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The Sydney Morning Herald Literary Competition
Subcategory of Awards Australian Awards
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History

The Sydney Morning Herald Literary Competition were for novels, war stories, short storis and verse. Novels were to be between 70,000 and 100,000 words. Short stories between 2,000 and 3,000 words. Prizes were  £150 for novels and war stories; £10/10/ to £15/15/ for short stories; and £5/5/ for poems. (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17962178)

Latest Winners / Recipients

Year: 1956

winner (Novels Section) y separately published work icon The Middle Way John McGhee , London : Robert Hale , 1959 Z340705 1959 single work novel
winner (Prize for poetry) (title poem) y separately published work icon The Dogman and Other Poems Robert Clark , Melbourne : Cheshire , 1962 Z152286 1962 selected work poetry

Year: 1948

winner y separately published work icon High Valley Charmian Clift , George Johnston , Sydney London : Angus and Robertson , 1949 Z829434 1949 single work novel

'The valley of the Dreaming Phoenix is a goal for any man of spirit who seeks happiness. The Chinese youth Salom, without family or friends, takes up the challenge.'

Source: Blurb.

Prize of 2,000 pounds.

Year: 1947

winner Last Night Ashore G. M. Glaskin , 1962 single work short story
— Appears in: A Small Selection of Short Stories 1962;
winner (War Novel) The Winds Are Still John Hetherington , 1947 single work novel war literature
winner (Poetry) Matrix i "The soul's country is the last adventure", Raemonde Alain , 1948 single work poetry
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 9 no. 1 1948; (p. 28-32)

Year: 1946

winner y separately published work icon The Harp in the South Ruth Park , 1947 Z1326724 1947 single work novel (taught in 2 units)
— Appears in: The Harp in the South Trilogy 1987;

— Appears in: Great Australian Writers : Miles Franklin, Henry Handel Richardson, Mrs Aeneas Gunn, Ruth Park 1987; (p. 513-698)

'Amid the brothels, grog shops and run-down boarding houses of inner-city Surry Hills, money is scarce and life is not easy. Crammed together within the thin walls of Twelve-and-a-Half Plymouth Street are the Darcy family: Mumma, loving and softhearted; Hughie, her drunken husband; pipe-smoking Grandma; Roie, suffering torments over her bitter-sweet first love; while her younger sister Dolour learns about life the hard way.' (Book description from publisher's website.)

winner (Poetry) The Ship of Ice Rosemary Dobson , 1946 single work drama poetry
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15 February 1947; (p. 11) The Sydney Morning Herald , 22 February 1947; (p. 9) The Sydney Morning Herald , 1 March 1947; (p. 11) Collected Poems 1991; (p. 39-51)

Works About this Award

Thomas Keneally Wins Herald 2,500 Dollar Award for Novel 1972 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 21 October 1972; (p. 1)
Australian Literature : Notes : Sydney Morning Herald Competitions 1957 single work column
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 18 no. 1 1957; (p. 59)
Notes and Comments : The Sydney Morning Herald Literary Competitions 1951 single work column
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 12 no. 4 1951; (p. 239-240)
The Sydney Morning Herald Literary Competitions, 1948-49 R. G. Howarth , 1949 single work column
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 24 September no. 34870 1949; (p. 10)
Personal Items 1948 single work column
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 12 May vol. 69 no. 3561 1948; (p. 20)
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