MARYBOROUGH'S mission to encourage children to imagine and promote a love of writing and reading was proudly on display on Saturday (October 12) when the winners of the 2024 Mary Poppins Literary Competition were announced.

Some 26 young creatives from 10 schools on the Fraser Coast, as well as several home-schooled students, received prizes totalling $2000 making it Australia’s richest writing competition for young people. Organised by Mary Inc. with support from the Fraser Coast Regional Council, the competition kicked off in 1999 to honour Pamela L. Travers, the creator of Mary Poppins.

 About 50 people attended an informal award ceremony at Gatakers Art Space to celebrate the achievements of the young writers.

“Celebration” was the theme this year as it marks the 90^th anniversary of when Mary Poppins came to life, the 125^th anniversary of the birth of Pamela Travers, in what is now Maryborough’s Story Bank, and the 25^th anniversary of this writing competition.

The Cherry Tree Foundation in London (P L Traver’s Trust) is the major sponsor of the competition. A number of highly commended certificates were issued this year due to the high number and quality of entries.

Principal of Central State School, Rebecca Dickens, guest speaker at the awards ceremony, said that writing could be seen as one of the most important inventions in humanity.

“It has allowed us to record ideas, history and discoveries across centuries around the world,” she said.

Reflecting on the future she told the young writers that “imagination is your gift” and that being a lifelong learner by making mistakes and learning from them, will make you, in the words of Mary Poppins and P.L Travers, “practically perfect in every way”.

The winners are:

Grades 3&4, Literary

1^st Archer Lorenz, Riverside Christian College

2^nd Manny Haase, Riverside Christian College

3^rd Lexi Hunter, Kawungan State School

HC Joni Cobbin, St Helen’s State School

HC Aarav Ajiith, Fraser Coast Anglican College

Poetry

1^st Jennifer Byrne, Saint Mary’s Primary School

2^nd Joel Bounsall, home-schooled

Joint 3^rd Mayella Commandeur, Sunbury State School and Evie Brown, Tinana State School

HC Joni Cobbin, St Helen’s State School

HC Sarah Pais, Bayside Christian College

HC Archer Lorenz, Riverside College

Grades 5&6, Literary

1^st Charlotte Lorenz, Riverside Christian College

2^nd Violet Jordaan, home-schooled

3^rd Stephanie White, Riverside Christian College

HC Indiana Bounsall, home-schooled

Poetry

1^st Charlotte Lorenz, Riverside Christian College

2^nd Indrakshi Fuladi, Fraser Coast Anglican College

HC Isaac Chambers, Fraser Coast Anglican College

HC Indiana Bounsall, home-schooled

Grades 7, 8 & 9 Literary

1^st Charlie Dale, Xavier Catholic College

2^nd Kaya Holloway, Xavier Catholic College

3^rd Grace Ridgley, home-schooled

HC Mila Skuse Arrevillaga, Aldridge State High School

Poetry

Sophie Chambers, Fraser Coast Anglican College

Grades 10,11 & 12 Literary

1^st Cougar Welch, home-schooled

2^nd Rachael Nissen, Hervey Bay State High School

Poetry

1^st Rachael Nissan, Hervey Bay State High School

Anne Miller Young Writers’ Encouragement Award

Rachael Nissan, Hervey Bay State High School.