number of entries.
- Please ensure the uploaded file name is the name of your entered poem.
- Pay entry fees.
- Non-Members: $35.20 per entry ($32.00 + GST).
- Hunter Writers’ Centre Members $30.25 per entry ($27.50 + GST) (Become a Member)
- One poem = one entry = one entry fee.
- You will receive a confirmation email with an overview of your entry form. If you have not received this, please check your spam folder as it may be hiding there, and if you have still not received it, contact the Hunter Writers’ Centre on contact@hunterwriterscentre.org
- Like the Hunter Writers Centre’ on Facebook and/or Instagram
- Please share the competition through your social pages and networks. We appreciate it!
If you have any further questions, please contact us on contact@hunterwriterscentre.org
2024 JUDGES
Caitlin Maling
Caitlin Maling is a Western Australian poet living on unceded Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar with her young family. She has published five books of poetry, the most recent of which are Spore or Seed (2023, Fremantle Press) and Fish Work (2022, UWAP) which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. She teaches creative writing at Curtin University.
Peter Boyle
Peter Boyle has eleven books of poetry published, including Ghostspeaking (Vagabond, 2016) and Enfolded in the Wings of a Great Darkness (Vagabond, 2019). His most recent collection is Companions, Ancestors, Inscriptions. His awards include the New South Wales Premier’s Prize, the Queensland Premier’s Prize and the South Australian Festival Award. As a translator of poetry from Spanish he has nine books published, including poetry by José Kozer, Marosa Di Giorgio and Eugenio Montejo. After many years working as a teacher with TAFE, he completed a Doctorate of Creative Arts at Western Sydney University. Peter lives and works on Dharug land.
