The winners of the richest individual literary prize in Australasia has been announced.
The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) announced the winners of the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2024. Offering the richest individual literary prize in Australasia, with a prize pool of $150,000, the awards recognise the outstanding literary talents of novelists who illuminate stories of the past, providing a window into our present and the future. The 2024 winners span across generations, including an epic novel of First Nations resistance and a dramatic war story with a difference.
Melissa Lucashenko, an acclaimed Aboriginal Writer of Goorie and European heritage, was awarded the Adult Prize for her novel Edenglassie. Lucashenko will take home $100,000, which places the ARA prize money ahead of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, Miles Franklin Award, Stella Prize and even The Booker Prize (£50,000).
ADULT WINNER
Edenglassie
Melissa Lucashenko
ADULT SHORT LIST
Each receiving a $5,000 prize:
The Unearthed
Lenny Bartulin
Women & Children
Tony Birch
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT WINNER
Spies in the Sky
Beverley McWilliams
Read an interview with the author
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULT SHORT LIST
Each receiving a $5,000 prize:
Secret Sparrow
Jackie French
Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky
Rebecca Lim
Read an interview with Rebecca Lim
This year the ARA Historical Novel Prize increased its prize pool by 50% to $150,000, made possible through the generous patronage of ARA Group. Edward Federman, the ARA Group Founder, Executive Chair, Managing Director and patron of the arts says:
The prize is open to novels where most of the narrative takes place at least 50 years ago. Previous winners include Gail Jones (2023), Tom Keneally (2022), and two-time CYA winner Katrina Nannestad (2021, 2022).
About Historical Novel Society Australasia
The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) is the third arm of the international Historical Novel Society and home to the historical fiction genre in Australasia. Since 2015, the Society’s biennial conference has promoted the writing, reading and publication of historical fiction. The Awards continue to celebrate the best of literary talent in the genre. HNSA also runs the HNSA First Pages Pitch Contest, the Colleen McCullough Residency held on Norfolk Island and the Elizabeth Jane Corbett Mentorship for Young Adult fiction historical novelists. https://hnsa.org.au/
About ARA Group
The ARA Group provides essential services for facilities and infrastructure throughout Australia and New Zealand. ARA takes pride in their engagement within the community through the ARA Endowment Fund. The Fund is committed to making a meaningful difference by donating 100% of its annual interest earnings to The Go Foundation, The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and The David Lynch Foundation. Since 2017, the ARA Group has sponsored the Historical Novel Society Australasia’s biennial conferences. ARA is Principal Partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the Monkey Baa Theatre, the Story Factory, and Crown Sponsor of Taronga Zoo.
