The winners of the 2023 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards have been announced, with Jonathan Cant, of Sydney, winning the Contemporary Poetry section for his emotive and powerful reflection on the experiences of war, Thunderstorm at Newton Boyd.
The winning entries were announced at the Orange Readers and Writers Festival at the Hotel Canobolas by the Orange Mayor Jason Hamling, who thanked everyone who entered.
“I’m thrilled to see this year’s awards attracting entries from all around Australia, but also delighted to see some local winners,” Cr Hamling said.
WINNER: Jonathan Cant, of Sydney, won the Contemporary Poetry section of the 2023 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards. He was presented with his prize by Orange Mayor Jason Hamling.
“The judges were definitely spoilt for choice with the quality of entries this year.”
Jonathan Cant is a Sydney-based writer, poet, and musician. His work has been Longlisted for the 2023 Fish Poetry Prize, and the Flying Islands Poetry Manuscript Prize, Commended in the W. B. Yeats Poetry Prize, and Highly Commended in the South Coast Writers Centre Awards.
Jonathan’s poems have appeared in Cordite Poetry Review, Brushstrokes III, and Beyond Words Literary Magazine.
The judge said his poem affected the reader though precise and sustained choice of language.
“This sustained and consistent use of exact words and phrases enhanced the mood of the poem. It also identifies the relationship between words, imagery and language patterns,” the judge said.
The winner of the Short Story section is Cowra’s Timothy Guy, for Anna, a story about two young children who encounter bushranger Ben Hall. The judge said the story “captured the reader from the outset and continued with a frisson of excitement to entertain until the end.”
The winner in the Children’s section was Kaitlyn Rutledge, of Woodstock, for Blood runs faster than water. It is a study of personal trauma for a character trapped in hospital.
The Children’s second prize went to Ebony Inman, of Mullion Creek, for We’re gonna be okay about the emotional aftermath of a car accident, while third prize was won by Jenna Poore, of the South Coast, with The journey through the Gibson Desert, which captured a cameleer’s journey in the harsh outback.
All the winning entries can be viewed on the Central West Libraries’ website www.cwl.nsw.gov.au
The judges for the 2023 awards were long-time judge Deborah Smith, and local author John Willing.
The Banjo Paterson Writing awards were established in 1991 to honour Banjo Paterson, a great Australian writer and favourite son of Orange, with a competition to encourage short story or poetry writing with Australian content. The call for entries is announced each year on
17 February, the anniversary of Banjo’s birthday.
Judges’ comments on the winning works
2023 Winner Contemporary Poetry Thunderstorm at Newton Boyd by Jonathan Cant
Your poem has emotive depth that is gained by many reads. Each time I read your poem I was struck by something new as well as being immersed in the familiar. A poem that allows the reader to reflect and consider our past and future is very powerful.
Judge – Deborah Smith
2023 Winner Short Story Anna by Timothy Guy
A wonderful short story in a time of true Banjo Paterson genre. The characters were well developed and reflective both of their age and the period the story was set. Anna captured the reader from the outset and continued with a frisson of excitement to entertain until the end.
Judge – John Willing PSM
2023 ABC Children’s Writing Awards
First Prize – Blood runs faster than water by Kaitlyn Rutledge
Your use of a variety of sentence styles have been used with purpose and intent. The movement between past and present is very effective. This writing style allows the reader to experience empathy with your character as well as past and present emotions. This writing is a wonderful portrayal of personal trauma.
Second Prize – We’re gonna be okay by Ebony Inman
This is an emotional piece of writing. You have created three-dimensional characters that are realistic. From the beginning we are concerned for their welfare yet at the end we are confident that everything will be okay.
Third Prize – The journey through the Simpson Desert by Jenna Poore
This idea has a well-planned structure. You have displayed an effective use of language providing examples of sentence variation. It is clear you have researched camels as you are able to provide clear examples of their movements and actions.
