Criteria 

This award is motivated by Australian Literature, and Australian themed writing. It is with this intent that we ask participants’ work to be inspired by the idea of Flourishing within an Australian context.  

Categories

•  Entrants aged 10 – 12 years old, 350 – 500 words. Winner $75/ Runner Up $25.   

•  Entrants aged 13 – 15 years old, 500 – 800 words. Winner $100/Runner Up $50.  

•  Entrants aged 16 – 18 years old, 800 – 1000 words, Winner $150/ Runner Up $75. 

Catherine Edith Macauley Martin née Mackay (1848–1937) was an Australian novelist and poet who published her work anonymously or under pseudonyms such as Mrs Alick Macleod and Ishbel.

Catherine migrated with her family to South Australia in 1855, settling in Robe and later in Naracoorte, and by the early 1870s she was helping her sister Mary to run a school at Elm Cottage, Crouch Street, Mount Gambier. In 1890 she published anonymously the novel, An Australian Girl, which was well received in Australia and reprinted twice the following year. Under the pseudonym ‘Mrs Alick Macleod’, Catherine Martin published another novel The Silent Sea (1892), which drew upon her experience living in a mining town. In 1906 she published, under the name Ishbel, The Old Roof-Tree, some impressions and thoughts while abroad in the form of letters to her brother. She published, under her own name, The Incredible Journey (1923) which, written very effectively from an Aboriginal woman’s point of view, was about a mother’s desert journey to recover her son, taken by a white man. Mrs Martin died in Adelaide on 15 March 1937 in her ninetieth year. She was never as well-known as she deserved to be, partly because almost all of her work was published anonymously or under a pseudonym. An Australian Girl is an interesting book written by a woman of thoughtful and philosophic mind, and The Incredible Journey, with its sympathetic appreciation of the point of view of Indigenous Australians, is among the best books of its kind in Australian literature. Catherine Martin published essays, stories, poems and serialised novels in the Australian press. Scattered through her work were many literary references, especially to work by European writers. She was sympathetic to the situation of both Australia’s Aborigines and the working-class poor of large cities in Britain and Germany. Her female characters were drawn from a feminist point of view, something she shared with her friend Catherine Spence. Criticism of Catherine Martin’s work has varied, but many have praised her lyrical descriptions of Australian landscape.

FLOURISHING 

In her many writings and poems, our incredible Australian landscape has been beautifully and sometimes hauntingly brought to life in our imaginations. The entries are encouraged to draw upon this idea, through characters, landscapes and storylines, maybe even from own lived experiences.   To help your students get an understanding of what may be required, the following is from the judging criteria that will be used –

•       Originality: The piece shows a freshness of imagination, creativity, and individuality.  

•       Plot Structure: Enough information is provided to understand the story. Conflict emerges early and builds toward resolution. The sequence of events, dialogue, and emotional movements are well crafted. Situations needing resolution are closed. Subtle undercurrents (if any) emerge during resolution  

•       Character Development and Dialog: The reader can relate to the characters; they are able to hold the reader’s attention. Actions and interactions are consistent and well-motivated.   

•       Quality of Writing: Organization is logical and effective. Voice is individual and appropriate. Sentence fluency is smooth and expressive

To give our judging panel the best opportunity to complete their process, ALL pieces are to be entered by NO LATER THAN  Friday 9 May 2025, please see attached link for your use. Winners will be announced as part of the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival –  ‘Festival Friday’ –  Friday 16 May 2025. 

Please enter via the registration form below.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@artsfestival.com.au.

Both the PCAF Catherine Martin youth writing award committee and judges look forward to seeing all the entries from our budding young writers!