The awards are being launched on Tuesday on the birthday of Australian poet and writer Banjo Paterson.

The winning short story will be published in the Central Western Daily and winning entries will also be published on the Central West Libraries website www.cwl.nsw.gov.au. 

Central West Libraries reading and writing co-ordinator Jasmine Vidler said the awards had been held each year since 1991 and participation increased last year with the 150th anniversary of Banjo Paterson’s birth.

“This year with the Banjo Paterson festival we hope to get the same number again, we usually get a large number of entries in the short story and bush poetry,” Ms Vidler said.

“We would be looking at about 100, it’s pretty popular and people can enter from all over Australia, not just Orange. We hope there will be some local winners.”

Ms Vidler said entries in the short story, open poetry and children’s writing award categories did not need to be in Banjo’s style or be bush poetry but needed to be Australian content.

There are four categories in the competition with prizemoney for placegetters in each category.

Entries must be the unaided work of a writer aged 16 years or younger.

The deadline for entries is Friday, April 17. Winners will be contacted by phone on Monday, June 22. 

Entry forms are available from the Orange City Library, by phoning 6393 8120, email: library@orange.nsw.gov.au or from the Central Western Daily. 

tanya.marschke@fairfaxmedia.com.au