The 43rd Annual Lambing Flat Writing Competition was officially launched on Tuesday, June 10, at the Young Services Club, marking another milestone in the region’s rich literary tradition. NSW Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke, and Hilltops Mayor Brian Ingram were present to kick off the event, which continues to inspire writers of all ages across the Hilltops region and beyond.
Organised by the Lambing Flat Young Branch of the Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW Inc., the competition has become a corner-stone of the National Cherry Festival and a celebration of creativity in Young. Since its inception in 1981, the competition has provided a platform for both emerging and established writers to showcase their talents. This year’s competition features several categories to encourage participation across various age groups and skill levels.
The primary school sections have been expanded to include Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6, while secondary school sections are divided into Years 7, 8 and 9 and Years 10, 11 and 12. Students are allowed one entry per section, with no entry fees for school-aged participants.
Adult entrants can submit multiple entries in the open-themed short story and poetry categories, with entry fees applicable. Entries close on Friday, September 19, with winners to be announced on Sunday, December 7, during the 75th National Cherry Festival. This timing offers a unique opportunity for writers to have their work celebrated in front of a large audience, further highlighting the importance of the competition in the community.
Susan Rolfe, a member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers and one of the event organisers, emphasized the competition’s role in nurturing young talent.
“This competition is about more than winning prizes,” she said. “It’s about nurturing talent, especially in our younger writers. For many students, this is their first time seeing their own words taken seriously.”
The organisers have also refined the entry categories for primary school students, responding to feedback from teachers and judges to better reflect the varied writing abilities across different year levels. The competition has always aimed to be as accessible as possible. There is no entry fee for school-aged children, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to participation. Entrants simply need to create an original short story within the word limit, there is no set theme and submit it before the September 19 deadline.
Adults are also welcome to enter, and their work has historically been of such high quality that several anthologies have been published showcasing past winners.
In 1992, an anthology titled From Pen to Paper was released, featuring a selection of prize-winning entries. More recently, in 2022, the group published Nuggets of Gold, a collection highlighting three decades of adult category winners a testament to the enduring quality and diversity of submissions the competition has received over the years.
The competition continues to enjoy strong support from local sponsors, including the Young Services Club, Penrose Funerals, and the South West Slopes Credit Union. Their contributions help fund prizes and pro-mote the competition locally and nationally.
Rolfe also acknowledged the importance of the community’s support, noting that during challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition provided people with something meaningful to do from home, allowing writing to become a way to connect.
For those interested in entering, entry forms with full details and terms and conditions are available by emailing lambingflatfaw.competitions@gmail.com or by calling organiser John on 0408 699 507.
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