Coen Katt wins 2022 Mary Poppins Literary Competition

A short story written in 10 minutes by an eight-year-old Fraser Coast boy has claimed a region’s top children’s literary award.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour listens intently to Coen Katt, 8, reading his winning story ‘The Little Ant’.

Little Coen Katt picked up $100 for The Little Ant, a story he wrote in “10 minutes flat” to win the 2022 Mary Poppins Literary Competition in Maryborough.

After the presentation of awards on Saturday morning he confidently read his story to Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour as his father Joshua described Coen’s deep love of writing and reading.

“I thought it came from my side of the family,” he said but was surprised to learn from his mother-in-law Lou Jackson that Coen’s mother Kristina had won $100 in the 2000 awards.

“She spent the money on a bikini. I was horrified,” Mrs Jackson said.

Fresh creative thinking and a student literary love filled every corner of the Gatakers Artspace garden as student winners gathered to mark the announcement of the winners of what is believed to be Australia’s richest writing competition for school children.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour listens intently to Coen Katt, 8, reading his winning story The Little Ant.

Almost $2000 is on offer each year.

Started 22 years ago by the Proud Marys Association to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth in Maryborough of Mary Poppins author PL Travers, the awards are sponsored by Travers’ Cherry Tree Lane Trust in London and the Maryborough Zonta Club.

Mr Seymour, himself an author, spoke of the value of literature and writing, telling the students who had entered the competition: “You are already writers. You are no longer aspiring writers – you can call yourself writers because of what you have already created.”

Speakers told the students that unless creative thinking and writing was nurtured, mankind would fail to progress, channelling Thomas Einstein’s comment that “logic will take you from A to B but imagination will take you anywhere”.

Cr Seymour said it was great to see so many children take part in the annual competition.

“We’re so pleased to support this competition and encourage young writers and poets in the region to express their creativity,” he said.

Henry Jones happily shows his certificate and cash after winning the poetry section for Grades 3 to 4 with his entry titled My Imagination.

Mary Inc secretary Mary Lange said it was another successful year for the competition which started back in 2000 and was believed to be the most valuable literary award in the nation for schoolchildren.

“The fantasy theme for the contest this year was ‘everything is possible, even the impossible’ and young people were asked to write a story or poem,” she said.

Students from 13 Fraser Coast schools and homeschooled children entered the competition, which will be open again to all students in May next year under the Mary Inc. banner.

Winner’s list: Grades 10-12, Mia Barram 1, Sianna Fletcher 2, Jaguar Welch 3; Grades 7-9, Alyssa Vagias 1, Georgia Mulligan 2, Rachael Wissen 3, Maddy Matcham HC; poetry, Aaliah Arrevillaga 1, Arimae Marie 2, Kian Barram 3; Grades 5-6, Blake Champney 1, Calissa Mann 2, Mila Arrevillaga 3; poetry, Eva Piper 1, Sophia Chambers 2; Grades 3-4, Coen Katt 1, Violet Jordan 2, Isaac Chambers 3; poetry, Henry Jones 1, Henry Light 2.