Calling all storytellers. The Long Way Home Writing Competition 2026 is open.
Tag: writing competition
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 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!
2025 competition now open!
Email your story or poem to cvshortstories@gmail.com We’re excited about the stories we’ll read when writers unearth the beating, gleaming heart of gold.
Competition Terms and Conditions
The theme is ‘Heart of Gold.’ Use your imagination to interpret it any way you like.
Primary students in Year 1- 6 can enter stories of up to 200 words
High school students can enter stories of up to 500 words
Open section stories can be up to 2,500 words
Send us your story or poem by 11pm June 1st, 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
The shortlisted stories from each category will be edited and published in ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 – Heart of Gold.’ The book will be launched in early December.
Primary school students: Each story must include the author’s name, story title, word count, school year, school, and teacher’s name. Teachers, please email us the stories as separate word files. Home schoolers are welcome.
High school students: Each story must include a cover page with the author’s name, story title, word count, school year, school, and teacher’s name. Write the title on each page. Your name only goes on the cover page. Stories are judged blind. Home schoolers are welcome.
Open category: Each story (fiction or creative non-fiction) must include a cover page with the author’s name, the title of the story, word count, and the category (Open). Write the title on each page. Your name only goes on the cover page. Stories are judged blind.
The winner of the open category will receive a $100 cash prize. Winning high school and primary school students will be awarded book vouchers.
The author owns the story. In entering the competition, the author gives permission to The Long Way Home to edit and publish the shortlisted stories in ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2025 – Heart of Gold’ under the author’s name.
The Long Way Home does not generate enough income to pay authors for published stories, but each author will receive free copy of the book. (We don’t pay ourselves either).
Stories can be emailed to cvshortstories@gmail.com
Frequently asked questions
Am I eligible to enter?
If you live in the Clarence Valley, or you have lived here in the past, you can enter. Students need to attend a school in the Clarence Valley, or be of school age and have an address in the Clarence Valley.
What are the judges looking for?
We are looking for well crafted, powerful, original stories that move us. We look for authentic voices – with a touchstone of your own culture, your own experience, enlivened by your own imagination.
Can I enter more than one story?
Yes. But make sure any story you send is the best it can be. Read it at least ten times, keep improving it, make every sentence work. Then send it.
Do I have to pay to enter?
No. Entry is free.
How will I find out if my story will be published?
We’ll contact you by email. The results will also be posted on this website, and on Facebook. We expect judging to be complete by August.
How should I format my entry?
As a Word document.
First Nations writing
The Long Way Home has been proud to publish Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl writers in all our collections. If your piece is written in the voice of an Aboriginal person, or telling an Aboriginal story, are you Aboriginal? If not, leave it for Aboriginal people to tell their own stories. Use your own voice to tell your own story. The most powerful writing comes from our own voice and experience and identity.
The Long Way Home 