Noel Rowe Poetry Award

We're happy to announce the return of the Noel Rowe Poetry Award in 2025. The award is for first collection from an emerging poet of any age with the collection then to be published by Vagabond Press.

Submissions open January 7 and close January 15, 2025.

Shortlist and winner announced: June 30, 2025.

An award in memory of Australian poet and academic Noel Rowe in celebration of his commitment to and support of Australian poetry. This biennial award is for the publication of a first manuscript by an emerging poet of any age. In the spirit of Noel Rowe's support and mentoring of emerging writers, the winning entrant will be given the opportunity to work on their manuscript with one of the judges.

Noel Rowe (1951-2007) was an inspirational teacher of Australian Literature in the Department of English at the University of Sydney from 1986 to 2007. He was one of the first to teach creative writing courses in poetry at the University of Sydney, through which he encouraged and mentored new poets with humour, wisdom and insight.

Judges: Elizabeth Allen, Jane Gibian and Vivian Smith

Award guidelines
  • This award is for an unpublished manuscript of between 60-90 A4 pages.
  • The manuscript must not be under consideration for other manuscript awards. The manuscript must not be under consideration with any publisher.
  • Entrants must have previously published at least three poems in print or online literary journals or newspapers.
  • This award is for a first collection of poetry of over 50 pages published in any format. Poets who have previously published chapbooks of up to 20 pages can enter, but please include details of the chapbook publication in your application.
  • Entrants must be either Australian citizens or a permanent resident.
  • Entrants must provide a detailed list of any texts quoted, paraphrased, or collaged, and if accepted for publication will need to clear copyright material referenced and/or used.
  • Any use of AI must be clearly indicated.
  • Entrants can be of any age.
  • The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • The publisher and judges reserve the right not to make the award if no manuscript received is of a high enough standard.
  • Before publication, the winning entrant must be willing to work on their manuscript with the judges, publisher and/or an editor appointed by the press.
  • Except for the winning manuscripts, we are unable to give advice on manuscripts submitted or enter into correspondence.
Submission guidelines
  • Manuscripts must be submitted as a PDF or a Word document to: submissions@vagabondpress.net [please write NRPA entry in the subject heading]
  • Please use your name and the manuscript title for the file name (example: ‘MarianaEnriquez_ASunnyPlaceForShadyPeople’.pdf’
  • Manuscripts must include a title page, contents page.
  • In the body of the email include the following information
    • Name, address, DOB, phone number (if using a pen name, entrants must indicate and also provide their legal name)
    • Manuscript title
    • Short bio note (max. 200 words, see our website for examples) and author photo
    • Publication details of three previously published poems (or more)
    • Short book description (max. 300 words, see our website for examples)
    • Endorsements/LoS from other writers (optional)

 

Entrants are encouraged to be familiar with the sort of poetry we publish by reviewing our recent anthology Living Systems, which brings together work from 170 poets and translators who we have worked with over 25 years, including poetry by Noel Rowe, previous winners of the Noel Rowe Poetry Award (Emily Stewart and Thom Sullivan) and the judges (Elizabeth Allen, Jane Gibian and Vivian Smith).

 

The Noel Rowe Poetry Award for 2017

Thom Sullivan’s, Carte Blanche – Winner


Shortlisted titles

Chris Armstrong, Silage


Chris Brown, Hotel Universo


Shey Marque, Keeper of the Ritual


Audrey Molloy, Envy is a Daylily


Kerri Shying, Know Your Country


 

The Noel Rowe Poetry Award for 2015

Emily Stewart, Knocks – Winner

Shortlisted titles

Chris Armstrong, The Watershed

Fiona Britton, Internal Medicine

Claire Roberts, The Fragile Season

Anna Ryan-Punch, Folding Down Corners

Anders Villani, Aril Wire