The deadline is approaching for the Country Press NSW 125 th Anniversary Writing Awards, with entries closing in July.

Short stories are free to enter in this historic competition, which commemorates a significant milestone for Australia’s first and oldest print media organisation, and is being generously sponsored by national agribusiness company, Manildra Group.

Remember, if you live anywhere in country New South Wales, you are eligible to take part in this creative writing challenge.

Competition categories:

• Primary school age, fictional short story up to 300 words.
• Secondary school age, fictional short story up to 750 words.
• Open adult writers, fictional short story up to 3,000 words.

Prizes include awards and book vouchers from 1 st to 5 th in all categories, and finalists will also be offered publication in their local participating Country Press NSW newspaper.

Entries can be can on any topic or theme, and set in any time period, but there is one special condition: your entry must include the words, “local newspaper,” as part of your story.

Judging will be carried out independently by country-based judges from the Fellowship of Australian Writers (NSW).

Download your entry form here and start writing today.