Australian literature and literary fiction is encouraged through a variety of awards and prizes ranging from encouraging nascent talent and emerging authors through to recognising the highest levels of excellence residing throughout the entire commonwealth.
Established in 1987, the Commonwealth Writers Prize is intended to nurture fresh commonwealth fiction while promoting meritorious works to a broader international audience.
Queensland Premier's Literary Awards (via Qld Premier's web site)
These awards were stablished by the Premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, in 1999 and are amongst the richest literary prizes in Australia. Offering a rich variety of categories these awards encourage new authors with recognition and financial assistance.
Intended to encourage younger authors (under 35), this award considers unpublished manuscripts to be awarded the AU$20,000 prize. Judges are selected from prominent academics, critics and writers.
From a bequest of author Miles Franklin this award was established in 1954. The award is about a celebration of the Australian way of life through literary efforts of the highest calibre. At around AU$42,000 this award is Australia's richest literary prize.
