Furphy Literary Award

Key Dates

Open Short Story – Entries open 1^st February 2026

Junior & Youth – Entries open 1^st March 2026

Everyone can write at least one good story. That was the belief of J. F. Archibald, the editor and founder of the famous nineteenth-century weekly, The Bulletin, who invited his readers to become contributors. It was this encouragement that led Joseph Furphy, working in his brother’s foundry at Shepparton, to write his ‘offensively Australian’ novel, Such is Life, using the pseudonym of ‘Tom Collins’. The book, full of stories derived from Joseph’s experience in the Riverina and told in a voice uniquely his own, is now acknowledged to be a classic of Australian literature

In the spirit of Archibald and honouring the author of Such is Life, the Furphy Literary Award has been established to promote and extend the tradition of story telling, both factual and fictional, that is so much part of Australian life.

There will be an annual award for a prose work, which may be fiction or narrative non-fiction, by a writer aged 18 years or more at the date of closing of entries.

To enquire about the Furphy Literary Award email fla@furphystory.com.au

• Theme: Australian Life in all its diversity
• Length: Not more than 5,000 words
• Reward: Prize Money: 1st Prize – $15,000, 2nd Prize – $3,000, 3rd Prize – $2,000
  LaTrobe University Shepparton Residency*, Publication of selected works in annual publication
• Competition commences: Saturday February 1, 2026
• Closing date for entries: Wednesday 11.59PM April 30, 2026

*Details of residency to be finalised after completion of awards event.