Established

1982

Organizer

Western Australian Government / State Library of Western Australia (operator)

Category

Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books

Selection Method

Open call

Target

Newcomer

Frequency

1 per year

Application Deadline

around March

Status

Active

Description

The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, established in 1982, is a state government-led literary award operated by the State Library of Western Australia. It selects winning works annually in multiple categories such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children's books/YA, scripts, digital narratives, etc. Reduced to biennial in 2015, it returned to annual in 2018. Includes Western Australian Writer's Fellowship (A$60,000), category prizes (mostly A$15,000), Daisy Utemorrah Award (for Indigenous writers, including publishing contract), etc. Book of the Year award introduced in 2023, with category reorganization (Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry/Young Adult etc.) and selection in 2025. Winners and shortlists announced on official site and government media releases.

Prize

Main Prize

Multiple category prizes and fellowships (e.g., Western Australian Writer's Fellowship A$60,000, each category prize A$15,000, etc.)

Cash Prize

60,000 AUD

• Western Australian Writer's Fellowship (A$60,000)
• Each category prize (mostly A$15,000)
• Premier's Prize for Book of the Year (A$15,000, introduced 2023)
• Daisy Utemorrah Award: A$15,000 + publishing contract by Magabala Books (applicable years)
• Publishing contracts, fellowships, etc. as additional prizes (varies by year)

Selection

Application Tips

Related Awards

• Miles Franklin Literary Award
• Victorian Premier's Literary Awards
• NSW Premier's Literary Awards
• Queensland Literary Awards
• Magabala Books (publishing contract opportunity)

Official Resources

Past Winners