The inaugural Living Landscapes Writers’ Festival, held on 9- 10 April 2022, brought together nationally and internationally renowned writers and thinkers on nature. This wonderful weekend was full of performances and family activities. Budding writers learnt more about nature writing in one of our expert-led workshops.

With historic Port Adelaide as its backdrop, the festival celebrated our rich and diverse region — a tapestry of coastlines, dunes, rivers, wetlands, mangroves, parks and reserves.

The festival program focused on the written and spoken word as a vital platform for interrogating our relationship with nature in these uncertain and changing times. The panel discussions and explored the purpose of nature in creativity and the ways in which art can help us forge meaningful  connections with our environment.

In late 2022 we called for submissions for our 2023 Landscapes Writing Competition. The competition highlights the importance of nature writing and its ability to enable us to see the natural world anew. Write and share your story that celebrates our rich and diverse region — the tapestry of coastlines, dunes, rivers, wetlands, mangroves, parks and reserves in the City of PAE.

The Writers SA team have now read through all the submissions and have arrived at a shortlist of stories that capture our connection with nature in a unique and meaningful way, as well as demonstrating skill in the craft of short-form writing.

Congratulations to the following shortlisted writers but also to everyone who participated in the Competition. Competitions are a great way to strengthen your writing and we encourage everyone to continue submitting your work.

The following writers have been shortlisted for the 2023 Living Landscapes Writers Competition:

Adult (21+ years old)

• Katie Fraser, Mr Pelican’s Place
• Alexandra Fowler, Sunset
• Courtney Mason, The Anemone Cone
• Katherine Wise, The Cedars’ Lament

Middle Grade (13 – 20 yrs old)

• Nguyen Quynh Trang NGUYEN (Su NGUYEN), On The Beach
• Imogen Grbin, Swallowed
• Charlie Randall, 1886: The War That Never Was

Junior (up to 12 yrs old)

• Tora Kowald, Beach Fun
• Liam Kowald, Semaphore Beach
• Diya Rose, A Haunting Memory of Birkenhead Bridge

The winners of each category will be announced by Mayor Claire Boan on the City of Port Adelaide Enfield’s Facebook page on World Environment Day, Monday 5 June. The City of PAE and Writers SA will be delivering a number of nature writing workshops in October as part of Nature Festival. Details and how to book will be available on this website closer to the time.