The Alice Award

Christobel Mattingly (left) and President of the Society of Women Writers Qld, Inc, Heather Jacobs.

Patron Estelle Pinney and Alice Award winner Christobel Mattingly.

I attended The Alice Award last night - this is an Australian award for an Australian Writers.  Previous winners have been

Eleanor Dark - 1978

Dame Judith Wright - 1980

Dame Mary Durack - 1982

Kylie Tennant - 1984

Ruth Park - 1986

Nancy Cato - 1988

Nance Donkin - 1990

Elizabeth Jolley - 1992

Mem Fox - 1994

Patsy Adam Smith - 1996

Kathryn Purnell - 1998

Jill Shearer - 2000

Kate Grenville - 2002

Margaret Scott - 2004

Rosemary Dobson - 2006

Brenda Niall - 2008

Last night's award function was organised by the Society of Women Writers Qld Inc, and the nominees were

Christobel Mattingly

Colleen McCullough

Sally Ogders

Hellie Turner

Hazel Edwards

Susanna de Vries

And the winner?

Christobel Mattingly.

President of the SWWQ welcomed the attendees - around 100 people - and writer Estelle Pinney, who is the patron of the SWWQ, announced the winner and presented Christobel with the trophy and certificate.