Territory voices shine at 2025 Literary awards

25 September 2025

An Alice Springs poet writing about desert life, a doctor issuing a call to action on rheumatic heart disease, and a young writer capturing the voice of Territory youth are among the winners of the 2025 Northern Territory Literary Awards, supported by the Finocchiaro CLP Government.

Seven Territory writers were named category winners at last night’s ceremony at Library & Archives NT in Darwin, which was also livestreamed to Alice Springs.

Minister for Arts, Jinson Charls said with 241 entries this year, the NT Literary Awards continue to showcase the depth of talent we have across the Territory.

“Now in their 41st year, these Awards celebrate stories that are distinctly ours – whether it’s poetry that speaks of desert life, essays tackling Territory health issues or short fiction inspired by our communities,” said Mr Charls.

“I congratulate this year’s winners and finalists, and I encourage Territorians to read their works. They remind us of the richness of our culture and the unique perspectives that make the Territory such a creative place.”

This year, 241 submissions were received across the seven categories of essay, flash fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short story, theatre and youth. Twenty works were shortlisted, with the final seven winners chosen by independent judges.

The winners of the 2025 Northern Territory Literary Awards are:

• Brown’s Mart Theatre Award ($1,000): Black light – Jada Alberts
   
• Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award ($500): Severance and being seen – Alex Eve
   
• Charles Darwin University Essay Award ($1,000): Rheumatic heart disease: a call to action on preventable, poverty-attributable deaths in the Northern Territory – Sophie Collins
   
• Flash Fiction Award ($600): The important affair of the first male Moneypenny – Roland Bull
   
• Kath Manzie Youth Award ($800): Deserted – Lucy Tinapple
   
• NT Writers’ Centre Poetry Award ($1,000): In the desert where I live – Meg Mooney
   
• Zip Print Short Story Award ($1,000): Eternal – Belinda Mawby

Each category winner receives prize money, a NT Writers’ Centre membership, a free workshop, and a double pass to select Brown’s Mart performances.

Winning and shortlisted works are also published in the Northern Territory Literary Awards booklet, available in print and online through Territory Stories.

For more information about the NT Literary Awards, including this year’s winning entries, visit: Library & Archives NT – What’s On.

Media contact – Olivia Sherlock – 0407 089 389

Image: The 2025 Northern Territory Literary Awards were hosted at Library and Archives NT

Image: Award recipients and dignitaries at the 2025 Northern Territory Literary Awards