The annual awards celebrate the tradition of Australian storytelling while encouraging the next generation of writers to explore their creativity and share their unique perspectives. Young people from across Greater Shepparton and surrounding regions were invited to enter four categories: Junior Short Story and Junior Poetry for writers aged 12 years and under, and Youth Short Story and Youth Poetry for writers aged 13 to 17 years.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, congratulated all entrants and praised the high standard of this year's submissions.
“Every story submitted this year reflects the imagination, creativity and courage of our young writers,” he said.
“The Furphy Literary Awards provide an important opportunity for young people to find their voice and share their ideas with the community. Congratulations to every entrant, finalist and winner for the passion and effort you have put into your writing.”
Furphy Literary Award Director, Sam Furphy, said it was inspiring to see the quality of entries continue to grow each year.
“The Junior and Youth Competition continues to showcase the incredible talent of young writers across our region,” he said.
“These awards celebrate curiosity, creativity and the confidence to tell a story. It is always exciting to see the unique perspectives that young people bring to their writing, and we are proud to support them on their creative journey.”
Furphy Literary Award Director, Adam Furphy, said the awards play an important role in encouraging the next generation of Australian storytellers.
“Reading these stories reminds us just how powerful young voices can be,” he said.
“The imagination, insight and originality shown by this year's finalists is something to celebrate. We encourage everyone to read the winning stories and support these emerging writers.”
The winning entries and shortlisted finalists from each category will be available to read on the Furphy Literary Award website.
2026 Furphy Literary Award winners
Junior Poetry
| Place | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| First | Milo Rose | Darkness |
| Second | Lill Narrazee | The Woman Who Carried the Sun |
| Equal Third | Errol Rose | I Think Therefore I Am |
| Equal Third | Louisa Brown | There's Love Underneath |
Junior Short Story
| Place | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| First | Octavia Ford | Prince |
| Second | Reyansh Phutane | The Water Tower Whispers |
| Equal Third | Aira Alam | The Night Jaguar's Tale |
| Equal Third | Harper Gilbert | Lost |
Youth Poetry
| Place | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| First | Mahnoor Bari | They Chose, I Lost |
| Second | Khaniskaa Kumaran | Footprints in the Storm |
| Third | Charvitha Jyothi | Stranger |
Youth Short Story
| Place | Author | Title |
|---|---|---|
| First | Haya Al-Bajalan | The Timekeeper |
| Second | Alyx Thompson | The Promise |
| Third | Saeesha Golhar | Solo Survivor |
For more information, visit furphyliteraryaward.com.au.
