Outback Writers Festival Short Story Competition
2027 Short Story Competition
The 2027 Short Story Competition is now open.
- All entries are to be fictional and have an outback theme or setting.
- There are three entry categories: Open, Student (secondary), Student (primary)
- Entries close: Anzac Day, 25 April 2027
- Ensure you read the details for your Category, and the Conditions of Entry before submitting your entry.
December Flash Fiction Competition
150 words ~ key words: Trains & Outback
Write 150 words exactly including the words “Trains” and “Outback”.
Easy, right? Find out why these micro competitions have become so popular – try your hand at it!
Entries close 1 December 2026
The Outback Volume 10
2025 Anthology OUT NOW!
Including the winning story of 2025’s Outback Writers Festival: Been Waiting Long? by Peter Frazer, the runner-up story Lost by Paul Clark, and place-getter stories by Barry Blunt, Franz Huber, and Ian Mathieson.
Winners of the 2025 special competition, Just 150 Words, are also included.
The Anthology also includes stories by Jill Plummer, Gabriel Moens, Terry Sparks, Mary Wilson, Ian Waples, Nicky Buller, Leanne Green, Tracy Loots, Jill Staunton, Kay Middlemiss, Winnie Macfarlane, Greg McFarland, Emily Winter, Nicky Buller, Stephen Scott, Steve Hawe, and Bente Moller.
The Outback Volume 9
2024 Anthology still available
Including the winning story of 2024’s Outback Writers Festival: Fancy a Change With Clancy by Franz Huber, and Greg McFarland’s runner-up story The Saga of the Stolen Tucker Box.
The Anthology also includes stories by Hilary Barrett, Barry Blunt, Nicky Butler, Brenda Campbell, Paul Clarke, Ruth Cooney, Geoff Covey, Robyn Crossley-Price, Margaret Dakin, Louise K Dean, Rachel Emanuel, Charlie Farry, Grahame Griffin, John Griffiths, M C Groves, Samuel Hart, Lisa Hauff, Steve Hawe, David M Jones, Ella Kim, Dinah Kimbell, Fae le Friz, Ilivia Lee, Ruth Lee, Tracy Liotis, Winnie Macfarlane, Isabella McDonald, Kay Middlemiss, Gabriel Moens, Annie O’Moon-Browning, Karen Payne, Peter Perkins, Stella Perrott, Anthoula Photinos, Jill Plummer, Philip Rintoul, Averil Robertson, Gabrielle Samson, Jill Staunton, Wendy Taylor, Peyton Weston, Mary Wilson, Kerry Yates.