The Furphy Literary Award winners were announced at a ceremony at SAM. Furphy Literary Award director Sam Furphy, City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, award winners Isabel Greenslade, Kailum Graves and Michael Burrows and Furphy Literary Award director Adam Furphy.
Photo by
Amina Barolli
Chosen from a record 881 submissions, a satirical tale of unionising magpies has claimed the 2026 Furphy Literary Award.
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Emerging writer Kailum Graves was announced as first prize winner at SAM on Saturday, July 25, taking home the $15,000 prize and an invitation to participate in a La Trobe University Shepparton residency.
Mr Graves’s story The Magpies Have Unionised centres on a local council worker receiving an industrial action notice from a magpie collective, whose demands for magpie rights divide the community.
Judge John Harms said the winning story was funny, insightful and powerful, captivating him from the opening line.
“So brilliantly written, it drew me into a world that was totally fanciful yet, before I knew it, I was inside.”
Mr Graves, an emerging writer of speculative fiction, said he was honoured to receive the award.
“The Furphy Literary Award has such a warm and generous commitment to Australian storytelling, and I love that it makes room for so many different kinds of voices and stories,” Mr Graves said.
“I entered because it felt like the sort of award where a slightly strange story like mine might be read with real care. I’m still a little amazed, and very grateful, that it found a home there.
Brisbane-based Kailum Graves took home first prize for his short story.
Photo by
Amina Barolli
Established in Shepparton in 1992, the award aims to celebrate Australian short fiction and continues to grow, with this year’s judges selecting 16 finalists from a record number of submissions.
Furphy Literary Award director Sam Furphy said the number of entries reflected the award’s reputation as a platform for emerging and established writers.
“To receive a record 881 entries this year is both humbling and incredibly encouraging,” Mr Furphy said.
“It tells us that storytelling remains deeply important to Australians and that writers continue to value opportunities to share their work.
“The Furphy Literary Award is about much more than prizes. It provides writers with recognition, encouragement and the opportunity to connect with readers and fellow authors.
“For the broader community, it is a celebration of creativity, imagination and Australian culture.
“Events like this bring people together through... the power of storytelling,” he said.
Second place and a $3000 prize went to Perth writer Michael Burrows for Four and A Half Stars while third place and $2000 was awarded to Isabel Greenslade for Saint Kilda.
All three winners' work will be published in The Furphy Anthology 2026 alongside the other 13 shortlisted submissions.
Young writers across the Goulburn Valley were also celebrated with the Youth and Junior Furphy Literary Awards, announced on Sunday, July 26 at Shepparton library.
Furphy Literary Award winners alongside some of this year's judges. Michael Burrows, Stephanie Holt, Kailum Graves, John Harms, Isabel Greenslade and Cate Kennedy.
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