ARA Historical Novel Prize
The richest individual literary prize in Australia and New Zealand
With prize money of $155,000, the ARA Historical Novel Prize gives Australian and New Zealand historical novelists the chance to be recognised in a class of their own, with the most significant individual prize purse for literature in Australasia. The Prize incorporates both an Adult category and a category for Children and Young Adult (CYA).
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
2026 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE CONTEST - OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
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.
Don’t miss your chance to join the ranks of winning novelists such as Tom Keneally, Mirandi Riwoe, Jock Serong, Gail Jones, Melissa Lucashenko, Robbie Arnott, Tasma Walton, Emily Maguire, Suzanne Leal and Katrina Nannestad.
The Awards are open to novels in which the majority of the narrative must have taken place at least 50 years before publication. The eligibility period applies to novels published between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
About the Prize
The ARA Historical Novel Prize is the result of a shared vision of the Historical Novel Society Australasia and Edward Federman, Founder, Executive Chair, and CEO of the ARA Group. Since its inception in 2020 the contest has raised the profile of dozens of historical novelists, rewarded the winners, and fostered the genre on a grander scale. Visit Past Prize Winners to learn more.
The ARA Historical Novel Prize has been made possible by the generosity of our Foundation Partner, ARA Group which is committed to supporting the arts and literature. They do this in a number of ways – as a Principal Partner of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, the National Institute of Dramatic Art, the Monkey Baa Theatre, and the Story Factory– and now as the sponsor of this very significant literary prize.
Important dates
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
2025 Prize News
Shortlists
Winners
Longlists
