2022 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards
Winners of the 2022 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards
Victorian Prize for Literature
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilience by Veronica Gorrie (Scribe Publications)
Fiction
Smokehouse by Melissa Manning (University of Queensland Press)
Non-Fiction
The Mother Wound by Amani Haydar (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Drama
Milk by Dylan Van Den Berg (Currency Press and The Street Theatre)
Poetry
Trigger Warning by Maria Takolander (University of Queensland Press)
Writing For Young Adults
Girls in Boys’ Cars by Felicity Castagna (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Indigenous Writing
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilience by Veronica Gorrie (Scribe Publications)
Unpublished Manuscript
Fauna of Mirrors by Keshe Chow
People's Choice Award
Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim
The Shortlist
FICTION
After Storyby Larissa Behrendt (University of Queensland Press)
Bodies of Lightby Jennifer Down (Text Publishing)
Echolaliaby Briohny Doyle (Penguin Random House)
The Dogsby John Hughes (Upswell Publishing)
Smokehouseby Melissa Manning (University of Queensland Press)
Permafrostby S.J Norman (University of Queensland Press)
NON-FICTION
Coming of Age in the War on Terrorby Randa Abdel-Fattah (NewSouth)
Summertime: Reflections on a Vanishing Futureby Danielle Celermajer (Penguin Random House)
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilienceby Veronica Gorrie (Scribe Publications)
The Mother Woundby Amani Haydar (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Buried Not Deadby Fiona McGregor (Giramondo Publishing)
Another Day in the Colonyby Chelsea Watego (University of Queensland Press)
DRAMA
Return to the Dirtby Steve Pirie (Queensland Theatre)
Archimedes Warby Melissa Reeves (Darebin Speakeasy)
Milkby Dylan Van Den Berg (Currency Press and The Street Theatre)
POETRY
How Decent Folk Behaveby Maxine Beneba Clarke (Hachette Australia)
Human Lookingby Andy Jackson (Giramondo Publishing)
Trigger Warningby Maria Takolander (University of Queensland Press)
WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Girls in Boys’ Carsby Felicity Castagna (Pan Macmillan Australia)
The Gapsby Leanne Hall (Text Publishing)
Tiger Daughterby Rebecca Lim (Allen & Unwin)
INDIGENOUS WRITING
Dropbearby Evelyn Araluen (University of Queensland Press)
Black and Blue: A Memoir of Racism and Resilienceby Veronica Gorrie (Scribe Publications)
The Boy from the Mishby Gary Lonesborough (Allen & Unwin)
Another Day in the Colonyby Chelsea Watego (University of Queensland Press)
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT
Fauna of Mirrorsby Keshe Chow
Lead Us Notby Abbey Lay
The Albatrossby Nina Wan
Highly Commended
FICTION
The Other Half of Youby Michael Mohammed Ahmad (Hachette Australia)
In Moonlandby Miles Allinson (Scribe Publications)
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhurayby Anita Heiss (Simon & Schuster Australia)
NON-FICTION
Currowanby Bronwyn Adcock (Black Inc. Books)
The Shape of Soundby Fiona Murphy (Text Publishing)
Design: Building on Countryby Alison Page & Paul Memmott (Thames and Hudson Australia)
INDIGENOUS WRITING
Permafrostby S.J Norman (University of Queensland Press)
Homecomingby Elfie Shiosaki (Magabala Books)
DRAMA
Doggedby Andrea James and Catherine Ryan (Currency Press and Griffin Theatre Company)
POETRY
Gravidity and Parityby Eleanor Jackson (Vagabond Press)
m//otherlandby Asiel Adan Sanchez (Revarena)
Homecomingby Elfie Shiosaki (Magabala Books)
YOUNG ADULT
The Prison Healerby Lynette Noni (Penguin Random House Australia)
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT
Orangutan Balletby C.J. Garrow
The Echoes of George Streetby Elliot J Han
Strange Intersectionsby Sonja Plitt
The Judges
FICTION
Melanie Cheng, Bram Presser, Odette Kelada, Angela Meyer (convenor)
NON-FICTION
Maddison Connaughton, Ghassan Hage, Rebecca Harkins-Cross, Daniel James, Quinn Eades (convenor)
INDIGENOUS WRITING
Timmah Ball, Tristen Harwood, Crystal McKinnon (convenor)
DRAMA
Sonya Suares, Angus Cerini, Rinske Ginsberg (convenor)
POETRY
Susie Anderson, Ren Alessandra, Thuy On (convenor)
WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Zana Fraillon, Cath Moore, Karys McEwen (convenor)
UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT
R.W.R. McDonald, Tresa LeClerc, Ronnie Scott (convenor)
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers. The awards are administered by the Wheeler Centre on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.