2021 Awards

Page Sections:

1. 2021 Awards

2. Presentation Booklet

3. Shortlisted, Highly Commended and Commended Poems

4. Anthology

2021 AWARDS

Like 2020, the global pandemic affected our normal way of life here at the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards. We were again forced to conduct a Virtual Presentation Ceremony, and once more, the results were nothing short of spectacular with 7,500 entries from across the nation.

In past years, winners and their families have been flown to Gunnedah to be presented with their prizes, but our virtual alternative allows participants to see it from the comfort of their classroom, lounge room, or whatever room they find themselves in on the day.

The Society engaged a professional film crew to bring our 2021 Ceremony to life, compiling videos from the winners, our President, judges, Ministers of Education, Patrons and trophy artist, as well as shots of the local landscape and the Welcome to Country. We encourage you to view it and trust you’ll love it as much as we do. It truly encapsulates the power of poetry and the breadth of Australia reached through this very special competition. See it here: www.dorothea.com.au/presentation-ceremony.

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards wishes to thank all the teachers, students and parents who submitted poetry this year, as well as the sponsors, special guests and VIP's who make this whole competition possible.

We look forward to seeing next year's entries!

Congratulations to the below students who captivated the judges with their imagination and creativity. To read their winning poems, see Section 2.

Our winners and runners-up for this year are as follows:

Category	Poet	School	Poem Title
Lower Primary Winner	Dihansi Amarasinghe	Caulfield Grammar School, Wheelers Hill VIC	“When I Went Walking”
Lower Primary Runner Up	Aleigha Mudd	Stanford Merthyr Infants School, Stanford Merthyr NSW	“The tip of the feather”
Upper Primary Winner	Allegra Clarke	All Saints Anglican School, Merrimac QLD	“Kombumerri dreaming”
Upper Primary Runner Up	Kathy Luo	Sutherland Public School, Sutherland NSW	“Betrayal (villanelle)”
Assisted Learning Primary Winner	Cooper King-Seach	Curlewis Public School, Curlewis NSW	“My Aboriginal Teacher”
Assisted Learning Primary Runner Up	Grace Jiang	Chatswood Public School, Chatswood NSW	“Unerasable Memory”
David Maher Award for Small Schools Winner	Paddy Harris	Rowena Public School, Rowena NSW	“Planting”
Kurrumbede Award Winner (Primary)	Eileen Murphy	Fairfax Public School, Maules Creek NSW	“Namoi Menagerie”
Junior Secondary Winner	Olivia Campbell	Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Burwood VIC	“Revels with Ravenous Ghosts”
Junior Secondary Runner Up	Esmé Tew	Ravenswood School For Girls, Gordon NSW	“Moving On”
Senior Secondary Winner	Pippa Attwell	Presbyterian Ladies' College, Peppermint Grove WA	“Creatures of digits”
Senior Secondary Runner Up	Saskia Fleming	Presbyterian Ladies' College, Peppermint Grove WA	“Grandfarmers”
Assisted Learning Secondary Winner	Steven Estephen and Matthew Al-Chakty	Maronite College of the Holy Family, Harris Park NSW	“Rich and Rare”
Assisted Learning Secondary Runner Up	Nikolas Nissan	Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta NSW	“The Wonder of the Three Sisters”
Kurrumbede Award Winner (Secondary)	Holly Munday	Gunnedah High School, Gunnedah NSW	“Killers of the Night”
Schools' Award Primary	Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta NSW	-	-
Schools’ Award Secondary	St Thomas More College, Sunnybank QLD	-	-

PRESENTATION BOOKLET

Click here to read the 2021 Presentation Booklet that contains all the winning and runner-up poems, as well a message from our President Pip Murray, the Society’s activities in 2021 and much more! See Section 3 for Shortlisted, Highly Commended and Commended Poems.

SHORTLISTED, HIGHLY COMMENDED AND COMMENDED POEMS

Also worth mentioning each year are the students who received a Shortlisted, Highly-Commended or Commended poem. Please see below for the full list. Wish to read their commendable poems and the judges’ comments? See Section 4.

[NB: Poems are alphabetised according to surname]

SHORTLISTED

Student Name	Poem Title	School Name	Town/ Suburb	Category
AHMADI ABUL	FRESH!	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
BANIS TASS	MY LOST MEMORY	CHATSWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHATSWOOD	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
CHEN HELENA	YOU AND I	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	BEACON HILL	JUNIOR SECONDARY
DUTKA JUSTYNA	TO PERSIST BEYOND THE FACT	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	SENIOR SECONDARY
EVERLEIGH-MCMULLEN MACE	THE AFTERMATH	GUNNEDAH HIGH SCHOOL	GUNNEDAH	KURRUMBEDE AWARD
HALL NOAH	BITTERSWEET	PRESBYTERIAN LADIES' COLLEGE	PEPPERMINT GROVE	SENIOR SECONDARY
HOLT RUBY	REMEMBERING FROM OUR DRIVEWAYS	YOUNG PUBLIC SCHOOL	YOUNG	UPPER PRIMARY
JENSEN OLIVIA	CAGED	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
JOYCE ELLERY	OUR FATHER (ÁR NATHAIR)	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	BURWOOD	SENIOR SECONDARY
KIM TONY	SNOW	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
LI LAWRENCE	WHERE DO I BELONG?	MATTHEW PEARCE PUBLIC SCHOOL	BAULKHAM HILLS	UPPER PRIMARY
MADDEN GEORGE	HARVEST TIME	ROWENA PUBLIC SCHOOL	ROWENA	LOWER PRIMARY
RAMESH TANISHKAA	THE MENAGERIE	HOME SCHOOL	BAULKHAM HILLS	JUNIOR SECONDARY
WILLIAMS NOAH	THE EARTHQUAKE	ST PHILIP'S CHRISTIAN COLLEGE	WARATAH	LOWER PRIMARY

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Student Name	Poem Title	School Name	Town/ Suburb	Category
AHN TAEHEE	COST AN ARM AND A LEG	ST THOMAS MORE COLLEGE	SUNNYBANK	SENIOR SECONDARY
AZZI REBECCA	I WILL NOT SINK	CLANCY CATHOLIC COLLEGE	WEST HOXTON	JUNIOR SECONDARY
BECK MAYA	RIVER	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	PARK ORCHARDS	JUNIOR SECONDARY
BUI TAM	BREAKFAST FOR TWO	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	SENIOR SECONDARY
CALICA-CHAVEZ ALEXANDRA	HOME	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
CAMPBELL SARAH	THE MACHINE	ST THOMAS MORE COLLEGE	SUNNYBANK	JUNIOR SECONDARY
CASSIDY SARAH	SALTY SWEET	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	SYDNEY	SENIOR SECONDARY
COURT ISAAC	GEORGE AND HARRY’S FRIENDSHIP TALK	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	GISBORNE	UPPER PRIMARY
DOU CAROLYN	KINDNESS	PYMBLE LADIES' COLLEGE	PYMBLE	LOWER PRIMARY
DUNN FELICITY	MOTHER NATURE IS A BLACK WOMAN	BRIBIE ISLAND STATE HIGH SCHOOL	BONGAREE, BRIBIE ISLAND	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
DUNN FELICITY	PEOPLE'S STORIES	BRIBIE ISLAND STATE HIGH SCHOOL	BONGAREE, BRIBIE ISLAND	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
EVERSGERD LILA	BETKA PATH	SCEGGS DARLINGHURST	DARLINGHURST	JUNIOR SECONDARY
GUIRGUIS MATTHEW	CHAMELEON	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
HAN JANICE	CENTRAL	INDIVIDUAL - NORTH SYDNEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL	SYDNEY	SENIOR SECONDARY
HIBBARD AMELIA	OUR LAND	HOME SCHOOL	HORNSBY	UPPER PRIMARY
IBRAHIM ZARA	A LAMENT FOR LEBANON 4.8.20	SCEGGS DARLINGHURST	DARLINGHURST	JUNIOR SECONDARY
IDNURM SAGE	THE PAWN	TINTERN GRAMMAR	RINGWOOD EAST	JUNIOR SECONDARY
IJENEME CHIOMA	YOUR WORDS STUCK	ST MARY'S ANGLICAN GIRLS' SCHOOL	KARRINYUP	JUNIOR SECONDARY
KIM TONY	CINQUAIN	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
LYNCH GEORGIA	MUSCLE MEMORY	ST THOMAS MORE COLLEGE	SUNNYBANK	SENIOR SECONDARY
MARTIN IMOGEN	SPECIAL DAY	PYMBLE LADIES' COLLEGE	PYMBLE	LOWER PRIMARY
MCCUSKER CAITLIN	STARS ON CONSTANCE	ST THOMAS MORE COLLEGE	SUNNYBANK	JUNIOR SECONDARY
MCGAHON OLIVIA	TEARS LIKE BULLETS	MACKILLOP COLLEGE	PORT MACQUARIE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
MURPHY ALANA	HIPPOCAMPUS	QUEENSLAND ACADEMY FOR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES	KELVIN GROVE	SENIOR SECONDARY
NETHERY MIA	A BEAUTIFUL MESS	NORTHERN BEACHES SECONDARY COLLEGE MACKELLAR GIRLS CAMPUS	MANLY VALE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
PARK SEOJI	MY FRIEND, CELLO	CHATSWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHATSWOOD	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
PRIDGEN ALEXIS	THE STREET DANCER	BRIGIDINE COLLEGE, ST IVES	ST IVES	SENIOR SECONDARY
STEFANOU NATI	THE BOMBING OF BERLIN	FINTONA GIRLS' SCHOOL	BALWYN	JUNIOR SECONDARY

COMMENDED

Student Name	Poem Title	School Name	Town/ Suburb	Category
ABABSA AYMAN	THE GOLDFIELDS OF HILL END	INDIVIDUAL - CARLINGFORD WEST PUBLIC SCHOOL	CARLINGFORD	LOWER PRIMARY
AKOURI SEBASTIAN	SUMMER RAIN	ALL HALLOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL	FIVE DOCK	LOWER PRIMARY
ALGHAZALY MOHMMED	ECHIDNA	CRAIGIEBURN PRIMARY SCHOOL	CRAIGIEBURN	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
ANDERSEN THOMAS	BATTLE AGAINST THE DUST	ST GREGORY'S COLLEGE	GREGORY HILLS	SENIOR SECONDARY
BARRY SOPHIA	A GREEK WELCOME	SCEGGS DARLINGHURST	DARLINGHURST	JUNIOR SECONDARY
BECK MAYA	ANTARCTICA	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	PARK ORCHARDS	JUNIOR SECONDARY
BLAKE OLIVER	INSECT - PENSEE POEM	OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL	WYOMING	LOWER PRIMARY
BORG TALIEYAH	WHIRLPOOLS	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
BURNS NATHAN	I AM	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
BUTLER LILY	WHAT ARE WE?	DARWIN MIDDLE SCHOOL	PARAP	JUNIOR SECONDARY
CHEN AUYEE	CLOUDS (HAIKU)	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	UPPER PRIMARY
CHU CYNTHIA	THANK YOU, AUSTRALIA	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
CHU LINCOLN	STRESS	CHATSWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHATSWOOD	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
CLARK HELOISE (LULU)	EILENE	RAVENSWOOD SCHOOL FOR GIRLS	GORDON	UPPER PRIMARY
COLBRAN ANTON	CINQUAIN	GUNNEDAH SOUTH SCHOOL	GUNNEDAH	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
COONEY RUBY	SOVEREIGNTY	SCEGGS DARLINGHURST	DARLINGHURST	SENIOR SECONDARY
DENNEY SOPHIA	FROZEN IN TIME	RAVENSWOOD SCHOOL FOR GIRLS	GORDON	UPPER PRIMARY
DHANJI SUFIYA	STAINED GLASS TEARS	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	SENIOR SECONDARY
DUNN CAITLIN	WOMAN OF THE FUTURE (INSPIRED BY CATHY WARRY’S POEM OF THE SAME TITLE)	BRIGIDINE COLLEGE, ST IVES	ST IVES	JUNIOR SECONDARY
DUNN FELICITY	STORY'S GLORY	BRIBIE ISLAND STATE HIGH SCHOOL	BONGAREE, BRIBIE ISLAND	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
DUTKA JUSTYNA	MAN-MADE	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	SENIOR SECONDARY
ESSAM EMILY	MUM'S IN A WHEELCHAIR	GENESIS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE	BRAY PARK	LOWER PRIMARY
GRUBERT ERIN	TONGERLONGETER AND THE BLACK WAR	INDIVIDUAL - SCOTCH OAKBURN COLLEGE	KAYENA	JUNIOR SECONDARY
GUPTA ANOUSHKA	A REVOLUTION HAS BEGUN	INDIVIDUAL - PERTH MODERN SCHOOL	SUBIACO	JUNIOR SECONDARY
HARPER BRYDEE	DUST AND DOGS	BUNDARRA CENTRAL SCHOOL	BUNDARRA	UPPER PRIMARY
HUANG THOMAS	THE NOISY LIBRARY	CHERRYBROOK PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHERRYBROOK	LOWER PRIMARY
IVAN PRONIN	CROSS COUNTRY	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
JIAO LEON	I AM THE GRIM REAPER	TINTERN GRAMMAR	RINGWOOD EAST	JUNIOR SECONDARY
JOYCE ELLERY	HERE I AM	INDIVIDUAL ENTRY	BURWOOD	SENIOR SECONDARY
KATTELA VENKAT	MY VOICE…	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY
KAUR PALAK	KOOKABURRA	CRAIGIEBURN PRIMARY SCHOOL	CRAIGIEBURN	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
KNIGHT KOBE	HAIKU	GUNNEDAH SOUTH SCHOOL	GUNNEDAH	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
LI ESTHER	MOSAIC	INDIVIDUAL - SYDNEY BOYS HIGH SCHOOL	MOORE PARK	UPPER PRIMARY
LOPEZ WILLIAMS AVA	THE HERD OF HORSES	ELSTERNWICK PRIMARY SCHOOL	BRIGHTON	UPPER PRIMARY
MALI SWARA	REBELLION	CHATSWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL	CHATSWOOD	UPPER PRIMARY
MCBAIN MARYLOU	AS THE MOON SINGS ALONG	ST MARY'S ANGLICAN GIRLS' SCHOOL	KARRINYUP	JUNIOR SECONDARY
MCGREGOR AVA	I MIGHT	OXLEY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE	CHIRNSIDE PARK	UPPER PRIMARY
MITCHELL JEMMA	PHOTO	NORTHERN BEACHES SECONDARY COLLEGE MACKELLAR GIRLS CAMPUS	MANLY VALE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
MURRIE SOPHIA	THE AUSSIE PANDEMIC	ACTING UP DRAMA ACADEMY	CORDEAUX HEIGHTS	LOWER PRIMARY
PACK NATALIE	MY MUM IS COMING	ASCHAM	EDGECLIFF	LOWER PRIMARY
PARSONS JAKE		TAMWORTH PUBLIC SCHOOL	TAMWORTH	KURRUMBEDE AWARD
PESTELL TALLULAH	THE NURSING HOME	PRESBYTERIAN LADIES' COLLEGE	PEPPERMINT GROVE	SENIOR SECONDARY
PHAM ELIZABETH	SADNESS	OXLEY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE	CHIRNSIDE PARK	UPPER PRIMARY
PHAM HELEN	SAKURA	ST DOMINICS PRIORY COLLEGE	NORTH ADELAIDE	SENIOR SECONDARY
PIEK SURI	REFLECTION	ST STEPHENS CARRAMAR	TAPPING	UPPER PRIMARY
RAUCHBERGER NOAM	THE WORLD IS IN OUR HANDS	MOUNT SCOPUS MEMORIAL COLLEGE	BURWOOD	JUNIOR SECONDARY
RUNDLE TROWBRIDGE SASKIA	I'M SORRY	RAVENSWOOD SCHOOL FOR GIRLS	GORDON	JUNIOR SECONDARY
SAMS AMY	FERAL CATS	GUNNEDAH HIGH SCHOOL	GUNNEDAH	KURRUMBEDE AWARD
SAVAGE EMMA	LIGHTNING	ST ELIZABETH'S PRIMARY SCHOOL	TARRAGINDI	LOWER PRIMARY
SCHRADER EMILY	MY MIND IS PLAYING TRICKS	LORETO MANDEVILLE HALL	TOORAK	SENIOR SECONDARY
SIMPSON LILA	AND THE DEAD MARCH ON	HOME SCHOOL	YARRAVILLE	JUNIOR SECONDARY
SMITH LUELLA	SILENCE	SCEGGS DARLINGHURST	DARLINGHURST	SENIOR SECONDARY
SURYA PRADYUN	MY FAMILY	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
TOMLJANOVICH LAYLA	SKELETON WEED	PRESBYTERIAN LADIES' COLLEGE	PEPPERMINT GROVE	SENIOR SECONDARY
VETRANO VICTORIA	PAIN	LAKEVIEW SENIOR COLLEGE	CAROLINE SPRINGS	SENIOR SECONDARY
WANG JAYDEN	BEDTIME	ACTING UP DRAMA ACADEMY	CORDEAUX HEIGHTS	LOWER PRIMARY
WATSON XANTHIA	MY MORNING STARTS WITH ....	SACRED HEART BOGGABRI	BOGGABRI	KURRUMBEDE AWARD
WECHTLER-HEYDEN MANO	FIREWORKS	NEWCASTLE EAST PUBLIC SCHOOL	THE HILL	LOWER PRIMARY
WHITE MAKENZIE	A POEM	VIRTUAL SCHOOL VICTORIA	THORNBURY	JUNIOR SECONDARY
WHITFIELD HONOR	ORIGAMI	ASCHAM	EDGECLIFF	LOWER PRIMARY
WILLIAMS OLIVE	SPRING	NEWCASTLE EAST PUBLIC SCHOOL	THE HILL	LOWER PRIMARY
WILLINGHAM DALE	NOTHING	PEEL HIGH SCHOOL	TAMWORTH	KURRUMBEDE AWARD
WILSON ETHAN	SKIING	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY
YAZBECK TOMMY	SHOPPING IN COVID	NEWCASTLE EAST PUBLIC SCHOOL	THE HILL	LOWER PRIMARY
YU ALISIA	ODE TO A SHIVERING SPARROW ON A RAINY WINTER'S DAY	MOUNT PLEASANT ROAD PRIMARY NUNAWADING	NUNAWADING	LOWER PRIMARY
ZHANG LARRY	MY PET	ACTING UP DRAMA ACADEMY	CORDEAUX HEIGHTS	LOWER PRIMARY
ZHU MINA	ELEGANT STINGRAYS	REDEEMER BAPTIST SCHOOL	NTH PARRAMATTA	LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY

ANTHOLOGY

The Anthology is released annually and contains all the winning, runner-up, shortlisted, highly commended and commended poetry from the competition. It also discloses what the judges had to say about each poem in their respective judging categories!

We offer a soft-bound copy of the anthology for purchase as well as a digital version to reduce paper wastage.

To pre-order the 2021 Anthology, complete and return the order form here using the instructions.

Please note that soft-bound orders are expected to be dispatched in October-November. Digital copies are able to be sent immediately once Anthology is available.