Thank you to everyone who wrote a story for the 2023 Long Way Home story competition. The judges have made a shortlist of 60 stories, all to be published in Stories from the Clarence Valley 2023 – Grow. Congratulations to all! Winners will be announced on 28 August.
The judges were Meg Rowe, Roweena Shakespeare, Jacqui Hinshaw, Julie Henry, Janelle Brown, Jess Wood and Claire Aman.
We take our hats off to everyone who wrote a story. Keep writing. As judge Janelle Brown says, ‘What a fantastic result! It seems to get harder and harder each year to judge the stories, as the quality of the entries just keeps improving. It’s wonderful to know that there are so many young aspiring (and inspiring) writers in the Clarence!’
The book launch will be on 4 December at the Grafton Regional Art Gallery. We are grateful for the generous support of South Grafton Community Bank, Yugilbar Foundation, Grafton Book Warehouse, Grafton Regional Gallery and Clarence Regional Library.
The shortlist
Open category
‘The Scholar Gipsy’ by Gaye Sprenglewski
‘Hillvale Phoenix’ by Jim Chambers
‘Napthol Crimson Through the Dark’ by Nadia Smith
‘There Is a Season’ by Charlie Limdell
‘The Best Is Yet to Come’ by Loueen Winters
‘Bundy’ by Adam Smith
‘More Than Anything’ by Eevee Bailey
‘Two Degrees of Hope’ by Norman Mjadwesch
‘Grow Up’ by Zach Jones
High school category
‘Somewhere In Between’ by Samara Grebert, Year 12, Grafton High
‘Unnoticed’ by Talia Duckworth, Year 9, home school
‘The Feeling of Home’ by Ada Sage, Year 10, home school
‘Grow’ by Olive Pereira, Year 7, Grafton High
‘Bunny Ears’ by Nadia Smith, Year 12, Grafton High
‘The Little Seed of Life’ by Vinh Coorey, Year 7, Grafton High
‘Metamorphosis’ by Lily Hall, Year 7, McAuley Catholic College
‘Grafton Boy’ by Eva Patricks, Year 11, McAuley Catholic College
‘The Start of Life’ by Max Lobsey, Year 7, McAuley Catholic College
‘The Flower’ by Bella Moran, Year 7, Grafton High
‘Grow and Change’ by Charlie Rouse
Primary school category
‘Aether the Amazing Dog’ by Yvonne McLennan, Year 4, Nymboida Public
‘Food For Life’ by Asher Nichols, Year 6, St Joseph’s Primary, Maclean
‘Forest End’ by Jordan Polsen, Year 5, South Grafton Public
‘Gariima Country’ by Jericho Close, Year 6, Baryulgil Public
‘Is This Up?’ by Zali Nichols, Year 5, Gulmarrad Public
‘Grow’ by Novi Rush, Year 5, Grafton Public
‘Grow’ by Freya Thompson, Year 5, St Mary’s Primary, Grafton
‘Growing Frogs’ by Elhi Laurie, Year 3, Baryulgil Public
‘How I Live’ by Henry Miller, Year 6, St James’ Primary, Yamba
‘Fire’ by Theo Symons, Year 5, Grafton Public
‘How Things Grow and Change’ by Morgan Tullipan, Year 1, Copmanhurst Public
‘I Am Growing Up’ by Luke Sanna, Year 3, Cowper Public
‘Free’ by Zoe Commerford, Year 6, Westlawn Public
‘It Begins With a Seed’ by Evie Rae, Year 6, Gulmarrad Public
‘The Clarence River’ by Kassius James, Year 5, Cowper Public
‘The Sprout’ by Zoe Banfield, Year 5, Grafton Public
‘Bob and Coco’s Garden’ by Ami Camara, Year 4, Nymboida Public
‘Divorce’ by Josie Vickers, Year 5, South Grafton Public
‘Crystals and the Apple’ by Ella Cox, Year 4, Ulmarra Public
‘New Beginnings’ by Emmeline Beohm, Year 3, Westlawn Public
‘Goodbye’ by Gretel Farrell, Year 6, Ulmarra Public
‘Grow’ by Lilly Mulqueen, Year 5, St Mary’s Primary, Grafton
‘Grow’ by Sophie Sutherland, Year 6, St Mary’s Primary, Grafton
‘Growing’ by Lucky Sanna, Kindergarten, Cowper Public
‘Growing Sunflowers’ by Scott Halls, Year 3, Cowper Public
‘Growing Up’ by Katie Shawyer, Year 4 Ulmarra Public
‘Human Evolution’ by Aidan Knox, Year 6, Grafton Public
‘My Town’ by Willow Seivers, Year 6, St James’ Primary, Yamba
‘My Town Growing’ by Marlie Zvatora, Year 6, St James’ Primary, Yamba
‘My Wish’ by Autumn Enns, Year 6, St James’ Primary, Yamba
‘Reptiles Galore!’ by Sienna Patricks, Year 6, St Mary’s Primary, Grafton
‘Spreading My Wings’ by Hanna Maginnity, Year 6, Grafton Public
‘The Beginning Again’ by Mikinleigh Bullock, Year 6, South Grafton Public
‘The Big Fig Tree’ by Cooper Stuart, Year 3, St Mary’s Primary, Grafton
‘The Enormous Bowl of Ice Cream’ by Hazel Rowney, Year 3, Yamba Public
‘The Mysteries of Space’ by Mya Williams, Year 6, Copmanhurst Public
‘The Rebels’ First Big Game’ by Olivia Hillman, Year 3, Copmanhurst Public
‘The Story of My Grandad’ by Sophia Cleere, Year 5, Grafton Public
‘War’ by Zoe Woods, Year 5, Grafton Public
‘This Family, My Family’ by Maggie Clancy, Year 5, South Grafton Public
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The Long Way Home 