Conditions: The 2026 Rae Cerhan Australiana Ballad Competition

Closing date 6pm 31st October 2026

The Award is for a ballad with an Australiana theme, maximum of 100&nsp;lines.
Entrants must be permanent residents of Australia.
Submitted entries must not have previously been published, nor be under consideration for publication. Entries may have been entered in other competitions but not won a monetary prize. Receipt of entry will not be acknowledged.
Multiple entries are permitted, a separate Entry Form must be submitted with each entry.
Entries are to be submitted via the online entry form.
Entry Fee is $18.00 per entry. Payment of the Entry Fee is to be made via the Stripe payment system, online from within the Entry Form.
Entries must be in Word format or they will be disqualified.*
Those unable to use the online forms, or the Stripe payment system, please email the competition convenor Cate Plink at
The author’s identity must appear on the Entry Form ONLY. The author’s name must NOT appear on the manuscript.
Only page number and title of the entry is to appear on the manuscript.
The author retains copyright to all work submitted, although prize-winning entries must be available for publication in the Fellowship’s bulletin Writers Voice and on the FAW NSW website.
Entries must be original, creative and inspiring works.
The judge’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. There will be no individual appraisals.

THE AWARD
1st PLACE: $600
2nd PLACE $200
3rd PLACE $100

All shortlisted entries will be notified via email once the judging has been completed. Judges report and short list will be on the FAW website. The winners will be announced at the Annual Awards luncheon to be held in Sydney in May 2027 (date to be advised).

Contact: or Phone 0492 833 522.

* For assistance converting to Word from another format, please contact the