The General Manager

Gunnedah Shire Council

Elgin Street,

Gunnedah.

NSW 2380

Dear Mr Groth,

It has come to the attention of the DMMS Executive that both the Lease Agreement with Council for our use of the Mackellar Centre and the Financial Contribution Agreement between Gunnedah Shire Council and the Society are both due for renewal by June 30, 2020.

Consequently, I write in order to apply for the renewal of both agreements, preferably on similar terms to those previously agreed and outlined in the previous documents.

We note that an extension may be sought for the Financial Agreement should time be needed to further negotiate a new agreement.

We believe that it is timely that these agreements need renewal at this point as we have just successfully concluded negotiations with the Federal Department of Education via Minister Tehan and have been granted a new, five year agreement with them assuring us Commonwealth Government funding until 2026.

The Department have also, generously, increased funding by a further $5000 to $60000 per year for the final three years of that agreement.

Consequently, we believe that any further agreements with Council should be for a similar, five year period, thereby being in concert with the Federal funding arrangements, in order to guarantee continuity of resourcing for our hard-working Society in order to ensure the continuation of the Dorothea Mackellar National Poetry Competition , the largest such competition in Australia.

As you are no doubt well aware, the Competition is of National significance and highly reputed in Literary circles and, consequently, brings great credit to our community.

The Society also continues discussions with Whitehaven Coal and the state governments’ Department of Environment and Heritage over the listing of “Kurrumbede” as a property of State Heritage significance and we are optimistic that a decision on this matter will be made later this year.

We are working towards a successful outcome on this matter which will ensure another significant attraction for visitors to our Shire recognizing the significant connection of the Mackellar family to our community during the early 1900’s.

We look forward to your continuing support in these matters.

Yours sincerely,

Pip Murray

Chairperson

Community Benefit Study Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society Submitted by Secretary Owen Hasler June 2021

Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society

Community Benefit Study 2021

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to outline another successful year of operation by the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society (DMMS) including the conduct of the National Poetry Competition and the promotion of Gunnedah as a Destination for Australian travellers, especially in these COVID times.

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Section 1: National Poetry Competition

The National Poetry Competition provided a major challenge for the DMMS Executive and Project Officer for a number of reasons.

Firstly, as Australia, like the rest of the world, spiralled into a COVID crisis during early 2020 and many states resorted to border lock-downs and school closures to combat the potential spread of the virus, it was problematic as to whether the National competition would be able to be conducted.

However, by relying on the communication by email and the web as well as social media, our Project Officer, Brittany Riley, was able maintain contact with schools and students and encourage their participation , particularly as a means of continuing life as “normal” while the students may still have been relatively isolated in their homes.

These tactics proved to be very successful for a resultant outcome of over 8,000 entries, surpassing the previous years’ entry number, despite the limitations and obstacles caused by COVID.

Once again the quality of the entries was of a high standard and challenged our two judges-both primary and secondary- to separate the finalists.

Having achieved this difficult task it was then necessary to determine how best to undertake a Presentation Day event under the limitations caused by COVID restrictions including the inability of winners to travel interstate.

After lengthy consideration and investigation the concept of a so-called “virtual” presentation event was the preferred option.

Confirmation that this option was acceptable by our major sponsor of the Awards, the Federal Department of Education, was sought and approval received allowing us to proceed as planned.

Such an “event” would require pre-recorded interviews with teachers and students at their school site, filming of Dorothea Mackellar related in Gunnedah (eg. “Kurrumbede”, the Mackellar Centre and Dorothea Mackellar Memorial statue) together with interviews with local DMMS representatives in order to “set the scene” for the” presentations”.

President, Pip Murray, was filmed in the Civic at the lectern “conducting “ the ceremony and this very professional hour long presentation footage was livestreamed to over 10,000 people, who had connected to the broadcast, nationwide.

This was considered an outstanding outcome giving the Awards, and Gunnedah, a high profile across the nation.

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Winners in the various sections included:

Category Winner School Lower Primary Nina Cordaro All Hallows Catholic Primary School, Five Dock NSW Upper Primary Iris Jiang Cherrybrook Public School, Cherrybrook NSW Assisted Learning Curtis Giang Redeemer Baptist School, Primary North Parramatta NSW David Maher Award Max Shearer Rowena Public School, Rowena NSW Junior Secondary Ivy Downes Individual Entry, Katoomba NSW Senior Secondary Theo Harkin Hobart College, Mount Nelson TAS Assisted Learning Lola Wang Redeemer Baptist School, Secondary North Parramatta NSW Kurrumbede Award Evie Watt Sacred Heart School, Boggabri NSW

SCHOOLS’ AWARD, PRIMARY SCHOOLS Redeemer Baptist School, NSW

SCHOOLS' AWARD, SECONDARY SCHOOLS Darwin Middle School, NT

Some comments from previous winners are outlined below:

“Winning the upper primary category in the Dorothea Mackellar poetry competition really means the world to me. throughout 2020, the year where everything that could have possibly gone wrong has gone wrong, winning this competition for me is like a rainbow in the dark sky after the rain. thank you to everyone who has given me this incredible opportunity and shown me that no matter how hard things may get, there is always something good waiting on the other side and that dreams really do come true."

-Iris Jiang, Upper Primary Winner 2020

“Students and teachers at Darwin Middle School should be very proud of winning this prestigious national accolade which underscores the excellent engagement, talent, and commitment of the large number of those who were involved. It’s pleasing to see students’ high levels of enthusiasm and enjoyment in creating and sharing their original poems. They are developing a lifelong

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appreciation for literature and this award will inspire students to continue to achieve and express themselves in creative ways."

-Nickolaos Miaris – Senior Teacher English and Humanities at Darwin Middle School (Secondary Schools' Winner 2020)

"Winning the Dorothea Mackellar poetry award for my age division has been one of the best events of my life. It's a cliché, but to win this award truly means the world to me, as a writer, student and human being. writing is an incredible joy in itself but it feels amazing to be recognised for something I'm passionate about, something I hope to share with the world, and this competition has made me feel like that's possible. Thank you so much, to everyone involved in this competition, for giving me the opportunity."

-Ivy Downes, Junior Secondary Winner 2020

"I so enjoyed my few days in Gunnedah, everyone was so welcoming and interesting. meeting committee members and judges was very special, especially Anne Bell and Kat Apel, and hearing the young poets present their works was inspiring. I am extremely glad I was able to be at the presentation ceremony and associated events and thank all those who contributed to the organisation."

- K. Neasey, 2019 Primary Schools' Winner

"It was a wonderful experience for our whole family to come to presentation ceremony in Gunnedah. We totally enjoyed the whole event. a highlight was the dinner the night before in the lovely gallery, it was special for the parents and kids to get to know each other and their backgrounds. Lachlan has gained great confidence by having to read his poem out on stage. It also gave us a better understanding about the background of the award and how important and big it is. All the organised and committee members were very welcoming and our only regret is not being able to stay on for the weekend to have a look around the area. Thanks to all involved."

- M. Spence, parent of 2019 winner

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"We loved all of the events and it was very clear how much attention to detail had gone into each one. It was also wonderful to be around people who are so passionate about encouraging young people to express themselves. I was very moved to see tears in James Knight’s eyes at one point when he talked about the power of words and the importance of letting young people’s voices be heard - and I think his message resonated with everyone there.

We will never forget the experience and are so grateful to you all for your generosity and hospitality."

- J. Scully, parent of 2018 winner

"I had a great time in all the schedules and I was so grateful to see the beautiful town. It was an amazing new experience for myself and Amy."

- K. Kwak, parent of 2018 winner

Comments from the Federal Department of Education regarding the 2020 Presentation Ceremony were outlined in the email below dated 7 September 2020:

OFFICIAL

Brittany and Owen,

Melissa and I wanted to pass on our congratulations for a wonderful awards presentation ceremony last Friday.

It was lovely to see the smiling faces of all the award winners and listen to their fabulous poetry.

The presentation was really well done. You have all been clearly working extremely hard on it and hope you have a chance now to take a few deep breaths before starting on 2021!

We will be in touch soon in relation to the formalities of extending the grant agreement for an additional 5 years.

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Kind regards,

Jodie

Jodie Reid Assistant Director Phone (02) 6240 9708, Mon – Thurs. Partnerships and Engagement Team

Co-ordination and Engagement Branch

Improving Student Outcomes Division

Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment

Taken from our 2020 Presentation Ceremony (available for viewing on our website, Facebook, and YouTube sites), here are some highlights:

Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning and local Gunnedah woman Hon. Sarah Mitchell congratulating the national winners.

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Above: Minster for Regional Education, Mr Andrew Gee, congratulates the competition winners and the Society for its conduct of the national poetry awards. Below: Gunnedah South students having a ball at Kurrumbede on a visit.

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Above: Redeemer Baptist Principal, Mr Russell Bailey, breaking the news their school had won the Primary Schools’ Award in 2020. Below: Gunnedah South students reciting Dorothea Mackellar’s famous poem, My Country.

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Section 2: Dorothea Mackellar Mega Mural

The DMMS’s second objective for 2020 was the creation of a Mega Mural in order to highlight Dorothea’s connection to Gunnedah.

This objective became a possibility when Gunnedah Shire Council took the initiative and created a resilience fund utilizing funding received from the State and Federal governments as well as their own funds.

The DMMS immediately undertook the necessary planning, including the sourcing of potential artists, identifying a silo on which to create the work, costing of all facets of work, and the formulation of a concept for the image.

This latter issue was further complicated by the building, the Gunnedah Maize Mill (formerly known as Bruntons Mill) being listed a locally significant heritage building.

Therefore the image would have to meet the heritage concept.

After consultation with the preferred artist, Heesco Khosnaran, it was determined that the image would contain a portrait of Dorothea as a young woman photographed when performing in a play at age 30, together with one iconic verse of her poem “My Country” at the top of the image with scenes of harvesting at the turn of the century (i.e. 20th) at the bottom of the image.

The application for funding was submitted to council.

Kathryn Yigman of Stewart Surveys was engaged to prepare the Development Application and she did an outstanding job.

The D.A. was successful and the Society prepared to progress the project only to find that border closures prevented Heesco from entering NSW.

After a long wait and plans to get him into NSW he was finally allowed to enter NSW and undertake the work in late November 2020.

Meanwhile, due to the personal circumstances of the owner of the mill, it was necessary for the Society to undertake repair work to the surface of the Maize Mill in order for Heesco to be able to create the Mural.

This Heesco did under difficult conditions given the very high temperatures experienced during the painting period.

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However, the finished product has been universally received by locals and visitors alike with many visitors making a special trip or stopover in Gunnedah in order to see the Mural.

The Mural features on the Australian Street Art Awards site and gains very positive commentary.

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Section 3: Kurrumbede Open Day

The third objective of the Society for 2020/1 was the planning and conduct of an Open Day event on the property, Kurrumbede, formerly owned by the Mackellar family from 1905-1939.

This objective was made possible by the Heritage conditions contained in the Vickery South Extension Mine approval and the willingness of the owner, Whitehaven Coal, to both participate and fund much of the preparations for the event including preparing the buildings and grounds (as most needed much repair and maintenance) and hiring the necessary equipment being marquees, seating and tables, portable toilets, stage, and so on.

Preparations, including regular weekly joint meetings between DMMS reps and Whitehaven Coals Community Engagement staff , continued for some 3 months leading up to the event.

This included recruiting a number of other organisations to assist in the conduct of the day including:

 Boggabri and Gunnedah Lions Clubs-BBQ  Gunnedah Rural Museum/ Manilla Vintage Club/ Boggabri Tractor Museum-exhibits  Gunnedah SES- car marshalling  Richard Gillham- shearing demonstrations  Tom Gleeson and Tamworth Singers  St Mary’s College Music students  Mini Horses -Val Dewsbury  Gunnedah Urban Landcare Group-plant stand  Coffee Vans and various stallholders

Extensive advertising was undertaken regionally and articles referring to the event were published in a number of national publications including Outback Magazine (see page 16) and the “Sydney Morning Herald” Travellers section (see page 17.)

Despite un-seasonally cold and wet weather on the Thursday immediately preceding the event, a large crowd estimated in excess of one thousand people, attended the Open Day event and the feedback from attendees has been extremely positive as evidenced in the attached documents and following comments:

- “Great opportunity to step back in time.” - “I didn’t realise there were so many of the old buildings remaining. Great to see.” - “Terrific entertainment.” - “Congratulations to the organisers. Everything was catered for.” - “We will certainly be back again next year.”

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Crowds on the lawn at the Kurrumbede Open Day.

The Swain family enjoying the Edwardian festivities.

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Guests sporting attire for the Best Dressed competition on the day.

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Left: The Kurrumbede Open Day poster was placed in many locations around Gunnedah as well as online for maximum distribution and advertising.

Below: An extract from the Northern Daily Leader following the Open Day.

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Outback Magazine spoke with President Pip Murray about the Open Day and were kind enough to include an article in their publication.

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Traveller Magazine’s Anthony Dennis also covered the Kurrumbede Open Day in the nationally distributed Sydney Morning Herald. Please see article link here.

'Sunburnt Country' poet Dorothea Mackellar's home away from home to open to public

Anthony Dennis

President of the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society Pip Murray at Kurrumbede Photo: Andrew Pearson

On the highway linking Tamworth and Gunnedah in northern NSW, there's a moment straight from a My Country stanza. Atop a rise, the full glorious sweep of the bountiful Liverpool Plains - an agricultural expanse extending 12,000 square kilometres - dramatically reveals itself.

Here, deep in the state's Northern Tablelands, you're dead set in Dorothea Mackellar country where the poet's memory is being immortalised like nowhere else in Australia, even though the inspiration for My Country almost certainly emerged from her drought-stricken family property in Maitland, 300 or so kilometres to the south.

However, Gunnedah did figure prominently in many of Mackellar's poems, such as Burning Off, written in 1911 and referencing an adjoining property, the Rampadells. And the town now boasts a bold mural by Melbourne street artist Heesco Khosnaran emblazoned on the side of a maize mill.

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Dorothea Mackellar in 1955.

It serves as a tribute to My Country, Mackellar's most cherished poem, so famous that it's even been co-opted into a TV supermarket commercial in recent times. Elsewhere in the town there's a bronze statue of the young poet sitting side-saddle on a horse as it drinks from a stream.

On Saturday, June 12, the attention on Mackellar, who was born in 1885 and died in 1968, will turn from the mural and statue to "Kurrumbede", her wealthy family's other homestead on the outskirts of Gunnedah.

"The Mackellar family built an imposing homestead and outbuildings which still remain and Dorothea visited the property, run by her brothers, Malcolm and Eric, on a regular basis," says Pip Murray, president of the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society, which runs an annual poetry competition in honour of its namesake. "Some of her poetry refers directly to the Gunnedah landscape."

Mackellar, the daughter of prominent late 19th and early 20th century politician and surgeon Charles Mackellar, regularly holidayed at the Edwardian-era homestead from her home in Sydney.

Kurrumbede was designed in 1905 by the Sydney architect John Reid, known for his commercial banks and wool stores. It was an atypical Australian country homestead, and it’s somewhat austere and less than romantic facade is rendered in stone and includes a slate roof. It was completed around 1908, and it also features extensive gardens and now tumbledown but still imposing station outbuildings.

Mackellar wasn't the only famous Australian to call the property a home away from home. Andrew "Boy" Charlton, the gold medal-winning Olympic freestyle swimmer, worked as a jackaroo at the property and also trained for the 1924 Paris Games in the waters of the nearby Namoi River.

By all accounts it entertained many visitors over the years. In 1934 The Sydney Mail reported on a garden fete held there for 2500 people to raise money for World War I returned servicemen and their families.

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Kurrumbede is today owned by Whitehaven Coal which controversially plans to mine the area surrounding the homestead. But on June 12, its gates will be flung open, offering a unique opportunity for fans to honour the life and works of a poet who was among the first homegrown writers to unconditionally celebrate the fearful majesty of the Australian landscape.

THE DETAILS

TOUR

The inaugural Dorothea Mackellar Kurrumbede open day on Saturday, June 12, will run from 10am- 3pm. Courtesy buses will run from the Mackellar Centre in Gunnedah (the former Visitor Information Centre across from the town pool in Anzac Park.) Parking available. Entry free. Kurrumbede is about 25 kilometres from Gunnedah.

The Dorothea Mackellar mural at Gunnedah in northern NSW. Photo: Alamy

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Section 4: The Mackellar Centre

The Mackellar Centre is opened to the public three days per week when our Project Officer is staffing the office and undertaking the conduct of the national poetry competition.

The Centre is also opened and staffed by volunteers on four national public holidays and is also opened by prior arrangement. Consequently we cater for travelling bus groups and school groups. They have provided further positive feedback as demonstrated by the comments below:

 “Spectacular” – Christine and George S., Germany  “Fantastic exhibition and display” – Helena Cooke, Linfield NSW  “Beautiful paintings” – Georgie and Ray Thornton, Barbados  “Great exhibition” – Bonfield/Gray, New Zealand  “Loved it all! Paintings too!” – Marietta Gartner, Redland Bay, QLD

The Society has sought the option of the two-year extension of our lease in order to ensure our ongoing operation of the national poetry competition and to provide the maximum access to the Jean Isherwood artworks and Mackellar family memorabilia.

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Section 5: Outcomes

The conduct of these three events during the last year have provided significant positive outcomes for our community and provided a number of opportunities for enrichment and enjoyment for people locally as well as across the region and across Australia.

The National poetry competition remains both the largest and longest running (having run continuously since 1984) such competition conducted in Australia- a significant achievement.

This year, in the deepest, darkest times of COVID-19, we saw over 8000 entries.

Number received to date for the 2021 competition is on target to surpass this figure reinforcing the popularity of the competition Australia wide and recognizing the Society’s important role as the convener and organiser of the event.

The Mega Mural project has drawn enormous attention and pride in our community with many who witness the image stating: “That is the best mural in Australia.” That claim will probably be tested in the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards when the Society nominates the project for an award.

The Society is confident that the regular, positive comments by visitors will be acknowledged by the judges when the judging is undertaken.

Consequently, the Society’s work in producing the Mural has provided a significant impetus to visitations to Gunnedah by those keen to witness the Mural-and a spend commensurate with such visitations is anticipated and will be of benefit to the Gunnedah Business community as well as enhancing the reputation of Gunnedah to the travelling public.

The Kurrumbede Open Day event was very important in that it has provided access for many people to witness and recognize the heritage of our Shire and its close connection to an iconic Australian family-the Mackellars- and in particular Dorothea Mackellar.

As a community rich in Agricultural history, the opening of Kurrumbede and its historic precinct allows people to see how vibrant these large properties were in the early 20th century, and to enjoy the ambiance in a delightful setting, such as the gardens of Kurrumbede.

The fact that over one thousand people attended the first event, despite the overcast and inclement conditions, in order to participate in the first Open Day augurs well for Gunnedah and reflects the interest by visitors in attending such events. This Open Day is an added attraction for Gunnedah and its visitors.

The DMMS congratulates Whitehaven Coal on its willingness to jointly initiate and conduct the event as well as provide considerable financial backing and staff time. This was integral to the success of the Open Day.

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The Society executive found the Whitehaven staff, led by Andrew Garrett and Darren Swain, to be a very professional and experienced team who ensured that all aspects of the day, including safety and sanitation, were catered for.

We are presently assessing the event and will be having further discussions with Whitehaven Coal with the objective of ensuring that such Open Day events continue in future years and that access to the “Kurrumbede Precinct” is available and scheduled on other occasions.

We will provide this information as soon as the negotiations and appropriate discussions have been completed.

In terms of financial impact on the Gunnedah economy it is difficult to ascertain an exact “spend” by visitors motivated to visit Gunnedah in order to witness the mural or attend the Open Day.

However, it is clearly evident that the promotion of our community by all three projects in which the Society played a key role has brought literally thousands of dollars worth of positive publicity for our community and will continue to promote our community and attract visitation well into the future.

Our local community, as well as the Australian community, has benefited considerably from the work of the Society who have utilised generous funding from the Commonwealth Government Department of Education, Gunnedah Shire Council, and our mining and quarry sponsors to ensure that these activities took place.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards

The Annual Report

2020

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Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..3 2020 Project Objectives……………………………………………………………………………….…....4 Outcomes of the Key Project Tasks 2020………………………………………………....………..6 Competition Data………………………………………………………………………………..….…………10 2020 Judges………………………………………………………………………….…………..………..…….14 Judges’ Reports………………………………………………………………………………………..….…...15 Awards and Prizes………………………………………………………………………………….….………18 National Presentation Ceremony…………………………………………………………..….………20 2020 Winners……………………………………………………………….……………………………….....22 Prize Presentations in Individual Categories - Lower Primary………………………………………………………………………………………23 - Upper Primary……………………………………………………………………….…………....24 - Junior Secondary……………………………………………………………………………..…..25 - Senior Secondary………………………………………………………………………………….26 - Learning Assistance Primary…………………………………………………………………27 - Learning Assistance Secondary……………………………………………………..……..28 - David Maher Award………………………………………………………………………….....29 - *New* Kurrumbede Award………………………………………………………………….30 Schools’ Awards - Primary Schools’ Winner………………………………………………………………..…….31 - Secondary Schools’ Winner……………………………………………………….…………32 - Commended Schools…………………………………………………………………..……....33 Runners-Up Presentations……………………………………………………………………………....34 Promotional Materials 2020………………………………………………………………………...... 36 2020 Initiatives……………………………………………………………………………….……………….38 Issues impacting on the 2020 Awards……………………………………………….……………..48 Appendix A – Financial Statement of Expenditure………………………………….………..50 Appendix B – List of Attachments…………………………………………………………….………51

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Introduction

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards (DMPA) is a unique project, initiated and maintained by volunteers since 1984.

The DMPA is proudly the largest, oldest and best known children’s poetry competition in the country. It has an established reputation among the education and literary communities and is committed to the wonderful cause of promoting the importance of literacy, love of country and cultural heritage for young people.

COVID-19 inhibited school attendance nationwide, but the DMPA survived and thrived in the face of uncertainty with 7,651 entries from 544 participating schools and individual student registrations. These entries are higher than the figures from 2019 (6,965 entries / 426 registrations last year) and reflect the profound support and appreciation of creative expression in the Australian education system.

We received entries from across the country in both the primary and secondary sections, which is in-keeping with previous competitions’ general trends.

This year’s winners included students from Five Dock, NSW; North Parramatta, NSW; Katoomba, NSW; Mount Nelson, TAS; Rowena, NSW; and for the first time, Boggabri NSW, with the introduction of the Kurrumbede Award open to students who attend school within a 100km radius of Gunnedah, NSW.

Runners-up came from North Parramatta, NSW; Crows Nest, NSW; Baulkham Hills, NSW; Canterbury, VIC and Wahroonga, NSW.

When the highly commended (up to 10) and commended entries (up to 30) in each category are taken into consideration, every State and Territory in Australia is represented with their children’s poetry recognised among the best in the country and demonstrating the widespread national appeal of the DMPA.

The Awards continue to attract consistently high entry numbers and, through promotion, resource base and methodical implementation, the organisers report that the project objectives have been met.

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2020 Project Objectives

The project objectives form the overall framework of the annual activities implemented by the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards’ organisers.

The objectives of the Project are to:

- Lift the profile of poetry based on the Literature strand of the Australian Curriculum: English

- Ensure a broad representation of schools participating in the poetry competition

- Engage and inspire school students to participate in poetry

- Provide an opportunity for school students to explore their creativity through writing poetry; and

- Recognise and reward poetry writing.

The project objectives were achieved through timely planning and scheduled delivery of the activities as set out in key project tasks and guidelines of the Project Proposal 2015-20, item A (and adopted in the Deed of Variation No. 1 to Grant Agreement made in May 2020). The current annual report covers all the information required in accordance with the reporting clauses of the Proposal whereby the DMPA has undertaken and accomplished the following:

a. Promoted the Awards as a national activity, with a particular emphasis on strategies to ensure broader / increased participation in States and Territories with historically lower participation rates, including inviting regional and remote area schools to participate in the Awards- this was clearly demonstrated by the fact that Max Shearer of Rowena Public School won the inaugural David Maher Award for Small Schools, and the introduction of the Kurrumbede Award (open to students within 100km of Gunnedah) to attract local entries;

b. Maintained alignment of the Awards with the National Curriculum by making explicit links to the literature strand of the Australian Curriculum: English, and linking where possible to resources on websites that align with the National Curriculum;

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c. Appropriately recognised and made positive representation regarding the Commonwealth Government’s support through branding and agreed wording in all promotional activities, websites and communication materials; and d. Established and maintained connections between the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society and the Australian Government through reporting, consultation and promotion of the DMPA, including inviting the Ministers for Education and Training to events. Unfortunately, in 2020, we were not able to hold a ceremony in Gunnedah due to COVID travel restrictions. Instead DMMS opted for a virtual ceremony in which Mr Andrew Gee MP (Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education) and The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC (Minister for Early Education) submitted speaking videos to be included in the hour-long virtual Presentation.

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Outcomes of the Key Project Tasks 2020

Project outcomes implementation was carried out through completion of a number of key project tasks that were structured under the two overall project strategies.

The strategies of the Project:  timely review and upgrade of promotion procedures and presentation of existing material in consultation with the stakeholders  organise and implement presentation of the Awards’ prizes and overall results as stipulated in the Awards’ terms and conditions. Due to COVID, we were not able to host a guest speaker or poetry workshops as a part of the Presentation Program like in previous years.

I. Promotion and Design

Promotion procedures and presentation of existing material was reviewed and improved in consultation with the parties to the current agreement. Specific key project tasks completed include:

1. Entry Forms, Terms and Conditions

a. Entry forms and the relevant entry process information was sent to all schools in Australia via email in late February / early March allowing teachers and students approximately four months to prepare entries. b. Entry forms and the relevant entry process distributed to: - State and Territory Education Departments’ literacy consultants and equivalent representatives in the Catholic and Independent school sectors - national and state English Teacher Associations, Primary English Teacher Association, Australian Literacy Educators’ Association, Home Schoolers Association, Association for Gifted and Talented Children - a number of websites catering for poetry and creative writing contacted with entry forms, relevant entry process and supporting material for promotion of the annual competition, details specified in Appendix B.

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2. Media

- National and regional media specifically targeted with media releases and advertising to promote overall industry coverage as well as encourage an increase in entries from States and Territories with historically lower levels of participation (detailed media promotion and advertising list in Appendix B). - Specific publications and promotion procedures targeting teachers and students were used as a priority promotion vehicle. Examples include direct communication through teacher contacts using past competitions’ databases, targeted industry newsletters, industry workshops and conferences via patrons and judges.

3. Stakeholders and Advocates

- Awards continued to build on relationships with state Departments of Education, Catholic Education Commissions, Independent Schools Associations and English Teachers Associations - approaches made to the Australian School Library Association, poetry festivals and competitions to find ways to cross promote activities and events - existing endorsements timely reviewed and ways to strengthen these relationships explored. Current associations include, among others, the Australian Children’s Book Council, Dorothea Mackellar Estate and Australian Children’s Poetry.

4. Website

- A complete redevelopment of the DMPA website was carried out in late 2015 early 2016 and updated again in 2019. The current site has improved security features, end user interface and administrator usability and upgraded maintainability; - the upgrade incorporated the usual annual revamp of the competition related information in preparation for the 2020 users; relevant design, content, site’s technical compatibility and usage functions have been updated; - website monitoring and maintenance implemented throughout the year to ensure streamlined access to resources, competition information, online entry procedures and archive materials; - additionally, making minor technical changes in the competition portal at judges’ discretion to improve usability;

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- timely updates of brands and agreed wording for sponsors / supporters carried out.

5. Resources

- Annual review / upgrade of resources available for teachers / students carried out to incorporate the latest developments in the poetry writing and literacy areas.

- To align content of existing and new resources with the Literacy Strand of the National Curriculum: English, the material on the ability to understand and produce the English language accurately, fluently, creatively, critically, confidently, and effectively in a range of modes, and digital and print settings, in texts designed for a range of purposes and audiences was included. References covering the following sub strands were maintained:

. Texts in context . Interacting with others . Interpreting, analysing and evaluating . Creating texts . The role of digital technologies.

The nature of the 2020 Awards’ project covers all the areas of the strand: teaching poetry includes creating texts in context (on a theme); interacting with others in a classroom / home, brainstorming the topics, expanding vocabulary; interpreting, analysing and evaluating the results and creating the final texts. The role of digital technologies is vital throughout the whole process from initial research and final submission of poems for judging directly to the website via internet.

Resources currently available are listed below.

GETTING CREATIVE - RESOURCES FOR KIDS

 An Easy Way to Write a Poem by Sally Murphy – author of Pearl Versus the World and 2012 / 13 Awards Judge.  How to Write a Good Poem by Lorraine Marwood – Winner Prime Minister’s Literary Award Children’s Category for Star Jumps. Lorraine was also a 2006 Awards Judge.  What Will I Write About? by Dee White – author of Letters to Leonardo and Harry's Goldfield Adventure.

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Annual Report 2020

 The Seven R’s by Libby Hathorn – author of Zahara’s Rose and The Great Big Animal Ask.  Mentoring Kit by Lorraine Marwood and Clare Saxby combine their talents to provide a Mentoring Kit: A Guide for Young Poets.

POETRY IN THE CLASSROOM – RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

 ‘Little Incident Poems’ and ‘Images’, techniques for junior and senior students by Lorraine Marwood.  Using Pirozzo’s Grids, an introduction by Catriona Coote  Thinking Tools Key  Year 5 Poetry by Henrietta Miller  Poetry Stage 3 by Michele Beach  Poetry Year 7/8 (Including Learning Contracts) by Vicki French  Protest Poetry and Songs Stage 5 (Year 9) by Sandi Butler  Poetry – Student Choice of Poet Year 9 by Di McGowan  Poetry Writing for Home Schoolers by Janelle McDonald

POETRY WRITING HOW TO’S– FROM JUDGE KATHRYN APEL

 Tetractys Poems  Golden Shovel Poems  Didactic Cinquain Poems  Lorraine Marwood Guest Blog Post on Poetry Writing

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

2020 Competition Data

1. Entries

The aim to continue to achieve the increase in the overall entry numbers has been accomplished. The competition statistics for participation in total, by category and state:

Totals

Entries 7651

Number of registered schools 544

Categories Lower Primary 1016 Upper Primary 4220 Learning Assistance Primary 126 Junior Secondary 1270 Senior Secondary 618 Learning Assistance Secondary 51 David Maher Award 68 Kurrumbede Award 282

State/Territory

ACT 128

NSW 4520

NT 165

QLD 658

SA 280

TAS 278 VIC 1229 WA 390

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Annual Report 2020

2. Theme

The theme for the 2020 Competition –We Used to Live There” - was set and announced / advertised within the scheduled time period. The theme had a broad appeal to students of all ages and environments and allowed for wide interpretative options.

The chosen theme for 2021 is: “Rich and Rare”; promotion and advertising will commence over the coming months.

3. Categories

- The established categories were confirmed for 2015 – 2020 to ensure that the entries were spread across a wider variety of ages, abilities and environments in order to reflect the national approach of the competition. Specific clarifications were outlined for the Assisted Learning Primary & Secondary, the Kurrumbede Award, and the David Maher Awards’ criteria:  Assisted Learning categories - entries to be submitted by the teacher, only students on IEP (Individual Education Program) or STLA (Support Teacher Learning Assistance) programs or with English as a second language are eligible to enter;  David Maher Small Schools Award – awarded to best individual entry from a school with 25 students or less (primary school only)  Kurrumbede Award – awarded to the best primary school and secondary school entry within a 100km radius of Gunnedah.

Lower Primary K – 3

Upper Primary 4 – 6 + 7 SA Assisted Learning Primary K – 6 + 7 SA Junior Secondary 7 – 9 Senior Secondary 10 – 12 Assisted Learning Secondary 7 – 12 Schools’ Award (primary and secondary) N/A David Maher Award for Small Schools K – 6 (under 25 students) Kurrumbede Award (Primary and Secondary K – 12 category if entries allow)

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Annual Report 2020

- In each category (except the Small Schools’ Award and Kurrumbede Award, where just one winner is recognised, see below) there were the following number of nominations:

General Categories Winner 1 Runner-up 1 Highly Commended up to 10 Commended up to 30

Schools’ Award (primary and secondary) and David Maher Award (primary schools only) Winner 1 Commendations from up to 10 each judge

4. Judging process

In 2020, our primary school judge was Kathryn Apel while Meredith Costain judged the secondary school sections. The judging process remained the same as previous years with the judges considering all the submitted entries in their respective categories.

Judges are selected and invited to be involved in the competition on the basis of their literary profile and publishing experience over the course of their career. Both judges have extensive knowledge and understanding of high-quality writing having won numerous awards and written works of fiction as well as poetry themselves.

As per normal protocol of two-year tenure for our judges, we will have two new judges joining us for 2021-22.

Our judges viewed the entries via the online portal throughout the competition period.

The following general judging criteria was referenced in determination of the highest ranking competition poetry:

 work stands out from the rest because the poet’s approach to the subject matter is individual or “different”;  has a distinctive style;  is a personal response to a situation the poet cares deeply about;

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Annual Report 2020

 shows that the poet is attuned to his or her surroundings;  touches deep emotions;  contains powerfully understated last lines;  resounds with metaphors and similes that captivate the reader;  contains lines which are a treasure of clear, detailed sensory images;  is skilfully constructed, with memorable lines and poetic devices such as alliteration, rhythm and internal rhyme;  is thought-provoking.

An honorarium payment of $2000 was paid to each judge at the completion of the competition. Provision for an incremental fee increase of $75 each for every 1000 entries over 10,000 was not required in 2020.

Judges provided a report as well as a brief review of each of the winning, runners-up, shortlisted, highly commended and commended poems. At a normal presentation ceremony, each judge presents winners with their prizes on stage, with some comments on the competition experience. Accommodation and travel expenses for both judges are covered by the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards. In 2020, the ceremony was done virtually and these comments were delivered in the presentation video.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

2020 Judges:

Primary categories’ judge:

Kathryn Apel is a born-and-bred farm girl who’s scared of cows. She lives among the gum trees, cattle and kangaroos on a Queensland grazing property. Kat is the author of three verse novels and a rhyming picture book, and has been published globally in magazines, anthologies, text books – and on walls. Her younger reader verse novel, ‘Bully on the Bus’ won the Australian Family Therapy’s Award for Children’s Literature and was selected as a 2020 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (America).

Kat loves pumping poetry because she can flex her muscles across other genres, to bend (and break) writing rules. A trained teacher and literacy consultant, Kathryn conducts author talks and poetry workshops at schools and festivals around the world, as well as delivering professional development for educators – using poetry as a tool to develop writing muscle across the curriculum. Kathryn has an active online presence, through Twitter, Instagram and her website where she blogs as a part of the international #PoetryFriday community.

Secondary categories’ judge:

Meredith Costain is a versatile writer from Victoria, whose work ranges from picture books through to poetry, novels and non-fiction. Her books include CBCA Honour Book Doodledum Dancing (a collection of verse for children illustrated by Pamela Allen), Musical Harriet, Bed Tails and her new series Olivia’s Secret Scribbles.

Meredith wrote stories and poems in her head while riding her bike to school along the banks of the Bunyip River, and her poem ‘My Little Creek’ was published in the children’s section of The Age newspaper when she was eight. Her poetry has appeared in many collections since then (both in Australia and internationally) and is a feature of her quirky best-selling series the Ella Diaries. She enjoys presenting poetry and writing workshops to children and adults around Australia and overseas.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Judges’ Reports:

Primary Schools’ Report

Poetry is a voice – a means to express a stress – and this year there has been much to talk (and stress) about! I am so thankful the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards have given kids an impetus to write poetry, because I have had the privilege of reading their words, and in 2020, kids have needed poetry more than ever. I have heard their fears, frustrations and fortitude; grappling with bushfires, coronavirus, isolation, racism, cancer, abuse, loss …

The beautiful thing about poetry is that it isn’t just about here and now – it’s also a pathway to escape the complexities of our world; to imagine a better place, to savour simple beauty, and to dwell in happy memories. This year, kids have needed that space, too! There have been so many poems that I’ve wanted to recognise or respond to. Poems that have moved or concerned me, made me ponder, made me laugh. Poems I wanted to read over and over again, from poets whose craft I admired. Poems I could relate to!

Some insider tips for future entries …

1) So many poems were brimming with promise but took themselves out of contention because of errors; punctuation, rhythm, spelling – in one case I suspect a whole last line missing. Get a friend or family member to read your poem to you - without rehearsing. Where they stumble, you need to edit, because your rhythm isn’t right. And get an adult to help check your spelling and punctuation. 2) If writing to the competition theme, try to respond without directly quoting it. Bear in mind that many, many other students will write the theme as their title, opening line, closing line – and repeated refrain throughout. A subtle response is powerful and creative, so aim to be different! 3) Whilst your poem might initially be inspired by a specific format, such as sensory poems; (Topic tastes like… Topic smells like… Topic feels like…) in later drafts, try to mix it up so that the cue words aren’t obvious. A judge gets to read a lot of sensory poems. You want to stand out! 4) Please copy and paste your poems into the relevant box within the portal and refrain from attaching a Word or PDF document, or posting paper copies to competition administrators. The most arduous part of judging is not the volume of the entries (these are a joy!), but rather, it’s the time-consuming and complicated process of accessing too many of your poems as attached documents. RSI is a very real problem when you are dealing with thousands of entries, so please … do this small thing.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Not all poems can gain recognition through awards or publication in the pages of a book, but that doesn’t mean the words have been wasted. The act of writing them ensures you’ve benefitted. Continue to play with words and form, as a means of expression and creativity, and to strengthen your literacy skills. Write what you’re passionate about, write from your heart and write for the fun of it! Just keep writing! Next year this fantabulous opportunity will be offered again, and you will be ‘write’ ready to take advantage of it!

-Kathryn Apel

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Secondary Schools’ Report

Once again I have been blown away by the talent and creativity of the young people of Australia. Congratulations to all those who made the effort to pick up pen and paper or wrangle keyboards into action to submit their poems to the awards this year. I hope the experience has been as rewarding for you as it has been for me to read them.

This year’s optional theme—‘We used to live there’—was a popular one, with many different interpretations. These ranged from nostalgic and sentimental accounts of a much- loved house or farm, to heartbreaking reports from an apocalyptic future, where all remnants of life have been extinguished by humanity’s shameful actions, to memories of life in another culture, country or era of history, which for better or worse has been left behind. Unsurprisingly, many poems reflected on the loss of individual freedoms and valued routines brought about by COVID-19.

Other poems examined evergreen themes and concerns: destruction of the environment—whether by bushfire or greed, racism, war, oppression, the rise of technology and social media and its effect on society, the devastating loss of a loved family member. And then there were the poems that celebrated life and the tiny moments of joy to be found in nature, or recognised and revered the power of hope.

It was wonderful to see so many poets exploring different techniques and forms in their work, ranging from the light-hearted rhythm of traditional bush ballads to the mesmerising beats of modern-day rap. There were cinquains and sonnets, haiku and villanelles, and poems that required an incredible level of technical skill—for both the writer and the reader! For me, the strongest poems were those that employed imagery and other poetic devices to deliver an emotional impact, or paint a memorable scene with well-chosen words, rather than simply expressing a point of view or telling a story.

Thanks once again to the teachers—and parents!—who have worked hard to instil a love of reading and writing in their students. Their lives—and ours—will definitely be the richer for it.

-Meredith Costain

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Awards and Prizes:

1. Prizes awarded

Recognition of outstanding talent and promotion of children’s work nationally is considered one of the most valuable aspects of the awards’ process. The actual prizes awarded were as follows: - Winners received - a trophy, cash prize, a collection of books and the opportunity to participate in our first ever Virtual Presentation Ceremony. - Runners-up received - cash prize and a collection of books.

The collection of books included Dorothea Mackellar’s biography and anthology of her poems as well as a selection of titles donated by publishing houses.

a. Trophies

Each year the aim is for the trophy to reflect the creativity of the winners and appeal to both children and young adults. In 2020, the trophy was created by local Kamilaroi artist, Ron Long.

He designed and handcrafted unqiue coolamons from wood collected around the Gunnedah area to gift to our individual winners, judges and schools’ award winners. In 2021, we will be seeking other local artists to create meaningful, inspiring trophies for our winning students.

A screenshot of our 2020 virtual Presentation Ceremony

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Annual Report 2020

b. Cash prizes

Cash prizes awarded in 2020:

Category Winner Runner-Up Lower Primary $300 $150 Upper Primary $400 $200 Assisted Learning Primary $400 $200 David Maher Award $250 N/A Junior Secondary $500 $300 Senior Secondary $500 $300 Assisted Learning Secondary $500 $300 Primary Schools’ Award $1,000 N/A Secondary Schools’ Award $1,000 N/A Kurrumbede Award $250 N/A

c. Certificates

Participation certificates for all entrants are a very important part of the competition; these were issued to all students who took part in recognition of their effort. Certificates were mailed out to all participating schools and families in September.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

National Presentation Ceremony

Every year, it is a special experience to see the National Presentation Ceremony manifest after months of hard work, but in 2020, COVID travel restrictions made this feat impossible. After months of deliberation, the Committee decided to do our first ever virtual Presentation Ceremony.

The Society engaged the services of videographer Kent Woodcock, who with his team, coordinated with DMMS to bring an hour-long ceremony to the screen. President Pip Murray acted as emcee as she introduced the following:

 The winners in each category (who each recited their winning poems);  Marlie Thomas and pre-school students from Winanga-Li Childcare reciting “Welcome to Country”;  Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education, Mr Andrew Gee;  Minister for Early Education, Ms Sarah Mitchell MLC;  DMPA Patron, Ms Susan Duncan;  DMPA Patron, The Hon. Mark Vaile AO (Whitehaven Chairman);  Judges Kathryn Apel and Meredith Costain;  Project Officer, Brittany Riley;  Our sponsors and their valued contributions.

The ceremony video was uploaded to our website, YouTube page, and our Facebook page where it has collectively reached thousands of people in total. With previous physical ceremonies in Gunnedah, this number was not possible. Overall we were very pleased with the outcome as the ceremony video also included two smaller videos giving background on the Awards and of the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society.

To view the full ceremony, please see links below:

 Website: https://www.dorothea.com.au/content/news/31733/2020%20Presentation%20Cere mony  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adhWLraC0SU&t=31s  Facebook: https://fb.watch/27Xkwgw4xl/

In 2018, we welcomed a new Patron for the Awards: Susan Duncan. Susan has enjoyed a highly successful career, firstly as a journalist - editing the Australian Women’s Weekly -

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then as an acclaimed author with her well known works Salvation Creek and House at Salvation Creek. Our other continuing Patron for the awards is Mr. Mark Vaile AO, Chairman of Whitehaven Coal.

We are very thankful for their participation and support as well-known Patrons of the Society and the Awards.

The Honourable Mark Ms. Susan Duncan Vaile AO, Chairman, Author Whitehaven Coal Former Journalist

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Annual Report 2020

2020 Winners

Category Winner School Lower Primary Nina Cordaro All Hallows Catholic Primary School, Five Dock NSW Upper Primary Iris Jiang Cherrybrook Public School, Cherrybrook NSW Assisted Learning Curtis Giang Redeemer Baptist School, Primary North Parramatta NSW David Maher Award Max Shearer Rowena Public School, Rowena NSW Junior Secondary Ivy Downes Individual Entry, Katoomba NSW Senior Secondary Theo Harkin Hobart College, Mount Nelson TAS Assisted Learning Lola Wang Redeemer Baptist School, Secondary North Parramatta NSW Kurrumbede Award Evie Watt Sacred Heart School, Boggabri NSW

SCHOOLS’ AWARD, PRIMARY SCHOOLS Redeemer Baptist School, NSW

SCHOOLS' AWARD, SECONDARY SCHOOLS Darwin Middle School, NT

(view all poems online via https://www.dorothea.com.au/award-winners)

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Poetry Awards

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Prize Presentations in Individual Categories

Primary categories include:

 Lower Primary (Years K – 3)  Upper Primary (Years 4 – 6, inc. Year 7 in SA)

LOWER PRIMARY

Nina Cordaro, age 8 All Hallows Catholic Primary School, Five Dock NSW

Judge Kat Apel described Nina’s poem as follows: Lovely turn of phrase, rhythm and rhyme gives wings to this delightful poem, that flits beautifully down the page.

See the link to Nina’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

UPPER PRIMARY

Iris Jiang, age 11 Cherrybrook Public School, Cherrybrook NSW

Judge Kat Apel described Iris’s poem as follows:

Alliteration and alignment are skilfully employed to showcase fragile moments of delicacy and movement in this exquisite cinquain. In a world of turmoil, this poem is a restorative breath of beauty.

See the link to Iris’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Senior categories:

 Junior Secondary (Years 7-9)  Senior Secondary (Years 10-12)

JUNIOR SECONDARY

Ivy Downes, age 13 Indiviudal Entry, Katoomba NSW

Judge Meredith Costain described Ivy’s poem as follows:

A beautifully controlled and sincere poem, with a clever extra layer that set up questions about how we view and value what is undeniably real, and what is purely artificial. Its powerful imagery will linger long after the page has turned.

See the link to Ivy’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

SENIOR SECONDARY

Theo Harkin, age 18 Hobart College, Mount Nelson TAS

Judge Meredith Costain described Theo’s poem as follows:

A highly evocative and lyrical poem, beautifully resolved, where each word has been carefully chosen to reflect both mood and landscape. The clever interplay between the account of the narrator’s trip up and down the mountain and the status of his relationship is breathtakingly effective.

See the link to Theo’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Assisted Learning categories:

Assisted Learning categories cater for students’ with special needs and/or English as a second language.

 Assisted Learning Primary (Years K – 6, inc. Year 7 in SA)  Assisted Learning Secondary (Years 7- 12)

LEARNING ASSISTANCE PRIMARY

Curtis Giang, age 11 Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta NSW

Judge Kat Apel described Curtis’s poem as follows:

Great word choice and description in this active poem that invites the reader to play ball with an exuberant dog - over and over again.

See the link to Curtis’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

LEARNING ASSISTANCE SECONDARY

Lola Wang, age 13 Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta NSW

Judge Meredith Costain described Lola’s poem as follows:

An understated, delicate and well-constructed poem. Its simplicity belies its powerful message of hope.

See the link to Lola’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

David Maher Award for Small Schools:

Awarded to the best individual entry from a primary school with 25 students or less.

Max Shearer, age 11 Rowena Public School, Rowena NSW

Judge Kat Apel described Max’s poem as follows:

A thoughtful poem particularly relevant to this year, where we need to remember to celebrate those shining moments... and share the light with others!

See the link to Max’s poem here.

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Annual Report 2020

Kurrumbede Award:

*New in 2020* Awarded to the best individual entry from a student who attends school within a 100km radius of Gunnedah.

Evie Watt, age 8 Sacred Heart School, Boggabri NSW

Judge Kat Apel described Evie’s poem as follows:

An informative and entertaining introduction to the production of fluffy white clouds of cotton.

See the link to Evie’s poem here.

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Schools’ Awards:

SCHOOLS’ AWARD WINNERS

Schools that demonstrate effort, achievement and a high standard of entries are recognised with these Awards. A number of commendations are also awarded by the judges within this category.

Primary Schools’ Winner:

Redeemer Baptist School North Parramatta, NSW Website: https://www.redeemer.nsw.edu.au/

Judge Kat Apel made the following comments about Redeemer Baptist:

Wonderful to see entries across a range of ages, categories and poetic forms, demonstrating wordplay, unique voice, creativity and polish.

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Annual Report 2020

Secondary Schools’ Winner:

Darwin Middle School The Gardens, NT Website: https://darwinmiddle.nt.edu.au/

Judge Meredith Cosatin made the following comments about Darwin Middle School:

A cavalcade of poems flooded in from Darwin Middle School this year, brimming with vibrant imagery and diverse formats, and rich stories to share. A refreshing balm for the senses!

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Annual Report 2020

Commended Schools:

2020 School Commendations awarded by the judges went to the following schools:

PRIMARY SCHOOLS-

 Newcastle East Public School, Newcastle NSW  Cherrybrook Public School, Cherrybrook NSW  Matthew Pearce Public School, Baulkham Hills NSW  Warialda Public School, Warialda NSW  Methodist Ladies’ College, Kew VIC  Acting Up Drama Academy, Wollongong NSW  Tacking Point Public School, Port Macquarie NSW

SECONDARY SCHOOLS-

 Brigidine College, St Ives, NSW  Elizabeth College, Hobart, TAS  North Sydney Girls High School, Crows Nest NSW  Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Burwood VIC  Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Peppermint Grove WA  Redeemer Baptist School, North Parramatta NSW  St Michael’s Collegiate, Hobart TAS  University High School, Parkville VIC

Browse 2020 National Presentation ceremony booklet to see the winning and runner up poems and judges' reports.

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Runners-Up Presentations

Before 2020, Local MP’s were invited to attend the school ceremonies to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the runner-up’s and to congratulate the schools on supporting and nurturing creative writing of the national standard. COVID-19 affected so many elements of our annual presentation, and unfortunately the runner-up presentations were one of them.

Although these individual ceremonies were not able to be held, the schools were still sent the prize packs, cheques, and special certificates to recognise the outstanding achievements of their students.

Our 2020 runners-up were as follows:

Category Runner-Up School Poem Lower Primary Adele Scully Prouille Catholic Primary “Savour the Moment” School, Wahroonga NSW Upper Primary Dorian Ndongo- Redeemer Baptist School “Haiku” Empesa North Parramatta NSW Assisted Learning Primary Larissa Ma Camberwell Girls “Gone” Grammar, Canterbury VIC Junior Secondary Janice Han North Sydney Girls “Poem 1” School, Crows Nest NSW Senior Secondary Janiru Liyanage Baulkham Hills High “My Mother Won’t School, Baulkham Hills Let Me Write About NSW Home” Assisted Learning Adrian Burns Redeemer Baptist School “Running Wild Secondary North Parramatta NSW Tomorrow”

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Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Competition Commendations

All Shortlisted, Highly Commended, and Commended entries were recognised with the special mention on a participation certificate.

Category Commended Highly Commended Shortlisted Lower Primary 3 3 1 Upper Primary 7 4 1 Assisted Learning Primary 2 4 - Junior Secondary 5 6 2 Senior Secondary 6 11 3 Assisted Learning Secondary 2 2 1 David Maher Award 1 1 1 Kurrumbede Award 6 - -

Here is a document containing the list of commended, highly commended and shortlisted poems with accompanying comments from the judges.

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Annual Report 2020

Promotional Materials 2020

a. Printing and Stationery

Promotional material for 2020 was professionally designed and printed. The design concept reflected the overall annual theme. The material produced remained consistent with previous years’ promotional material and included:

 Theme design  Entry form  Participation certificates  Illustrated National Presentation booklet  *New in 2020* Soft-bound anthology

b. Participation Certificates The certificates of participation for all entrants are a very important part of the competition. It is an opportunity to recognise all students who enter for their efforts and will, hopefully, encourage them and others to take an interest in writing creatively.

Every child that took part in the 2020 competition received a professionally designed and printed participation certificate in their name. A copy of the certificate is enclosed as an attachment to this report.

c. National Presentation Booklet The main promotion and reporting vehicle for the year is the illustrated National Presentation booklet featuring winner/runner up poems, reports and other details. The booklet is available for viewing on the official website, is provided to every child whose poem was noted by the judges, and is mailed to every participating school in 2020. A copy of the booklet is enclosed or may be viewed on the Awards’ website.

d. Annual Anthology

In 2020, the Committee decided to have a soft-bound anthology professionally designed and printed. It is A5 in size and totals 148 pages. There is also a digital copy available. The annual Anthology is for the records of the Society and for purchase by interested parties, generally schools and students who have received prizes and commendations.

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The anthology can be purchased via an order form from the booklet or by contacting the awards’ office. A copy is enclosed with this report.

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2020 Initiatives

This year the awards’ organisers and supporters introduced a number of initiatives:

o Continuation of the E-launch

Since 2017, the national competition had an e-launch. With the popularity and broad consumption of social media, e-launches are the way of the future. Our Project Officer once again made a short, one-minute launch video in-keeping with this year’s theme. It is available to view here: https://www.facebook.com/338590562859429/videos/190501755559638. Digital launches target demographic groups using social media (eg. school-aged kids, parents, teachers, educational representatives, etc.) The use of social media also allowed DMPA to see the number of views the video had and demographics such as age, clicks, and the opportunity to boost the video to a bigger audience from as little as one dollar. There is also greater exposure when the viewer decides to “share” the video among their own Facebook friends, and from there the consumption multiplies. It is a cost-effective, environmentally- friendly solution with proven results.

A screenshot of our 2020 launch video insights.

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Annual Report 2020

o Poetry Workshops in local schools

Due to COVID restrictions, our Project Officer was not able to visit local schools to perform poetry workshops. However, she did make the PowerPoint Presentations available to interested teachers and parents:

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o Targeting of Writer’s Centres

After last year’s success, our Project Officer, Brittany Riley, once again contacted the following groups and organisations:

 AATE (Australian Association for the Teaching of English)  ACT Writers Centre  Arts North West  Australian Poetry Journal  Australian Writer’s Marketplace  Australian Writer’s Resource Competition Page  Children’s Book Council of Australia  Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW Inc.  Hunter Writers Centre  Inside a Dog (from State Library of Victoria)  Red Room Poetry  NT Writers’ Centre  NSW Writers Centre  Queensland Writers Centre  South Coast Writers Centre  Tasmanian Writers Centre  Writer’s Edit  Writers SA  Writers Victoria  WritingWA

Most of the organisations responded to DMPA’s request and offered to advertise our competition through their channels free of charge. DMPA will be contacting them again next year with the same goal of increasing awareness and number of entries from individual students passionate about poetry and writing.

o Media coverage

Throughout the year, our Project Officer Brittany undertook as many media appearances as possible in-line with COVID restrictions. Our Facebook page was up- to-date with information and deadlines relating to the Awards, and newspaper articles were also shared.

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Information regarding the 2020 Presentation Ceremony was also published, and a multitude of media outlets, radio stations and word-of-mouth advertisement was completed.

A screenshot of our 2020 update videos.

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

The Society engaged the assistance of Marie Low from Two Cats Creative (a local design and writing duo), to write media releases and approach potential Ambassadors for the Awards in early 2020. Marie coordinated with the Society and the Project Officer to create three media releases which were distributed to multiple news outlets, and Ambassadorship packages to send to high-profile individuals for future years. Our secondary school judge, Meredith Costain, also did an interview with local radio station ABC New England North West to talk about the competition and her role as judge in May 2020.

Our Project Officer Brittany made it her goal to contact as many schools in Australia to promote the competition. After gathering a multitude of lists from internet searches, a total of over 9,000 schools nationwide were sent an informative email containing a promotional poster and DMPA details. Brittany also conducted telephone interviews with 929FM and ABC NENW to spread the word and announce the introduction of the Kurrumbede Award to local students.

Here are links to other media articles from 2020:

 https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6650188/new-year-new- award-for-dorothea-mackellar-poetry-competition/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6835049/landslide-of-late- submissions-boosts-poetry-competition-entries/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6866082/dorothea-mackellar- poetry-awards-to-go-virtual-in-covid-crisis/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6904844/little-evie-scoops-up- kurrumbede-award-in-national-poetry-competition/  https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2020/09/04/young-poets- recognised-in-36th-dorothea-mackellar- awards/?fbclid=IwAR0dFWzoHWoMmmIyLowOWNatczkfGfF0 Ednz0STY6660IKZkJfVYJjsvIk8

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

o Promotion of the Awards through the battle for Kurrumbede

In 2019, the journey of the battle for Kurrumbede begun. DMMS endeavoured to put the Mackellar family home on the property “Kurrumbede”, just to the north of Gunnedah, on the NSW State Heritage Register. Committee members have spoken to various media outlets ever since about their battle to keep Dorothea’s legacy alive and accessible for public viewing. They were even featured with DMPA’s Patron, Susan Duncan, in a Women’s Weekly article after a visit to the Kurrumbede homestead on Gunnedah’s outskirts in 2019(pictured below.) All coverage related to Kurrumbede is an opportune time to reiterate the importance of Dorothea Mackellar to Australian literature and the Awards named in her honour that have inspired generations of young poets.

There have been multiple news articles and our website has a dedicated page containing everything Kurrumbede-related. See webpage here: https://www.dorothea.com.au/kurrumbede

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

More media articles relating to Kurrumbede are below:

 https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6579656/drought-hardy- plants-water-supply-key-in-kurrumbede-garden-plans/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6855488/step-back-in-time- take-a-virtual-tour-of-historic-kurrumbede-homestead/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6876041/mine-approval- conditions-as-good-as-we-could-expect-for-kurrumbede- memorial-society/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6816382/poets-iconic- homestead-preservation-a-priority-whitehaven/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/7037971/society-members-in- limbo-waiting-for-kurrumbede-restoration-to-continue/

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

o Gunnedah Silo Art Project

Renowned street artist, Heesco Khosnaran, commenced work on the Gunnedah Maize Mill Project on Friday 27th November having travelled from Melbourne, VIC. The image contains two aspects:

1. The picture of a thirty year-old Dorothea Mackellar, and the second verse of her iconic poem “My Country,” at the top of the image. The verse highlights the Mackellar family link to Gunnedah; 2. Early 20th century farming scene including a draught horse-drawn hay wagon, early Sunshine harvester operating on a paddock of wheat, and an early version windmill. These images make connection with the history of Brenton’s Mill (now Gunnedah Maize Mill), which is also a locally significant heritage-listed building that now hosts the mural.

The work will be completed by the end of December 2020 and floodlighting, viewing area and information signage will be installed to inform the many viewers as to the historical and cultural significance of the work.

Early receptivity by both locals and visitors has been extremely positive on both the Society and the community of Gunnedah.

The Project was funded by a Gunnedah Shire Council Resilience Grant with the funding derived from: a. $71,500 from Federal Governments; b. $3,500 from Whitehaven Coal

We are very appreciative of their continued support of the Society’s activities.

(Images and related media articles on page 47.)

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Proposed artwork from planning stages in April 2020.

Articles below:  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6861756/dorothea-mackellars- legacy-to-stand-test-of-time-on-gunnedah-maize-mill/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6956936/maize-mill-mural- the-latest-victim-of-covid-19-impacts/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/6967114/one-virus-case-in-sa- as-tests-hit-500000/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/7006946/maize-mill-to-be- picture-perfect-with-mural-work-to-begin-soon/  https://www.nvi.com.au/story/7028579/heescos-in-town- and-itching-to-get-started-on-maize-mill-mural/

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

o Promotion of the Mackellar Centre within the Poets’ Precinct in Gunnedah.

The project incorporates a number of objectives:  Permanent headquarters of the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards;  A purpose-fitted permanent display room for the Jean Isherwood watercolours collection - an iconic set of paintings depicting the My Country poem;  Regional literacy and cultural heritage resource centre with conference / meeting room facilities, dedicated areas for children’s reading and writing skills development and outdoor classrooms;  Stationary and interactive display areas for literary and cultural exhibitions

This year, the Centre has had great success as a tourist destination as well as a Schools Excursion destination, with an accompanying worksheet created in 2018.

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Issues impacting on the 2020 Awards

 Funding schedule. The DMPA project is implemented on a calendar year and future funding agreements would benefit from a funding schedule review.

Mitigating action - the organisers adjusted the project budget to the funding availability and the initial competition funding was done through the limited savings available.

 Promotion. Due to the changing nature of overall promotion platforms and budgetary constraints the organisers are scaling down paid advertising options in favour of website and social media-based avenues as well as pursuing partnerships and stakeholders’ networks to promote the Awards.

Mitigating action – the organisers have expanded on the existing and new promotion networks and invested in the website upgrade and electronic promotion platforms.

 Attention to the needs of school teachers. Our judges were again overwhelmed with the exceptional standard of entries and commented on the efforts of the wonderful English teachers as evidenced by the conceptual ideas of their students.

Supporting teachers through assistance with ideas, resources, streamlined entry processes and timely response to inquiries has had a great impact.

Mitigating action: Continued efforts to meet the interest of teachers in quality resources through regular review of existing information and a planned website upgrade for the purposes of incorporating the latest technology and design in this area.

 Attention to the needs of judges. With changing and faster technology, website updates are constantly required. Things like the usability of the portal, security updates, as well as small technical improvements must be constantly monitored and acted upon. In 2019, DMMS upgraded to the next level of website packages which allows the website hosts to do a certain amount of improvements every month. It has been found this is a much more cost- effective solution.

Mitigating action: Work with KEO to further redesign the Judges’ and Admin portals for more efficient usability and better use of time.

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Recommendations

. Continue efforts to secure reliable funding of the core project activities. . Continue existing promotional activities and seek new ways to increase numbers of schools participating in the competition, particularly in the regions with historically lower participation rates. . Continue to strengthen networks of advocates and stakeholders to promote the competition. . Seek new opportunities to assist in achieving the objectives and strategies set out in the project proposal 2021.

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Appendix A – Financial Statement of Expenditure Australian Government Funds

1 January 2020 – 30 November 2020

Expenditure Service Description Payment Amount Item (GST exclusive) Management of Poetry Awards Item 1 Advertising 0 Item 2 Postage 2,600 Item 3 Website 1,000 Item 4 Judges fees 4,700 Item 5 Trophies 6,500 Item 6 Travel 0 Item 7 Accommodation 0 Item 8 Virtual Award Ceremony 14,000 Item 9 Accounting / Audit 2,500 Item 10 Insurance 0 Item 11 Rent, repairs, maintenance 0 Item 12 Phone / internet / fax 0 Item 13 Archiving 0 Management of Poetry Awards Subtotal 31,300 Wages and Salaries Item 14 Project Administrator 18,265 Item 15 Superannuation 1,735 Wages and Salaries Subtotal 20,000 Printing and Stationery Item 16 Printing (e.g. participation certificates, booklets) 2,500 Item 17 Graphic Design 1,200 Printing and Stationery Subtotal 3,700

TOTAL 55,000

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Dorothea Mackellar

Poetry Awards

Annual Report 2020

Appendix B

 2020 Promotional Poster containing optional theme  2020 Entry Form  2020 National Presentation Ceremony Booklet  2020 Participation Certificate  2020 Annual Anthology (digital version)

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