Short stories to 3000 words on the theme, BEGINNINGS.

First prize - $1000 AUD
Second Prize - $400 AUD
Third Prize - $100 AUD

Two Highly Commended certificates will also be awarded.
Results announced November 2025.

2025 JUDGE - Jenny Valentish

COMPETITION GUIDELINES:
1. Competition is open to anyone over the age of 18 years as of August 1st, 2025.

2. Entries must be NOT MORE THAN 3000 words including the title.

3. All entries must have a title.

4. Entries must be the original work of the applicant.

5. Entries must not have been published anywhere, broadcast, or won a prize in any competition.

6. The entry fee is payable online by credit card before midnight on the closing date 30/09/25 – refer to submission instructions below.

7. Entries must be emailed to the email address below, before midnight on the closing date – refer to submission instructions below.

8. All entries to be in English, double-spaced and using the standard 12 point font ‘Times New Roman’.

9. Entrant’s name must not appear on/in the story.

10. Fees will not be refunded.

11. No corrections will be accepted, or correspondence entered into.

12. Results will be announced on the website: www.ballaratwriters.com in November 2025.

13. Copyright remains with the author.

14. The judge’s decision is final.

15. [EVENT_NAME] . Neither the BW Competitions Co-ordinator nor any person involved in pre-reading or judging of entries may enter.

Note: By submitting an entry, or entries, to this competition, you give permission for your work to be published in part or in full on the Ballarat Writers Inc website, and/or in any Ballarat Writers Inc publications, and you further agree and declare that the work submitted is your own original work and has not been copied in part or in full from any other source.


SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The 2025 submission process has two parts:

1. PAY the entry fee online by credit card through Trybooking. A booking fee of 50 cents applies to each entry.

2. EMAIL your story to: competitions@ballaratwriters.com. Save your story as a PDF file, and attach it to your email. In the subject title of your email, put ‘Southern Cross Competition 2025’. In the body of the email ONLY, include your full name and address, the title of the story and the word count. The email address by which you submit your entry will be the email address we use to contact you if necessary.

DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ANYWHERE ON THE STORY. THIS WILL INVALIDATE YOUR ENTRY AND NO REFUND WILL BE GIVEN.

Both parts above must have been completed before midnight on the closing date 30th September 2025.

Failure to follow/abide by any of the stated rules may make your entry, or entries, ineligible.

TryBooking is an online system for organisations and community groups that has been designed to look after the entire event ticketing and registration needs.

All issues relating to the sale of tickets and the hosting of their associated event(s) are the responsibility of the “Event Organiser” and not that of TryBooking Pty Ltd (Australian Business Number 71126987915).

Please visit https://www.trybooking.com/info/customer-terms-and-conditions for our terms and conditions.