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 of the richest individual literary prize in Australasia with prize monies of $155,000 across the Adult and the Children & Young Adult categories. In addition, the winner of the inaugural Readers’ Choice Award receives $5,000.
HNSA Chair, Elisabeth Storrs, says,’This year’s results demonstrate the versatility of the genre to draw readers into richly imagined worlds stretching from the Holy Roman Empire through to Australia’s colonial past and onto WW2 France. Each author’s distinct voice resonates with their novels as they explore very different facets of untold history with stories of courage, intrigue, trauma and folklore.’
The ARA Historical Novel Prize has been made possible through the generous patronage of ARA Group. Founder Edward Federman, says, ‘I am proud to support The ARA Historical Novel Prize, which continues to celebrate excellence in writing in this increasingly popular genre. I congratulate all the talented winners of the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize.’
ADULT CATEGORY
The incredibly high quality of entries in 2025 was reflected in the rare decision by the judging panel to select joint winners in the Adult category. The prize monies of $100,000 was shared equally between Tasma Walton and Robbie Arnott for their splendid novels:
Dusk by Robbie Arnott (Picador Australia, an imprint of Pan Macmillan Australia)
I am Nannertgarrook by Tasma Walton (Bundyi, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia)
Malcolm Knox was awarded $5,000 for his shortlisted novel, The First Friend (Allen & Unwin)
THE JUDGING PANEL
The judging panel for the Adult Category includes Angelo Loukakis (Chair), Jane Harrison, Rashida Murphy, Stephanie Parkyn and Scott Whitmont.
According to Chair, Angelo Loukakis:
‘In the democracy of letters there can, and should be, occasionally more than one ‘winner’. For the judges of the HNSA Adult category the occasion this time is in having two very different novels that displayed qualities that made it impossible to elevate one above the other. The judges do not however see this outcome as a problem, but rather a moment for celebration – of the sheer diversity across this year’s entries, and of the individual achievements of our two winners. In I am Nannertgarrook,Tasma Walton challenges us with an empathic narrative that engages our consciences via the truths of First Nations’ historical experience. She relates a story of abduction and suffering, resilience and survival – and tells of the power that lies in Indigenous remembering and belonging. In Dusk, Robbie Arnott boldly builds on the historical fact of white Australia’s destructive exploitation of the land and lifeforms in an earlier time – to imagine and present us with a skilfully narrated, symbolic as well as grounded tale of the role of personal ambition and private gain in this continent’s fate.’
WHAT THE AUTHORS SAY:
Tasma Walton says, ‘What an honour to be the joint recipient, with the extraordinary Robbie Arnott, of the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize for I Am Nannertgarrook. It is profoundly moving to have my ancestor’s story so acknowledged and humbling to be alongside such accomplished storytellers. Thank you to the ARA Group and HNSA for your incredible generosity and support.’
Robbie Arnott says, ‘I’m thrilled and deeply honoured to share this award with Tasma. I wasn’t even sure my book would be eligible, so this has totally floored me. It’s a career highlight and I can’t quite believe it. Thank you so much to the judges, the team at the HNSA and the wildly generous ARA Group.’
Listen to the Good Reading podcast
Enjoy listening to Robbie and Tasma talk about their award winning books with Good Reading podcast host, Greg Dobbs.
CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT CATEGORY
The $30,000 CYA category prize was awarded to Suzanne Leal for The Year We Escaped (HarperCollins Publishers).
In addition, $5,000 was awarded to each shortlister as follows:
Moonboy by Anna Ciddor (Allen & Unwin)
The Midwatch by Judith Rossell (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
THE JUDGING PANEL
The judging panel for the CYA Category includes Dr Mark Macleod (Chair), Rebecca Lim and Belinda Murrell.
According to Chair, Dr Mark Macleod:
The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal is a novel for older readers seen through the eyes of two Jewish girls in a World war 2 internment camp, and two French brothers who help them escape. Its publication comes at a moment of despair for many adults. It seems that even the billions of words already written about human suffering cannot prevent us repeating history. But for the young protagonists of this novel, lamenting the future or abandoning hope is simply not an option. Something can always be done.
The Year We Escaped is one of several books on this year's longlist that return to the period of alarming social change between the World Wars, but it feels fresh and is never didactic. Suzanne Leal allows today's young people to read between the lines and make their own historical connections. Here they experience how it feels to be the object of prejudice; how it feels to be without friends and without adult protection; how it feels to be without food or clean water. The fast-paced storytelling doesn't waste a word, as it gives an impeccably researched and compelling account of resistance, in which the ingenuity and courage of young people and the importance of working together are the keys to survival. The judges are delighted to announce that this outstanding novel, The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal, is this year's winner in the Children's and Young Adults' category.
WHAT THE AUTHOR SAYS:
Suzanne Leal says, ‘Wartime tales of courage led me to set my novel in the French internment camp of Gurs and I’m so delighted now to have won this prestigious prize and to stand alongside my longlisted and shortlisted colleagues. I thank Edward Federman and ARA for their generosity, the HNSA team, and the judges for all their work.’
Listen to the Good Reading podcast
Enjoy listening to Suzanne talk about her award winning books with Good Reading podcast host, Greg Dobbs.
READERS’ CHOICE AWARD
This year, HNSA introduced our Readers’ Choice Award to give readers an opportunity to vote for their favourite Adult longlisted novel. We were delighted with the enthusiastic response. Emily Maguire was presented with $5,000 for Rapture
(Allen & Unwin).
WHAT THE AUTHOR SAYS:
Emily Maguire says, ‘I am absolutely delighted to be the winner of the 2025 ARA Readers’ Choice Award. Thank you to the ARA Group, the HNSA and to every single person who voted for Rapture. It means the world to me to know readers have loved this book and connected with Agnes’s story.’
ABOUT ARA GROUP
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.
Entries for the 2026 ARA Historical Novel Prize will open in March 2026.
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