Youth Writers Competition 2026

• Entries close Friday 30 October 2026
• Winners announced at Mildura Library on Thursday 26 November.

The competition is free to enter and open to all young people aged 12-25 years who live, work or study in the Mildura Rural City Council region.

Entries will be judged in the following age groups:

• 12 to 14 years
• 15 to 18 years
• 19 to 25 years

One winner from each category will receive a $200 gift voucher.

Writers have complete creative freedom and may submit original works in a range of genres, including:

• Fiction
• Non-fiction
• Short stories
• Poetry
• Creative writing

Maximum length: 1,000 words

To be eligible, your entry must:

• Be your original work
• Be written by you only
• Not be co-authored or submitted as part of a group
• Not have been previously published, including on websites, blogs or social media
• Not be created or assisted by artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including ChatGPT or image generators. We may run entries though AI detection software for verification purposes.

Submissions that violate this content boundaries will be disqualified. The guidelines ensure the competition remains safe and respectful. 

Your entry must NOT include:

• Profanity (swear words), sexualised or abusive language, or the glorification of drugs, alcohol, smoking or vaping
• Content that glorifies dangerous behaviours, illegal or criminal activities, or actions that could cause harm
• Writers should not portray businesses or locations in Mildura Rural City Council in a negative or defamatory way
• References to real life people should be de-identified (do not use their real name or identifying information)
• Must not be created or assisted by AI tools

Submissions that do not follow these rules will not be considered.

Please ensure your entry meets the following requirements:

• Include a title
• Word count: No longer than 1,000 words
• File name: First Name_Last Name _ Age Group_ Title
• Suggested formatting:

• Font: Times New Roman or Arial 
• Font size: 11pt or larger
• Line spacing: Double spaced
• Page size: A4
• File type: Word Document (doc or docx)

Submit your entry online using the form below or hand-deliver it to the Mildura Library by Friday 4 September 2026.

Late entries will not be accepted.

Youth Writers Competition Entry Form

The judges’ decision is final and no subsequent discussion will be entered into.

Due to the expected high volume of entries, individual feedback cannot be given. 

Winners will be announced at Mildura Library on Thursday 26 November 2026

Winners will be contacted by phone or email in October 2026.

If a winner cannot be contacted within five days, Council reserves the right to select an alternative winner.

Winning entries and selected works may be featured on Mildura Rural City Council's website, social media channels, exhibitions, newsletters and other promotional materials.

Publishing your work

You keep copyright of your story.

By entering the competition you allow Council to:

• Edit your work for clarity, spelling, grammar of formatting
• Publish it (online, social media, eBooks, newsletters, event displays, exhibitions etc)
• Share or distribute published work to the public
• Use it in Mildura Rural City Council marketing, promotions and campaigns