MEDIA RELEASE
April 2005
Young Poets’ Opportunity to Walk on ‘Water’
The 2005 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards are again offering young poets the opportunity to showcase their work in the annual national poetry competition. The competition is one of a number of activities associated with National Literacy and Numeracy Week and entries are already flowing in.
The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards were initiated to celebrate the work of one of Australia’s most famous poets Dorothea Mackellar, and in particular her poem ‘My Country’. The aim of the poetry awards is to capture the imagination of every school student in Australia, inspiring them with a passion for poetry and an opportunity to explore their creative writing talent. “The poetry awards provide students with an opportunity to express their experiences and thoughts on either a set topic, which in 2005 is Water, or a subject of their own choice. Outstanding poems are submitted each year and become a very valuable resource for libraries and schools,” said Georgia Parkin, Project Officer.
Last year’s topic, Celebration, attracted 7,000 entries from nearly 650 schools across Australia. This year sees an increase in prize money and the introduction of three new categories. An additional category has been included for primary school students and two new categories have been introduced for students studying in special education classes or schools. A resource document has also been developed for teachers and is available on the web site.
The judges for 2005 are leading authors Lorraine Marwood and Claire Saxby. Lorraine is passionate about writing and reading and has been writing for 12 years. Her writing tips for poetry are regularly published in Literature Base magazine and Lorraine's published work includes Skinprint and a collection of poems for children, Redback Mansion. For Claire, books have always been an important part of her life, but it wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she began to write. She has since published fiction and non-fiction for children and poetry for both adults and children. Her latest books include The Bommyknocker Tree and Amazing Humpback Whales.
Entries for the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards are invited from all school-aged students throughout Australia and close on Friday 3 June 2005. For entry forms or enquiries, call Georgia Parkin on 02 6740 2233, email or visit the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards website www.dorothea.com.au
The major sponsor of the 2005 Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards is the Department of Education, Science and Training and the awards are one of the activities associated with National Literacy and Numeracy Week. The Awards are also sponsored by Gunnedah Shire Council, Australia Post and QantasLink.
Media Contact:
Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society Inc: Georgia Parkin 02 6740 2233/ 0408 343 368
Interviews and photos available.