The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards aim to capture the imagination of students, inspiring them with a passion for poetry and a love of country. It is a unique national project, giving Australia’s youth a voice and an opportunity to strive for excellence in literature.
The results were announced during National Literacy and Numeracy Week, with a national presentation ceremony for the winners in Gunnedah NSW. Guest speaker James White, a renowned Australian painter, spoke on the 2011 theme ‘Making Pictures’, and the presentation included performances by an ensemble lead by Chloe Charody, award winning young Australian composer.
Activities planned during the week included poetry workshops for children in the north-west NSW by award winning authors and 2011 competition judges Sally Murphy and Joanne Horniman.
More information on the Awards and activities can be found on the Dorothea Mackellar website.