2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards: Celebrating Australia’s Literary Visionaries

In the UNESCO City of Literature, the story is still a point of importance.

In a stunning celebration of literary excellence, the winners of the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (VPLAs) were revealed at a prestigious ceremony in Melbourne last night. Among the standout winners was Goorie poet and educator Evelyn Araluen, who not only claimed the coveted Victorian Prize for Literature, valued at $100,000, but also took home the Prize for Indigenous Writing for her powerful second collection, The Rot. Araluen’s poetic brilliance resonated deeply with judges, who lauded her work for its “vulnerable, taut, and uncompromising” narrative, marking a significant milestone in the Australian literary landscape.

2026 VICTORIAN PREMIER’S LITERARY AWARDS WINNERS

Victorian Prize for Literature
The Rot by Evelyn Araluen (University of Queensland Press)

Prize for Fiction
Fierceland by Omar Musa (Penguin Random House Australia)

Prize for Non-Fiction
Find Me at the Jaffa Gate: An encyclopaedia of a Palestinian family by Micaela Sahhar (NewSouth)

Prize for Poetry
KONTRA by Eunice Andrada (Giramondo Publishing)

Prize for Drama
Super by Emilie Collyer (Currency Press and Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre)

Prize for Indigenous Writing
The Rot by Evelyn Araluen (University of Queensland Press)

Prize for Children’s Literature
Once I Was a Giant by Zeno Sworder (Thames and Hudson Australia)

John Marsden Prize for Writing for Young Adults
This Stays Between Us by Margot McGovern (Penguin Random House Australia)

Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript
The Kookaburra by Charlotte Guest

People’s Choice Award
Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah (University of Queensland Press)

Keep up to date with all things arts, exhibitions and stage here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Wheeler Centre (@wheelercentre)

Araluen, who is celebrated for her fierce voice and distinctive poetic style, joined the ranks of other trailblazing writers from Victoria, including Emilie Collyer, Zeno Sworder, and Micaela Sahhar. Their victories across various categories reflect the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary Australian writing. In particular, The Rot drew critical acclaim in the Poetry category, further solidifying Araluen’s place as one of the nation’s most important literary voices.

The 2026 awards also made history with the renaming of the Writing for Young Adults category to the John Marsden Prize, a heartfelt tribute to the acclaimed writer, teacher, and mentor who has shaped generations of young readers. Margot McGovern’s This Stays Between Us, a gripping horror novel that has captured the imagination of young adults, was awarded the inaugural John Marsden Prize. McGovern’s acceptance speech echoed Marsden’s profound influence on her work and on countless emerging writers. Ros Marsden, John Marsden’s younger sister, was on hand to present the prize, ensuring that the evening was filled with reflection on the legacy of one of Australian literature’s great mentors.

The celebration continued with a diverse array of category winners. In the Fiction category, Omar Musa’s Fierceland took home the top honours, praised for its “expansive and tenderly intimate” portrayal of a complex family saga. Micaela Sahhar, a former recipient of The Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter Fellowship, was recognised for her remarkable debut memoir, Find Me at the Jaffa Gate: An Encyclopaedia of a Palestinian Family, which clinched the Non-Fiction prize.

Other notable winners included Eunice Andrada, whose KONTRA claimed the Prize for Poetry, and Emilie Collyer’s Super, which won the Prize for Drama. Zeno Sworder was recognised in the Children’s Literature category for his luminous work Once I Was a Giant, while Charlotte Guest’s The Kookaburra triumphed in the Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript. Guest’s poignant exploration of grief, care, and growing old garnered praise for its authenticity and emotional depth.

Reflecting on the breadth and ambition of the awards, Erin Vincent, CEO of The Wheeler Centre, expressed her pride in this year’s exceptional talent. “The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards are a cornerstone of the national literary calendar,” said Vincent. “We are thrilled to see two of this year’s winners as former fellows of The Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter program, highlighting the importance of nurturing writers at every stage of their careers.”

In addition to the prestigious category prizes, the 2026 People’s Choice Award, determined by public vote, went to Randa Abdel-Fattah for her novel Discipline. Abdel-Fattah, who was also a highly commended nominee in the Fiction category, received a $2,000 cash prize funded by The Wheeler Centre.

The VPLAs serve as a beacon of the incredible storytelling talent emerging from Victoria, celebrating works that span a range of genres and styles. With prize money of $25,000 for each of the winners in the Fiction, Non-Fiction, Drama, Poetry, Indigenous Writing, and Children’s Literature categories, as well as a $15,000 prize for the Unpublished Manuscript category, the VPLAs continue to elevate Australian writers and their invaluable contributions to the cultural fabric of the nation.

The 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards have once again illuminated the depth and diversity of Australian literature. Find out more about the awards here.