The Newcastle Poetry Prize is an annual Australian award for Australian poetry. It was established in 1981 as the Mattara Poetry Prize.[1]
The Prize began in September 1980 when Peter Goldman handed out an anthology of poetry at the Mattara Festival.[1]
This anthology prompted two lecturers at the University of Newcastle, Christopher Pollnitz and Paul Kavanagh, to seek funding for a poetry competition which paved the way for the first official Mattara Poetry Prize in 1981. This prize gone on to become known as the Newcastle Poetry Prize.[1]
Today the Prize receives entries from across the nation.
- [2009]: [Rob Walker and Ben Walker] (Bibliophobia)
- [2008]: [Jason Nelson] (Wittenoom) joint winner with [Paul White] (Don't read too much into it)
- [2007]: [Rob Walker and Matt Walker] (Moon Anti-Poem)
- [2006]: [Philip Norton] (Hypnosis)
- "The Anabranch", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2022
- "Any Saturday, 2021, Running Westward", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2021
- "Measures of Truth", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2020
- "Soft Serve", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2019
- "Buying Online", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2018
- "The Crows in Town", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2017
- "The Dangar Island Garbage Boat", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2016
- "Connective Tissue", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2015
- "Now You Shall Know", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2013
- "Coastline", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2012
- "Completely Surrounded: Thirty Years of the Newcastle Poetry Prize 1981-2011", Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2011
- "The Wombat Vedas", ed. Jennifer Harrison and Keri Glastonbury, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2011
- "Time With the Sky", ed. Jill Jones and Anthony Lawrence, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2010
- The Night Road, ed. Philip Salom and Jill Jones, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle 2009
- to sculpt the moment, ed. Jan Owen, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle, 2008.
- Eclogues, ed. Martin Harrison, John Jenkins and Jan Owen, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle, 2007.
- the honey fills the cone, ed. Judith Beveridge, Martin Harrison and Jean Kent, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle, 2006.
- sunweight,, ed. Judy Johnson, Judith Beveridge & Brian Joyce, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle, 2005.
- The Cool Breath Burn, (CD) ed. John Bennet, Judy Johnson & Lizz Murphy, Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle, 2004.
- Unfamiliar Tides, 2001/2002.
- Time's Collision with the Tongue, ed. Peter Boyle and Jan Owen, 2000.
- The Argument from Desire, ed. Ron K. Pretty, Five Islands Press, Wollongong, 1999.
- The Nightjar, ed. John Hawke, Coal River Press, Newcastle, 1997.
- The New World Tattoo, ed. John Hawke, Coal River Press, Newcastle, 1996.
- Let Dark Memory Bloom, ed. Paul Kavanagh. Newcastle: Coal River Press, 1995.
- The Sea’s White Edge, ed. Paul Kavanagh. Springwood: Butterfly Books, 1991.
- Pictures from an Exhibition, ed. Paul Kavanagh, Mattara Poetry Prize, University of Newcastle, 1989.
- The International Terminal, ed. Christopher Pollnitz. University of Newcastle, 1988.
- Properties of the Poet, ed. Paul Kavanagh. University of Newcastle, 1987.
- An Inflection of Silence, ed. Christopher Pollnitz. University of Newcastle, 1986.
- Poem of Thanksgiving, ed. Paul Kavanagh, University of Newcastle, 1985.
- Neither Nuked nor Crucified, ed. Christopher Pollnitz. University of Newcastle, 1984.
- Instructions for Honey Ants, ed. Paul Kavanagh, University of Newcastle, 1983.
- Lines from the Horizon and Other Poems, ed. Christopher Pollnitz. University of Newcastle, 1982.
- The Members of the Orchestra, ed. Paul Kavanagh, University of Newcastle, 1981.