Miles Franklin Literary Award

Celebrating the best in Australian literature

The Miles Franklin Literary Award, our first and most prestigious literary award, was established in 1954 with a bequest from the author Miles Franklin. She was concerned to see Australian literature flourish and knew first hand the struggles most authors have in Australia.

The Miles Franklin Literary Award celebrates Australian character and creativity and nurtures the continuing life of literature about Australia. It is awarded for the novel of the year which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases.

Since it was first awarded in 1957 to Patrick White for his novel Voss, the award has encouraged authors and delivered an immense contribution to the richness of Australian cultural life.

The Miles Franklin Literary Award 2009

Are you eligible?
The prize is awarded for the novel of the year which is of “the highest literary merit and which must present Australian life in any of its phases”.

Novels submitted must have been published in the year of entry of the Award.

The award’s value
As a guide the prize for the 2008 Miles Franklin Literary Award was $42,000.

How to apply
The 2009 application form is available by entering here.

2009 Key Dates

Previous Winners
Previous winners of the Miles Franklin Literary Award include:

• 2008 Steven Carroll The Time We Have Taken 
• 2007 Alexis Wright Carpentaria
• 2006 Roger McDonald The Ballad of Desmond Kale
• 2005 Andrew McGahan The White Earth
• 2004 Shirley Hazzard The Great Fire
• 2003 Alex Miller Journey to the Stone Country
• 2002 Tim Winton Dirt Music
• 2001 Frank Moorhouse Dark Palace

To read more about past years for this Award please enter here and click through on the novel's cover for the relevent year.

Further information
Trust is the trustee for the Miles Franklin Literary Award.