The Awards Ceremony was again a triumphant success, thanks to the generosity of Her Excellency the Governor, the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young AC PSM, and Professor Graeme Nimmo RFD, who hosted the event at Government House on 14 April. The occasion honoured the 2025 winners of the ESU Roly Sussex Short Story Competition and Secondary School Public Speaking Competition.

Emeritus Professor Caroline Hatcher,
President ESU (Qld), delivers the vote of thanks

Roly Sussex
Short Story Competition

Open Division
Serena Moss, First Prize (unable to attend)
Natalie Sprite, Second Prize
Gil Liddle, Judges’ Commendation
Jay McKenzie, Judges’ Commendation (unable to attend)

Secondary School Division
Charlotte Serisier, First Prize
Tara Moghbelpour, Second Prize
Emily Smith, Judges’ Commendation

Secondary School
Public Speaking Competition

Senior Division
Saxon Miller, First Prize
Portia Taggert, Second Prize
Oscar De Jersey, Third Prize

Intermediate Division
Ella Marshall, First Prize
Anika Chavan, Second Prize
Yashra Abbas, Third Prize

Junior Division
Owen Taggart, First Prize
Xavier Goodhew, Second Prize
Sophie Taylor, Third Prize

Congratulations, once again, to all.

Some of the Public Speaking awardees

Some of the Rolys shortlisted

Some of ESU’s directors

Natalie Sprite

Gil Liddle

Charlotte Serisier

Tara Moghbelpour

Emily Smith

Saxon Miller

Portia Taggert

Oscar De Jersey

Ella Marshall

Anika Chavan

Yashra Abbas

Owen Taggart

Xavier Goodhew

Sophie Taylor

Our Twilight Event, on Friday 27 February, was one to remember!

Members and friends packed out the Darcey Mitchell Room at the Broncos Leagues
Club for a night of stories and bush poetry, performed by The Bard of the Outback,
Peter Frazer, entertained with his poetry, touching on various aspects of Australian life
– life in the outback, in particular. Each poem painted a vivid word picture for the
attendees as they travelled along with Peter into the heart of life in the bush.

Prior to Peter’s exhilirating performance, our guests were treated to readings from the
2025 Roly Sussex Short Story Competition Open Division first- and second-placed
stories. Kathy Wilson performed an excerpt from Natalie Sprite’s story Watersong,
runner-up in the competition. And Maree Clancy gave us a rendition from Serena
Moss’s winning story, The Apology Factory.

With special thanks to the Broncos Leagues Club as our wonderful event venue and a big
thank you to all who attended and presented. What a night!

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