This year marked the twenty-eighth anniversary for this prestigious writing award. The Award was first introduced by the Geraldton Regional Library, under the guidance of Pat Gallaher with the support of the Geraldton Mid-West Regional Group of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) to encourage students in the art of creative writing. Today, the Library is solely responsible for planning, promoting and organizing the Award. This year the Library received more than 570 entries from students throughout the Mid West.
The Library would like to thank Principal, Nick Johnstone, for offering to host this year’s presentation ceremony at Geraldton Grammar School. The award night was held on Thursday 24 August and the enthusiasm and support received from staff especially Caroline Hann, Andrew Sloan and students ensured the evening was a resounding success. More than 40 awards were presented across 10 categories of poetry and prose. A special Encouragement Award in recognition of Pat Gallaher’s dedication as Regional Librarian in Geraldton is presented to one of the highly commended recipients from middle and upper secondary prose categories.
The Library wishes to thank and acknowledge the generous contribution and in-kind support received from Ms Melissa Price MP, Federal Member for Durack; Hon Colin De Grussa MLC, Hon Laurie Graham MLC and Hon Darren West MLC, Members for the Agricultural Region, Mr Ian Blayney MLA, Member for Geraldton; Mr Shane Love, MLA, Member for Moore; Mrs Helen McArthur; Writers of the Coral Coast; Mr and Mrs Peter Rock; Apex Club of Geraldton; Lions Club of Geraldton; Geraldton Newspapers; Geraldton; Geraldton Cultural Trust; J&L Oliveri and City of Greater Geraldton.
Thank you Geraldton Grammar, and to all who entered. Congratulations to the winners. Booklets of the winning entries are available for sale from the Library
2017 Winners
Lower Primary Poetry
1st - Nicole Chamberlain - Geraldton Grammar School - Brothers
2nd - Henry Thomson - St Francis Xavier Primary School - The Beast
3rd - Cameron Stokes - Chapman Valley Primary School - You Mean Everything to Me
HC - Fergus Watson - Geraldton Grammar School - The Ghost
Lower Primary Prose
1st - Kate McKenzie - St Francis Xavier Primary School - "Button”
2nd - Saskia Newman - St Francis Xavier Primary School - Think Fast ‘Coz Courage Counts
3rd - Charlie Humphries - Chapman Valley Primary School - Eureka Stockade
Upper Primary Poetry
1st - Nikki Higgins - Allendale Primary School - No time like the Present
2nd - Elena Davidson - Geraldton Grammar School - Ode to my Inner Stink
3rd - Hien Tran Thi Thu - St Francis Xavier Primary School - The Best Voice in the Jungle
HC - Shelby O’Neill - St Lawrence’s Primary School - The Magic Book
HC - Dylan Spencer - Eneabba Primary School - A True Story of the Pine in the Schoolyard
HC - Nat Wyatt - St Lawrence’s Primary School - Hogwarts Land
Upper Primary Prose
1st - Jake Bailey - Walkway Primary School - The Great Football Match
2nd - Georgia Perks - Saint Francis Xavier Primary School - Fading in, Fading out
3rd - Amy Kaitlyn Price - Saint Francis Xavier Primary School - Jungle Tragedy
HC - Lily Pawelski - Yuna Primary School - Watch Out He’s Coming
HC - Shelby Clarke - Chapman Valley Primary School - Mount Everest
Lower Secondary Poetry
1st - Tahnee Gronow - Geraldton Grammar School - Muster
2nd - Lucy Murdoch - Nagle Catholic College - Aussie Christmas
3rd - Jaylin Kite - Carnamah District High - Stay Strong
HC - Seamus Gadsby - John Willcock College - The Forest
HC - Matilda Attwood - John Willcock College - The Darkened World
Lower Secondary Prose
1st - Tahnee Gronow - Geraldton Grammar School - Family Is Better
2nd - Oscar Finlay - Nagle Catholic College - The Bucket List
3rd - Rose Adamson - Geraldton Grammar School - My Will to Live
HC - Connie Greeve - Geraldton Grammar School - Edwina
HC - Katie Wells - Dongara District High School - Mick Dodson
Middle Secondary Poetry
1st - Finlay Clarke - Geraldton Senior College - Isolation
2nd - Aela Harris - Geraldton Senior College - In One Minute
3rd - Martha Schenk - Nagle Catholic College - The Lie
HC - Jasmine Anderson - Geraldton Senior College - Not just Walls
Middle Secondary Prose
1st - Maddison Conti - Geraldton Senior College - Cracks in Time
2nd - Jessie Dyer - Nagle Catholic College - Population Control Project
3rd - Mikaela McAuliffe - Nagle Catholic College - This Digital World
HC - Zachary Dennett - Geraldton Grammar School - Six Shots
Upper Secondary Poetry
1st - Kyle Tinio - Nagle Catholic College - Afflicted Affiliation
2nd - Luke Godley - Nagle Catholic College - Aussterben follows those blinded by Lekki
3rd - Haylee Nguyen - Nagle Catholic College - Is It A Life Worth Living?
HC - Michael Walters - Nagle Catholic College - Apathy is the Enemy
Upper Secondary Prose
1st - Travis Martin - Geraldton Senior College - Yards
2nd - Haylee Nguyen - Nagle Catholic College - The Capability from Within
3rd - Ben Darcy-Evans - Nagle Catholic College - 7 Minutes
HC - Tayla Brown - Geraldton Senior College - Ragdoll
HC - Nathan Danh - Nagle Catholic College - Wake up! Mr. Disney
Pat Gallaher Encouragement Award
Nathan Danh - Nagle Catholic College - Wake up! Mr. Disney
2016 Winners
Lower Primary Poetry
1st - Kate Baldock - Geraldton Grammar School - The Magic Box
2nd - Jack Ward - Meekatharra School of the Air (MSOTA) - The Graveyard Groove
3rd - Elena Davidson - Geraldton Grammar School - The Dentist Hates the Tooth Fairy
HC - Lachy Ward - Chapman Valley Primary School - The Poor Puppy
HC - Jakob Kanny - Meekatharra School of the Air - Paradise
Lower Primary Prose
1st - Daniel Stickney Geraldton Grammar School - The Cruelsome Kraken
2nd - Rhama Evans - Geraldton Grammar School - A Town called Chaos
3rd - Nickey-Mari Marx - Carnamah District High School - The Duck that loved a Swan
HC - Phoebe Teakle - Geraldton Grammar School - The Night of the Great Storm
HC - Shanaya Gronow - Chapman Valley Primary School - Visiting Rome
Upper Primary Poetry
1st - Eleasha Donovan - Waggrakine Primary School - To the Queen of Hearts Castle
2nd - Isabella Krinks - Geraldton Grammar School - Ode to my Moustache
3rd - Luke Davidson - St Francis Xavier Primary School - The Lost Kingdom of Dragons
HC - Ethan Mann - Waggrakine Primary School - If I had a Duck called Dag
HC - Atticus James-Wallace - Strathalbyn Christian College - The Anzacs
Upper Primary Prose
1st - Cael Robson - Allendale Primary School - Jeff of Heroes
2nd - Seamus Gadsby - Allendale Primary School - The Hills of Misery
3rd - William Rogers - Walkaway Primary School - African Memories
HC - Makayla Letts - Dongara District High School - A Broken Heart
Lower Secondary Poetry
1st - Sarah Sibson - Nagle Catholic College - Koala Crew
2nd - Madison Forrester - Strathalbyn Christian College - Teacher’s Pity Poem
3rd - Lucy Murdoch - Nagle Catholic College - The Geraldton Seasons
HC - Ashley Teakle - Strathalbyn Christian College - Signed: Daddy’s little Girl
Lower Secondary Prose
1st - Willow McAuliffe - Nagle Catholic College - The Wolf Chase
2nd - Matthew Henry - Strathalbyn Christian College - The Thieves of the Poverty
3rd - Antonia Thorpe - Strathalbyn Christian College - Believable
HC - Hayley Brown - Strathalbyn Christian College - The Bundled Box
Middle Secondary Poetry
1st - Kara Lamb - Strathalbyn Christian College - Prophesy
2nd - Roxanne Roux - Dongara District High School - Cawing Crow
3rd - Raynne Hohn - Dongara District High School - Goodbye to an Angel
HC - Hanna Shepherd - Nagle Catholic College - War Dog
HC - Shannon Kingdon - Nagle Catholic College - “Boy were they Wrong”
Middle Secondary Prose
1st - Sophia Whettingsteel - Distance Education - The Feather Fairy
2nd - Hannah Husbands - Northampton District High School - The Highwayman’s Martyrdom
3rd - Jaimee Scott - Geraldton Grammar School - Responsibility
HC - Kara Lamb - Strathalbyn Chrisitan College - Angels
HC - Sash Eastough - Nagle Catholic College - A prologue: More than Human
Upper Secondary Poetry
1st - Rosie-Ann Bogumil - Geraldton Grammar School - The Innocents
2nd - Jed Edwards - Nagle Catholic College - In the Backyard
3rd - Allison Morgan - Nagle Catholic College - Australian Aborigine
HC - Bree Rouse - Nagle Catholic College - My Fight
HC - Lauren Moffat - Nagle Catholic College - The Glass Girl
Upper Secondary Prose
1st - Emily Broadhurst - Geraldton Senior College - Dragged Away
2nd - Emma-Leigh Stafford - Strathalbyn Christian College - Maid of Orleans
3rd - Ebony Antrobus - Geraldton Senior College - Can’t Catch a Break
HC - Maddison Pomeroy - Geraldton Senior College - My Friend Beth
HC - Alora Taylor - Geraldton Senior College - Just Fine
Pat Gallaher Encouragement Award
Maddison Pomeroy - Geraldton Senior College - My friend Beth
2015 Winners
2015 marked the twenty-sixth year for this prestigious writing award. The presentation ceremony was held on Thursday 20 August at Nagle Catholic College where more than 40 awards were presented across 10 categories of poetry and prose.
The Pat Gallaher Encouragement Award was introduced in recognition of Pat Gallaher (OAM) who sadly passed away in 2014. Pat was the City Librarian for 20 years and introduced many new services and programs including these awards. The inaugural Pat Gallaher Encouragement Award was presented to Nagle Catholic College student, Danika Abrahams.
Over 420 entries were received this year from students throughout the Mid West including home schooled. Thank you to all who entered and congratulations to the winners. Booklets of the winning entries are available for sale from the Library.
Lower Primary Poetry
1st place – A Garden - Clancy Hann - Geraldton Grammar School
2nd place – Sometimes at Night - Jaxon Dodson - Geraldton Primary School
3rd place – Me, Myself and I - Keira Sutherland - Carnamah District High School
Highly Commended – Friends Forever - Benecia Geqwin - Leaning Tree Community School
Lower Primary Prose
1st place – The Secret Garden - Olivia Morton - Eneabba Primary School
2nd place – The Mysterious School for Girls - Gracie Watters - Leaning Tree Community School
3rd place – Two Worlds - Tabitha Murdoch - Leaning Tree Community School
Highly Commended - Test Time - Rebecca Tierney - Meekatharra School of the Air
Upper Primary Poetry
1st place – Un-noticed - Ashley Teakle - Strathalbyn Christian College
2nd place – Grandpa - Mea Cupido - Mt Tarcoola Primary School
3rd place – A Dent in History - Sophie Spencer - Eneabba Primary School
Highly Commended - My Majestic Mare - Jazmin Cocking - St Francis Xavier
Highly Commended - The Unbelievable Blaze - Charley Parker - St Lawrence’s Primary
Upper Primary Prose
1st place – The Trip - Mea Cupido - Mt Tarcoola Primary School
2nd place – In the Middle of the Road - Antonia Thorpe - Strathalbyn Christian College
3rd place – Minimise - Lawson O’Brien - Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended - Under the Sea! - Fina Dethlefsen - Mt Tarcoola Primary School
Highly Commended - Abrolhos Islands - Judd McVee - Mt Tarcoola Primary School
Lower Secondary Poetry
1st place – No-one Ever Listens - Sash Eastough - Nagle Catholic College
2nd place – A Sea of Red - Claire Sherwood - Nagle Catholic College
3rd place – Pressure is On - Martha Schenk - Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended - Time is Running Out - Roxanne Roux - Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended - My Special Place - Montanna O’Byrne - Nagle Catholic College
Lower Secondary Prose
1st place – Jason and Dawn - Astrid Still - Strathalbyn Christian College
2nd place – Like a Deer in Headlights - Maddie Pead - Geraldton Grammar School
3rd place – The Wave - Gemma Martucci - Geraldton Grammar School
Highly Commended - Scientific Observations of a 3.99 Year Old- Roxanne Roux - Nagle Catholic College
2nd place – Sam is a Girl’s Best Friend - Mahana Roy - Geraldton Grammar School
Middle Secondary Poetry
1st place – I Don’t Know - Zul Subardi - Geraldton Senior College
2nd place – A Fallen Angel - Brianna Perriam - Geraldton Senior College
3rd place – Hidden - Hannah McMillan - Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended -You and I - Jessica Olman - Geraldton Senior College
Middle Secondary Prose
1st place – Sailors Journal - Claire Symons - Geraldton Senior College
2nd place – Wednesday is Washing Day - Ellie Pead - Geraldton Senior College
3rd place – Band Camp - Tayla - Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended - London Love - Emily Broadhurst - Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended - Temptation - Caitlyn Rogers - Dongara District High School
Upper Secondary Poetry
1st place – Centenary of Silence - Rosie Bogumil - Geraldton Grammar School
2nd place – Dream of the Kookaburra Call - Nena Sawyer - Geraldton Senior College
3rd place – The Ceaseless Waltz - Maea Dennis - Strathalbyn Christian College
Upper Secondary Prose
1st place – Winfields - Casey Sweeney - Nagle Catholic College
2nd place – Assumptions - Jade Briggs - Nagle Catholic College
3rd place – The Invisible Musician - Alice Crisp - Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended - St Clare Avenue - Danika Abrahams - Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended - The Deep End - Catharina Mees - Geraldton Grammar School
2014 Winners
This year the presentation ceremony was held on 14 August at Geraldton Senior College where more than 40 awards were presented across 10 categories of poetry and prose. Over 460 entries were received from students throughout the Mid West including home schooled. Thank you to all those who entered and congratulations to the winners.
Lower Primary Poetry
1st place – Animals Are Family – Tahnee Gronow – Chapman Valley Primary School
2nd place – Marianne and her Husband – Grace McLean – Chapman Valley Primary School
3rd place – South Dakota – Macaela Barndon – Chapman Valley Primary School
Highly Commended – Brumbies– Sophie Spencer – Eneabba Primary School
Highly Commended – I Miss You – Chloe Marsden – St Lawrence’s Primary School
Lower Primary Prose
1st place – Convict Boy – Max Johns – Meekatharra School of the Air
2nd place – Santa’s Stuck in a Chimney – Terin McLeod – St Lawrence’s Primary School
3rd place – Born to Bake Cupcakes – Madison Eve Hall – Meekatharra School of the Air
Highly Commended – Dinosaurs Return – Emma Simmons – Dongara District High School
Highly Commended – Mistaken Identity – Breanna Mead – Meekatharra School of the Air
Upper Primary Poetry
1st place – The Fox Ballad – Coco Shaw – Saint Francis Xavier Primary School
2nd place – Snorkeling – Jake Craig – Waggrakine Primary School
3rd place – Storms – Sarah Sibson – Saint Francis Xavier Primary School
Highly Commended – The Beach – Jayde Lee – Bluff Point Primary School
Highly Commended – Shadow – Jackson Rayner – Mount Tarcoola Primary School
Upper Primary Prose
1st place – Forget-Him-Not – Alexandra Ayers – Northampton District High School
2nd place – A Delicious Slice of Life – Roxanne Roux – Dongara District High School
3rd place – The Merry-Go-Around Horse – Martha Schenk – Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended – Jacko and Quaddy City Destroyers – Jackson Button – Dongara District High School
Highly Commended – Out of this World – Wayne Bird – Waggrakine Primary School
Lower Secondary Poetry
1st place – First Date – Samuel Purba-Barnard – Nagle Catholic College
2nd place – Pictures on the Wall – Rashaan Briggs – Geraldton Grammar School
3rd Place – Friends Can Be Dangerous – Harriet Adshead – John Willcock College
Highly Commended – Things to do Whilst Bored in Class – James Sibson – Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended – Man and the Gun – Maddison Hollands – Nagle Catholic College
Lower Secondary Prose
1st Place – Old Girl – Maddie Pead – John Willcock Collage
2nd Place – Why? – Levi Quinton – John Willcock College
3rd Place – Barry Meets Sally – Caleb Quadrio – Geraldton Grammar School
Highly Commended – Who’s in My House? – Raynne Hohn – Dongara District High School
Highly Commended – More Than Australian – Jaimee Scott – Geraldton Grammar School
Middle Secondary Poetry
1st place – Ravaged – Rosie Bogumil – Geraldton Grammar School
2nd place – Harmony – Isaac Petera – Geraldton Senior College
3rd place – You and Me – Jorden Clare – Geraldton Senior College
Middle Secondary Prose
1st place – Catch a Falling Star – Rosie Bogumil – Geraldton Grammar School
2nd place – Searching – Emma Bateman – Nagle Catholic College
3rd place – Mirrored Beauty – Emma-Leigh Stafford – Strathalbyn Christian College
Upper Secondary Poetry
1st place – Homicidal Love – Nena Sawyer – Geraldton Senior College
2nd place – The Olive Tree – Sarah Summers – Geraldton Grammar School
3rd place – Different – Lara Wakeman – Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended – Rights – Moya Thompson – Nagle Catholic College
Highly Commended – The Monster Within – Abbey Gallichan – Geraldton Senior College
Upper Secondary Prose
1st place – Amena – Casey Sweeney – Nagle Catholic College
2nd place – Five Stages of Grief – Nhut Tran – Geraldton Senior College
3rd Place – Quantum Reverse – Laurren Duncan – Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended – Return to the Wonderland – Nena Sawyer – Geraldton Senior College
Highly Commended – Initiation – James Threlfall – Geraldton Senior College
2013 Winners
The Randolph Stow Young Writers Award presentation night was held at John Willcock College on the 14 August where more than 40 awards were presented across 10 categories of poetry and prose. This year 600 entries were received from students throughout the Mid West including home schooled.
Lower Primary Poetry
First Place – The White Shadow by Tristan Jacques
Second Place – Think by Emily Cook
Third Place – All About Pearly by Alivia Wakely
Highly Commended – The Beach by Aleesha Greenfield
Highly Commended – Dad by Clay Kriston
Lower Primary Prose
First Place – Ocean Animals by Jesse Thompson
Second Place – The Rain Forests Magic Puddle by Chloe Marsden
Third Place – My School Holidays by Gus Bromley
Highly Commended – The Weird Looking Footprint by Breanna Mead
Highly Commended – Spitting on the Wheel by Lawson O’Brien
Upper Primary Poetry
First Place – One Drop by Rees Hunter
Second Place – Mum.. by Jackson Rayner
Third Place – Shearing Time by Alexandra Ayers
Highly Commended – Clouds by Charley Pomeroy
Highly Commended – Things Martha Schenk
Upper Primary Prose
First Place – The Ghost Town by Daniel Jacques
Second Place – Lost Memories by Emma Beveridge
Third Place – The Jig is up by Nicholas Duplex
Highly Commended – Like Bringing a Knife To a Gunfight by Tom Bresland
Lower Secondary Poetry
First Place – It was not a dream by Emma Bateman
Second Place – The Beach by Samantha Carter
Third Place – In Their Eyes by Taryn Sanders
Highly Commended – Oscar’s Law.. by Ashley Parker
Highly Commended – Rustic Wheels by Katelyn Burney
Lower Secondary Prose
First Place – Nan by Ellie Pead
Second Place – Another Adventure of Billy Webstone by Lauren Terry
Third Place – The Tree that Twirled by Rosie-Ann Bogumil
Highly Commended – Ropes and Scissors by Millicent Gadsby
Highly Commended – Dream Writing by Thandolwenkosi Tanaka Mahachi
Middle Secondary Poetry
First Place – A Symphony for Estelle by Nena Sawyer
Second Place – Hot Summer Storm.. by Gemma Simkin
Third Place – Memories by Jessica Wright
Middle Secondary Prose
First Place – In The Beginning by Ethan Saunders
Second Place – Puppeteer by Connor Hutton
Third Place – Joakim.. by Kevin Buckley
Highly Commended – Release to Reality by Aliesha Williams
Highly Commended – Tale of a Teenage Boy by Stephen Bruce
Upper Secondary Poetry
First Place – Ode to the Insane by Brooke McKenzie
Second Place – Fleeting Morals byElizabeth McCamish
Third Place – Public Appeasement by Racheal Wellman
Highly Commended – A Poem about Poems by Renier Beukes
Upper Secondary Prose
First Place – Ephemeral by Telysia Taylor
Second Place – Limbo by Emily Semple
Third Place – Orange Robes by Sarah Summers
Highly Commended – Broken Earth by Cheyenne Daly
Highly Commended – The Discovery of Beauty by Katelyn Slee
Highly Commended – My Version of Perfect by Racheal Wellman