Young Fellowship Of Australian Writers Celebrates 40 Years

Writing Festival

Who doesn’t like to be invited to a birthday party?

The Lambing Flats (Young) branch of the Fellowship of Australia (FAW) Writers NSW Inc is holding a writing competition as part of their 40-year celebrations.

President Jennifer Haynes said the group started back in 1982.

“The group was started basically by three ladies,” Ms Haynes said.

“It held its first meeting on December 5, 1982 and six attended that first meeting.

“We’ve currently got around 11 members, which is a good number for a small community.”

Membership numbers have fluctuated up and down over the years, but the group is excited about its 40 year anniversary.

The ‘Burrangong Gold’ Writing Competition 2022 invites people to write a fictional short story or a memoir/family history as part of their celebrations.

Entries are welcome from adults (up to 2000 words), students from years 7 to 12 (up to 2000 words) and students from Years 4 to 6 (700 to 800 words).

School students attending schools within the HIlltops Council area are also invited to write a piece of fiction or non-fiction or research based on the history of the Burrangong Goldfields.

All entries must reflect one or a combination of the following: Incidents and experiences in migration to Australia from the 1800s to 2000s;

Any experience/s of life in, and travel to, any Australian goldfields; Any story based on/in the Burrangon Goldfields past to present.

A memoir, for the purposes of this competition, is defined as an incident or series of related incidents from the writer’s own family life or history, including, but not limited to, stories passed from generation to generation.

The competition costs $5 per entry for adults and is free for students, though students are limited to one entry each.

Entries close on May 15.

The group has several activities planned throughout the year to celebrate its 40-year milestone, including an Anthology book launch. Ms Haynes said that the past winners of a national writing competition put on by the Fellowship of Australian Writers annually would be included in this Anthology.

For more information please contact Jennifer Haynes on 0457 903 240 or email lambingflatfaw.competitions@gmail.com.