Moorabool Young Writers Awards 2024

What is the key to your story?

Winners announcement

On Saturday 1 June the Moorabool community gathered at Lerderderg Library to celebrate the art of creative writing in the short story form with the announcement of the Peter Carey Short Story Award and the Moorabool Young Writers’ Awards.
 
It was wonderful to see writers of all ages come together in a shared passion for storytelling. From the imaginative tales spun by our youngest participants to the captivating words of our esteemed head judge of the Peter Carey Short Story Awards, Eugen Bacon, every moment was steeped in the magic of the written word.
 
With sincerest thanks to this years judge Allyse Near for her generous contribution of expertise, time, and invaluable insights provided to all the young storytellers in this year’s competition.
 
It what was a highly competitive year, with over 300 entries, we are pleased to announce and congratulate this year’s winners:
 
Emergent Writers Category – Prize Winners - Prep to 2
 
Thomas Best
 
Ellie Lynch
 
Lachlan Borg
 
Emily Pretty
 
Alice Yearwood

 
Middle Primary - Prize Winners – Grades 3 and 4
 
Winner: “Kitty Kat Key” by Evie Hill
 
Runner Up: “Missing Key Card” by Scarlett Taylor-Anderson
 
Third: “The Key, the Room and the Voice” by Keira Attard
 
Highly Commended
 
 “Felicia the Llama” by Penelope Vaszolyi
 
“The Escape Room” by Grace Edwards
 
“The Golden Key” by Alice Fodor

Honourable Mention

“Stuck Without a Key” by Mabel Brody-Wall

“The Key of Destiny” by Ruby Smith


Upper Primary - Prize Winners – Grades 5 and 6

Winner: “The Key” by Mia Anderson

Runner Up: “Dragon Key” by Imogen Borg

Third: “The Camellia” by Amelie John

Highly Commended

“Enough” by Avery Edwards

“The Whispering Key” by Marvel Pippi Pickett

“The Key” by Charli Bowman

Honourable Mention

“The Key” by Thomas Birch

“The Old Prophecy” by Charlotte Connell


Youth Awards – Prize Winners - Years 7-12

Winner: “Elite” by Andrew Clark

Runner Up: “The Pegasus and I” by Katelynne Nicholson

Third: “Decade of Disappearance” by Wareesha Haq

Highly Commended

“Foray” by Blayk Kawana

Honourable Mention

“Run” by Maddison Szalay

“Twig” by Saoirse Sandoval-Roche