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The Finest 500 is an annual competition for paid members of Geelong Writers only. This year, members were invited to submit prose or poetry to no more than 500 words in response to the prompt ‘Turning Point’.
Congratulations to the following writers who have been shortlisted for the Finest 500 Prize 2026.
Natália, We Can’t Afford You Any More
Adrian Brookes
Echo of Regional Summers Gone By
Alex Adorno
Divine
Anne Whisken
The Choice
Chris Scheiner
Leverage
David Bridge
Poppy
Geoff Gaskill
Ice Age
Kerstin Lindros
The Blanket
Mary Szymanski
Names Not Yet Spoken
Mel King
Ollie Meets His Turning Point
Steve Gray
The prize announcement will be made at the Geelong Writers Members Night on 22 July, 2026.
PRIZES
First Prize: $500
Second Prize: $50 book voucher
Third Prize: $30 book voucher
Shortlisted entries will be published in a chapbook and online.
TERMS OF COMPETITION
- Write to the prompt ‘Turning Point’
- Limit your work to no more than 500 words. Use double-spaced 12pt Times New Roman font
- Entries can be fiction or non-fiction, any genre
- Give your work an original title (not included in the word count)
- Your name should not appear anywhere on your work as the pieces will be judged anonymously
- Entrants must be paid members of Geelong Writers
- Limit of one entry per member
- Our house style is Australian Standard: singular quotations and Australian spelling.
For more information, please contact the Competition Coordinator at:
competitions@geelongwriters.org.au.
Good luck, and we look forward to reading your submission.
JOIN GEELONG WRITERS TODAY
If you are not a member of Geelong Writers and would like to enter this competition, please go to www.geelongwriters.org.au/become-a-member/ and join Geelong Writers today.