Thank you to all of the incredible students, teachers, librarians and guardians who supported the 2026 Short Story Competition. We were thrilled to receive hundreds of creative entries from young writers across the Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac regions.

With so many imaginative stories now in the hands of our judges, we’re excited to begin the reading and judging process and celebrate the talented young storytellers who entered this year’s competition.

A special thank you to our Short Story Partner, Thiess, and our Tertiary Partner, James Cook University, for their valued support of the competition and young writers.

Winners will be announced in early June, with updates shared on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Competition Enquiries

Should you have any queries, please contact:

Kristine Di Carlo
Festival Coordinator
P | 4969 2076 E | kdc@was.qld.edu.au