Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award

The Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award is presented annually by Waverley Council with support from Principal Sponsors Mark and Evette Moran. Established in 2002, the Nib remains Australia's only major literary award of its kind presented by a local council. Judging criteria includes high literary merit, quality of research, readability and value to the community.

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

The Mark & Evette Moran major category winners were announced recently at an event hosted by author, broadcaster and comedian James O’Loghlin at the Council’s newly-restored Bondi Pavilion. For full details, please see the official media release on the right of the page.

Delia Falconer  Congratulations to Delia Falconer, who won the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award with her work Signs and Wonders (Scribner Australia). Falconer is the second author in the Nib Award’s 21-year celebrated history to win the $20,000 Nib Award twice. She first won the Award in 2011 for her extraordinary book Sydney.
  
Peoples Choice - Rachel E. Menzies & Ross G. Menzies  Congratulations also to Rachel E. Menzies and Ross G. Menzies who won the Nib People’s Choice Prize ($2,500) for their book Mortals. (Allen & Unwin)The Nib People’s Choice prize ($2,500) is awarded by popular vote. This year’s public polling campaign received over 500 votes, including one from K. Shead of Freshwater whose details were drawn first in the polling prize draw. Kara has won a set of 6 shortlisted books and a $100 voucher for Nib Award community partner, Gertrude & Alice bookstore Café.


Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize winners

2022 shortlisted authors were selected from a record 174 nominations received across the country. Each shortlisted author received the Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize ($1,000). Joining Delia Falconer and Rachel and Ross Menzies, the shortlisted authors were:

  • Two Afternoons In The Kabul Stadium by Tim Bonyhady (Text Publishing).
  • The Asparagus Wars by Carol Major (ES Press)
  • Mafioso by Colin McLaren (Hachette Australia)
  • Here Goes Nothing by Steve Toltz (Penguin Random House)


Meet the 2022 finalists!

2022 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist

This year’s Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist was announced by Waverley Council on 27 September at an event hosted by media personality Mikey Robins and featuring special guest, 2021 Nib People’s Choice Prize winner, Tim Olsen, at the newly restored Bondi Pavilion, now reopened to the public.

Shortlisted authors were selected by the Award’s expert judging panel from a record 174 nominations received from across the country. Each has been awarded with the Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize ($1,000) and are finalists for the Nib People’s Choice Prize ($2,500) and the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award ($20,000).

The 2022 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist is as follows:

  • Two Afternoons In The Kabul Stadium by Tim Bonyhady (Text Publishing)
  • Signs and Wonders by Delia Falconer (Scribner Australia)
  • The Asparagus Wars by Carol Major (ES Press)
  • Mafioso by Colin McLaren (Hachette Australia)
  • Mortals by Rachel E. Menzies and Ross G. Menzies (Allen & Unwin)
  • Here Goes Nothing by Steve Toltz (Penguin Random House)

The winners of the Nib People’s Prize and Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award will be announced on 16 November 2022 at Bondi Pavilion Theatre.

2022 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award longlist announced

Waverley Council is delighted to announce the longlist for the 2022 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award.

The longlist is:

  • Currowan by Bronwyn Adcock (Black Inc Books)
  • Telling Tennant’s Story by Dean Ashenden (Black Inc Books)
  • Q Anon & On: A Short and Shocking History of Internet Conspiracy Cults
    by Van Badham (Hardie Grant Books)
  • Leaping into Waterfalls by Bernadette Brennan (Allen & Unwin)
  • Two Afternoons In The Kabul Stadium by Tim Bonyhady (Text Publishing)
  • Making Australian History by Anna Clark (Penguin Random House)
  • Signs and Wonders by Delia Falconer (Scribner Australia)
  • The Asparagus Wars by Carol Major (ES Press)
  • Delia Akeley and the Monkey by Ian McCalman (Upswell Publishing)
  • Mafioso by Colin McLaren (Hachette Australia)
  • Mortals by Rachel Menzies and Ross Menzies (Allen & Unwin)
  • Inseparable Elements by Patsy Millet (Fremantle Press)
  • My Tongue Is My Own by Ann-Marie Priest (La Trobe University Press)
  • Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell (Text Publishing)
  • A Great Hope by Jessica Stanley (Picador Australia)
  • Here goes nothing by Steve Toltz (Penguin Random House)
  • The Jane Austen Remedy by Ruth Wilson (Allen & Unwin)

The shortlist will be announced 27 September 2022. 
Major prize winners will be announced 16 November 2022.

This year’s total prize offering is $28,500. Finalists will each receive the Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize (6 x $1,000) and will be eligible for the Nib People’s Choice Prize ($2,500) and the Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award ($20,000).

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said The Nib’s longevity reflects the importance of the Award to the Waverley community, lovers of great stories, writers and the Australian publishing industry.

Established in 2002, the Nib is the only major literary prize of its kind in Australia and Waverley Council is thrilled to present this highly respected national Awards’ program, Mayor Masselos said.

The Nib is one of the ways we nurture creativity and artistic expression in our community and I am delighted to congratulate this year’s longlisted authors.

For all the latest news, including the longlist announcement, click here to subscribe to The Nib eNewsletter.

Nib Award program inquiries: nibaward@waverley.nsw.gov.au

Media inquiries: media@waverley.nsw.gov.au or 0416 075 532

Major prize winners will be announced 16 November 2022.

The Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award is administered and presented by Waverley Council with the generous support of Principal Sponsors Mark and Evette Moran and the ongoing commitment and assistance of our community partner Gertrude and Alice Bookshop and Café.

The Nib Award acknowledges the important role played by the Friends Of Waverley Library (FOWL) in the establishment and success of the award.


About the Award

The Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award is Waverley Council’s annual celebration of the best in Australian research and writing. Established in 2002 as The Nib Waverley Library Award for Literature, this prestigious prize has so far distributed around $350,000 directly to deserving Australian authors.

Entries are open to all Australian writers regardless of their experience, chosen subject matter or genre. Submitted works are judged against the specific award criteria of excellence in research, high level of literary merit, readability and value to the community. Winners are decided by an independent panel of three judges each of whom bring a wealth of experience from across the literary world.

Events

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The Nib Presents: It’s a shame about Ray

13th Oct 2022

It’s a shame about Ray is the debut book from writer, creative and culture critic Jonathan Seidler.

Watch on demand


Watch the 2021 Winner Announcement here

2020 Award Presentation

Watch the winners interview and the judges report here.

Recent panel discussions

The Nib Presents: Guwayu – For all Times

The Nib Presents: Australian Indigenous Voices in Literature

The Nib Presents: Not so pretty: International Women’s Day

The Nib Presents: Climate and Cultural Legacies