Category: 2026

I have collected a few rejections so far this year – both for my own work (and for pieces which I have been told are good) and for grant applications for major projects associated with Rochford Street Review, which were particularly disappointing as they would have resulted in paid opportunities for a large number of poets. So it came as a nice surprise to find myself on the shortlist for the 2026 Booranga Writing Award for poetry along with a number of other amazing poets.

Here is the complete list of short listed writers across the three different categories. Congratulations to all short listed writers:

fourW has always been one of my favourite Australian Literary journals/anthologies. Based out of the Booranga Writers’ Centre at Charles Stuart University it regularly features new and exciting writing and it is always refreshing to find important and long running literary ventures thriving outside of the capital cities.

Unfortunately, for the past few years I have managed to miss the submission window for the journal, something I manged to avoid this year. I was therefore pleased to learn that a poem from my Lacuna manuscript ‘Summer’ was accepted for the 2026 issue of fourW and was surprised and honoured to learn that it had also been shortlisted for the 2026 Booranga Writing Award (Poetry). I am particularly pleased that a poem set on Wiradjuri land is being published on Wiradjuri country.

The launch dates for fourW thirty-five are Wagga Wagga Art Gallery: Sat 29 Aug 2-4pm; Sydney: Sun 6 Sept 2.30-4.30, Gleebooks. I hope to make it to at least one, if not both launches.