Since 2007, when Elisabeth Holdsworth won the inaugural prize with her memorable essay ‘An die Nachgeborenen: For Those Who Come After’, the Calibre Essay Prize has added lustre to the genre in this country and highlighted the work of distinguished writers and commentators and some previously little known to many readers.

For the nineteenth time, the Calibre Essay Prize is once again open. On offer is total prize money of $10,000. (There are three different prizes, worth $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000.) Here we warmly thank Peter McLennan and Mary Ruth Sindrey for their generous ongoing support.

Calibre – won this year by New Zealand writer Tracey Slaughter – remains open to all essayists writing in English. Calibre is a celebration of originality and diversity in all its forms, both stylistic and in terms of subject matter. We welcome essays of 2,000 to 5,000 words on any topic: personal or political, lyrical or challenging, traditional or experimental. No two essays are the same: the best ones are intimate, feeling, sui generis.

Entries will close on 28 January 2025. The judges on this occasion are Georgina Arnott (author and Assistant Editor of ABR), Geordie Williamson (author and chief literary critic of The Australian), and Theodore Ell, whose essay about the Beirut explosion, ‘Façades of Lebanon’, remains as searing and pertinent today as in 2021, when it won the Calibre Essay Prize. Good luck to all our entrants!

Walkley gong for Nicole Hasham

Apropos of Calibre, what a strong shortlist it was this year. We published the three prize-winners in successive issues (May, June, and July), as we will do in 2025. Placed third was Nicole Hasham’s brilliant essay ‘Bloodstone’, concerning events in February 1974 when the top of Mount Tom Price in the Pilbara was blown off to facilitate the mining of iron ore.

Nicole Hasham has now been shortlisted for a Walkley Award for Excellence in Journalism. A previous Walkey winner, she is nominated in the feature writing category (over 4,000 words). We’ll find out all the winners on November 19.

Gift offer

For those wanting to avoid Christmas delirium and queues, look no further than an ABR gift subscription. What better present than a gift subscription of the print edition at the special rate of $100 per year, a saving of $10 off the normal rate? Alternatively, gift the online edition for just $70. Both packages entitle subscribers to full online access. Bring someone special into the fold and introduce them to the nation’s foremost cultural magazine.

To take advantage of this special Christmas gift subscription offer, ring us on (03) 9699 8822 with the gift recipient’s contact details and a message at the ready.

New publicists for ABR

We’re delighted to be working with our new publicists, Pitch Projects. Formed in 2016, Pitch Projects has clients in publishing, government, and higher education. We look forward to working closely (but in a new capacity) with long-time colleagues Terri King and Anna Lensky. Please direct media enquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..