Historical Novel Society Australasia
Where history meets imagination
2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize
Thanks to our Foundation Partner, the ARA Group, the prize awards $150,000 to the Adult category winner, with an additional $5,000 awarded to each of the remaining two shortlisted authors. In the CYA category, the winner receives $30,000, while the two short listers receive $5,000 each. The Readers’ Choice Award winner receives $5,000.
2026 DATES:
Entries Open: 18 March at 9 am AEDT
Entries Close: 17 June at 5pm AEST
Longlists Announced: 2 September
Shortlists Announced: 23 September
Winners Announced: 15 October
Quick links
2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize - submissions open
It’s that time of the year again! The 2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize is open for submissions. The prize provides Australian and New Zealand historical novelists the chance to be rewarded and recognised, with the most significant purse for any individual literary prize in Australasia.
History Unbound Festival Wrap Up - a feast of historical fiction!
On 1st to 2nd November 2025 at the historic Parramatta Town Hall, the Historical Novel Society Australasia welcomed the historical fiction community to enjoy our newly rebranded History Unbound Festival. There we unloosened the bindings, blew away the cobwebs, and unlocked the secrets of bygone eras with a dynamic program celebrating historical fiction and storytelling in all its forms. Read our wrap-up of the festival here.
Announcing the Winners of the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize
The Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA), in conjunction with its generous sponsor ARA Group, is delighted to announce the winners for the richest individual literary prize in Australasia with prize monies of $150,000 across the Adult and the Children & Young Adult categories. The inaugural winner of the Readers’ Choice Award has also been announced.
Festivals + Events
The HNSA promotes the writing, reading and publication of historical fiction, especially in Australia and New Zealand, through its biennial conferences held since 2015. Our events showcase the best literary talent and enable readers, writers and publishing professionals to celebrate the genre.
To mark our 10th anniversary in 2025, HNSA held the History Unbound Festival with a new name and new look at the Parramatta Town Hall.
Our next History Unbound Festival will be held in 2027. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media to stay updated.
News + Updates
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At the Historical Novel Society Australasia, we celebrate and promote historical fiction, bringing stories of the past to life for today's readers. Your support enables us to host events, provide resources for writers, and engage the community in appreciating this rich literary genre.
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Don’t miss this giveaway!
Forged on the war-torn streets of Srebrenica, Seka Torlak fights for justice, retribution and truth. A Story of war, survival and the unbreakable spirit of women.