Calling all storytellers. The Long Way Home Writing Competition 2026 is open.
Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 – Heart of Gold
We launched ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 – Heart of Gold’ in the courtyard at Grafton Regional Gallery this week. It was a magical evening, with nearly 200 people celebrating this wonderful book. We were delighted to see all the happy authors and proud families gathered. All authors received a free copy. Congratulations to all! Beautifully designed by local artist Yohanna Dent and printed in Grafton by Yoohoo McPhee, the book will make a great Christmas present. Many thanks to Clarence Valley Council, Clarence Regional Library, Grafton Regional Gallery, South Grafton Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank, and Grafton Book Warehouse. Books are for sale at Grafton Book Warehouse, The Nook in Yamba, Coldstream Gallery in Ulmarra, and Grafton Regional Gallery.
Announcing the winners
Congratulations everyone! Announcing the results of The Long Way Home writing competition 2025.
Open section (up to 2,500 words)
Winner – Kate Begbie, HEART OF GOLD, a beautiful, quiet meditation on love and grief, told by a flight attendant who has been chatting to her passengers on a long flight.
Highly commended – Sonia Reid for WE’LL MEET AGAIN. This story made us laugh. There’s a twist. Fairly short, very clever.
High school section (up to 500 words)
Winner – Ada Sage for THE ART OF BEING BROKEN, YEAR 12, HOME EDUCATED. A very moving and reflective story about becoming the keeper of memories, about making a quilt out of pieces from your life – a pocket from your mother’s jacket, a sister’s scarf, a piece of a childhood dress. Such a young writer, so good!
Second place – Eamon Mawn for THE HEART OF THE BUCCANEERS Year 8, Maclean High School. A wonderful action story about a football game, told with skill and good pace. About the great heart of a football team, their determination.
Highly commended – Evie Rae for FIELDS OF GOLD, Year 8, Maclean High School. A story of beauty and kindness about the life of a beloved grandmother.
Primary school section (up to 200 words)
Winner – Gracie King for HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, Maclean Public School. A very well-written story about the cross-country race, where kindness wins the race.
Highly commended – by Declan Mawn for HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, St James’ Primary School. There’s a cyclone in Yamba. “Rivers were rising. The rain was relentless. The wind was a wolf howling all over the town.” The best line of the competition!
Highly commended – Tiarni Benn for THE BRONZE ROBOT’S SACRIFICE Year 6, South Grafton Public School. An original take on the Heart of Gold theme. A robot with a gold heart who has feelings!
Congratulations to everyone published in the book. And a big thankyou to everyone who sent us a story. We had more good stories than we could fit in the book. See you next year.
Announcing the shortlist
We mined the Clarence for a heart of gold, searching for stories. These excellent writers will be published in Stories From the Clarence Valley 2025 – Heart of Gold. We’ll announce the winners at the book launch on 9th December at Grafton Regional Gallery. The Long Way Home’s job is to unearth new writers. This year we’ve uncovered the beating, gleaming heart of the Clarence. Thankyou everyone for sending us your stories!
Open section
Beth Keevers A PRECIOUS CUT
Gaye Sprenglewski, TWO DOORS UP
Gra Murdoch, BROKEN STRINGS
Jo Parry, TELL IT TO THE BEES
Kate Begbie, HEART OF GOLD
Kestrel Howard, ALLUVIAL GOLD
Kylie Rainbow, DOWNPOUR
Loueen Winters, THE GIFT
Maggie McDade, SUNDAY MORNING
Meg Rowe, FOOL’S GOLD
Nadia Smith, THE YELLOW BIRD
Norm Mjadwesch, DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
Sonia Reid, WE’LL MEET AGAIN
Suzanne Barnier, WAGGING SCHOOL
Tennille Pillemer, THE LONG WAY HOME
High school section
Flynn Crowley, ALONE, Year 7, McAuley Catholic College
Elsie Stewart, MOUSE, Year 10, Grafton High
Ada Sage, THE ART OF BEING BROKEN, Year 12, Home Educated
Eamon Mawn, THE ART OF THE BUCCANEERS, Year 8, Maclean High
Evie Rae, FIELDS OF GOLD, Year 8, Maclean High
Sebastian Hassett, THE TOWN OF GOLDEN HEARTS, Year 8, Home Educated
Talia Duckworth, HEART OF GOLD, Year 11, Home Educated
Primary school section
Charlotte Bolch, HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, Nymboida Public
Harper Dendle-Palmer , RIVERBANK WALK , Year 6, Grafton Public
Fionn Mawn, THE HEART OF THE CLARENCE, Year 6, St James’ Primary
Gracie King, HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, Maclean Primary
Ruby Grimshaw, HEART OF GOLD, Year 5, Grafton Public
Frankie Watters, BEST FRIEND, Year 3, Copmanhurst Primary
Wolfgang Crofts, SHINING SMILE, Year 1, Cowper Primary
Declan Mawn, HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, St James’ Primary
Isla Anderson, A HORSE WITH A HEART OF GOLD, Year 5, Clarence Valley Anglican
Hannah Black, A MOMENT IN TIME, Year 4, Gulmarrad Public
Catherine Davies, HEART OF GOLD, Year 6, Grafton Public
Travis Kratz, THE UN-HEARTBREAKER, Year 5, Grafton Public
Bodhi Beresford, HEART OF GOLD, Year 2, Gulmarrad Public
Keilyh Turner, HEART OF GOLD, Year 3, Harwood Public
Grace Littlechild , HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, Maclean Public
Jackson Donovan, A HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, South Grafton Public
Jax Coffison, HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, Nymboida Public
Brianna Outram, HEART OF GOLD, Year 6, Grafton Public
Valin Skerry, THE CAPTAIN’S LAST TREASURE, Year 6, South Grafton Public
Nixon Perry, THE GOLDEN DOLPHIN, Year 5, St James’ Primary
Kade Worthington, APPRECIATION, Year 6, Grafton Public
Zephyr Helman, THE END OF THE WORLD, Year 4, Nymboida Public
Ollie Rodda, A HEART OF GOLD, Year 5, South Grafton Public
Shiloh Tapp, HEART OF GOLD, Year 5, Grafton Public
Spencer O’Range, HEART OF GOLD, Year 5, St Mary’s Primary
Rebecca Oppenheimer, THE TWILIGHT SKY, Year 3, Gulmarrad Public
Albie Granleese, A HEART OF GOLD, Year 6, South Grafton Public
Alina Maleschka-Dawe, HEART OF GOLD, Year 6, Grafton Public
Ava O’Brien, HEART OF GOLD, ULURU, Year 6, South Grafton Public
Charlee Abraham, MY HORSE HOLLY, Year 4, Copmanhurst Primary
Ella Carolan, A GOLDEN DOLPHIN, Year 6, St James’ Primary
Archie Barber, THE HEIST, Year 6, Grafton Public
Jensen Homewood, CATCH AND RELEASE, Year 6, St James’ Primary
Matilda Cook, A HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, South Grafton Public
Ralph Uebergang, FRED’S FIRST HAUL, Year 5, St James’ Primary Yamba
Max Black, A GOLDEN CHANCE, Year 2, Gulmarrad Public
Ashton Miller, A WALLABY’S HEART, Year 6, St James’ Primary
Jack Armstrong, FISH AND CHIPS, Year K, Tucabia Public
Charlotte Parry-Jones, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, Year 6, St Joseph’s Primary
Tiarni Benn, THE BRONZE ROBOT’S SACRIFICE, Year 6 , South Grafton Public
Remi Bentley, HEART OF GOLD, Year 6, St Mary’s Primary
Pearl Ryan, MY MUM’S HEART OF GOLD, Kindergarten, Tucabia Public
Remi Murphy, A DRAGON’S WORK, Year 5, St James’ Primary
McKinley Harris, HEART OF GOLD, Year 4, St Mary’s Primary
Mercy Allsop, HEART OF GOLD, Year 2, Tucabia Public
Penelope Ingram Malone, A HEART OF GOLD, Year 3, Yamba Public
Congratulations to all!
The Long Way Home 