The NT Literary Awards celebrate the Territory’s best writers

Seven Territorians have received an award and a cash prize for their winning entries at this year’s NT Literary Awards.

NT Literary Award winners. Picture: Jasmin Afianos

Seven emerging writers in the Territory have been crowned winners at this year’s NT Literary Awards, receiving a cash prize between $600 and $1000 for their stories.

Of a total 240 submissions - including fiction, nonfiction, essays, flash fiction, poetry, youth fiction and short stories - the seven best were selected by judges, with winners awarded their accolade on Wednesday at the NT Library at Parliament House.

In true Territory fashion, two of this year’s prize-winning entries were tales about buffalo hunting.

Katharina Fehringer (right) receiving the NT Writers Centre Poetry Award and a $1000 prize for her entry ‘Honey’. Picture: Jasmin Afianos

Winner Lee Frank’s story ‘The Last Anthill of the Wild Wild North’ follows the tragic arc of a buffalo hunter and is a read on accidental fame followed by failure.

‘Blood and Dust’, written by A’Mhara McKey, is a story about two lovers on a buffalo hunt.

This year’s best essay was a historical account of Darwin’s iconic St Mary’s Cathedral, written by Josephine Vassilou.

The winners of the other four categories were Katharina Fehringer for her poem ‘Honey’, Joe Abraham for ‘Akal - In the Shadows of the Slum’, Julie U’ren for ‘That Old Dog’ and James Murray for ‘Lift um Foot’.

Joe Abraham receiving the Kath Manzie Youth Award and a $600 prize for his entry ‘Akal – In the Shadows of the Slum’. Picture: Jasmin Afianos

Now in its 39th year, the NT Literary Awards celebrates emerging storytellers of the Territory.

“The Territory is home to a pool of very talented writers across all genres, and it is a thrill to be able to celebrate them all,” Arts and Culture Minister Chansey Paech said.

“These awards help to kickstart and support the careers of both new and established writers, including our youth.”

The winning stories have been published in a booklet and will be available online at territorystories.nt.gov.au