Southerly

This image reads "THE SOUTHERLY POETRY PRIZE IS NOW OPEN! From 1st March to 15th April 2026, all Australian poets are invited to submit a poem or sequence of poems totalling no more than 100 lines. The winner will receive $2,000 and publication in Southerly 81.1."

Submissions are now open to The Southerly Poetry Prize 2026!

As part of our ongoing revival plan, the inaugural Southerly Poetry Prize is now open for entries with submissions closing at 11.59pm 15th April 2026.

We look forward to reading your work.

southerlylitmag.com.au/the-southerl...

This image reads "Announcing Barribugu, a home for young Australian writers". It is followed by the Southerly logo.

This image reads: " The supermarket hums under the fluorescent glow, its lights illuminating rows of precisely aligned products. The floor glistens, spotless and sterile, as I clutch the handle of my cart, weaving through the aisles in search of the things on my list: Chia seeds. Granola. Greek yoghurt. I walk past Aisle Six. The lolly aisle. Sweet artificial scents cling to the back of my throat, thickening the air around me. Packaging spills from shelves, loud with melted colours, but I press my cart forward past the noise. I leave Aisle Six behind. I move towards the misted greens and pale yoghurts ahead."

Today, we launch Barribugu. Barribugu showcases new writing by students in Australian schools. We aim to nurture young writers as they develop their craft. Enjoy "Aisle Six" by Seray Pekenti, a Year 11 student from Auburn Girls High School. ⁣
barribugu.southerlylitmag.com.au/.../24/aisle...

This text is an excerpt from Anissa's blog post. It reads: "When I see the word barribugu (future), I think of my grandchildren and their children. It is a place where I may just be a memory to them, someone special who makes them smile as they remember me, but it is also a place where I can dream that it will be better for mirana yiyura (First Peoples)."

We welcome you back to the Southerly blog - a space for short reflections on Australian literature and literary culture - with "Barribugu mirana yiyura (The future is First Peoples)" by Anissa Jones. Anissa is a Burubirangal Dharug woman and Southerly's Dharug language advisor.
shorturl.at/G7J4G

The Southerly logo, a cherub blowing air on the journal's title. The text reads "The Southerly Poetry Prize 2026".

The inaugural Southerly Poetry Prize will open for entries 1st March and close 15th April 2026. The winner will receive a cash prize of $2000 AUD, with their winning entry published in Southerly 81.1 in October 2026. All Australian poets are eligible to enter.
shorturl.at/jxRD2
#auslit #poetry

A screenshot of an email from Meanjin Quarterly. It reads: 'Meanjin returns home Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will become the new custodian of Meanjin, Australia's most eminent literary journal, bringing the publication back to Brisbane 80 years after it relocated to Melbourne. QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil said: “QUT is delighted to bring Meanjin home to Meanjin / Magandjin – the lands of the Turrbal and Yugara peoples – where the journal was founded and where our Gardens Point campus now stands. “Since its foundation by Clem Christesen in Brisbane in 1940, Meanjin has been instrumental in shaping Australian literary and intellectual culture,” she said. “It has provided a vital platform for critical discussion, a showcase of emerging writers and a valuable training ground for leading Australian publishers and editors. We are honoured to be entrusted with the legacy of this cultural icon.”'

Immense congratulations to @meanjin.bsky.social and QUT - a beautiful step forwards for Meanjin, a cornerstone of Australian literary culture and history.

This image reads "Submissions to Southerly 81.1 'Ireland and Other Islands' are open now, and close 30th March. We are welcoming submissions of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry, on themes of Ireland and the ties that bind Ireland and Australia". This text is followed by the Southerly logo, a cherub blowing air onto the word "Southerly".

This image reads "You can now donate to help bring Australia's oldest literary journal into the future. Until the 30th of June 2026, you can donate to Southerly via the Australian Cultural Fund. These funds will support the publication of new Australian literature, poetry, and criticism. Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible." It then shows a QR code, which links to https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000WH6BRMA1/southerly-literary-magazine-20262027

This image reads "'First, The Future' and all past issues online and in stores now. Until the launch of 'Ireland and Other Islands', you can read Southerly 80.1 'First, The Future' and all past issues of Southerly via Informit. You can buy issues and subscriptions to Southerly in digital or physical form any time from our website."

Here are some of the ways you can get involved with Southerly, Australia's oldest literary journal, in 2026! #auslit #australia #literature #submissionsopen

SAVE THE DATE! Southerly will open submissions for issue 81.1: Ireland and Other Islands on Monday 19th January 2026 09:00am (AEDT). Get ready to submit:
• Short fiction
• Creative nonfiction including personal and lyric essays
• Poetry

For further info see: southerlylitmag.com.au/submit-to-so...

The cover of Southerly 80.1 "First the Future". It shows an illustration of a kookaburra by Flashblak. The kookaburra is black, on a background of red, yellow, and black, reminiscent of the Aboriginal Australian flag. The text reads "Southerly Volume 80 Number 1 2025. First, The Future".

SPECIAL OFFER: Subscribe to Southerly by 24/12/25 and receive a free copy of our latest issue, 80.1 “First, The Future”!
You can pre-order the 2026, 2027, and 2028 issues of Southerly (digital or hardcopy) for yourself or a loved one.
See our full range here: southerlylitmag.com.au/shop-subscri...

We'd love to see your photos of "First, The Future" and where you like to read it!
One of our interns enjoys reading Southerly at the lovely green spaces around UNSW Kensington.
#australianliterature #southerlylitmag #southerly #newfiction

Hi everyone! We've got a bunch of lovely past Southerly issues (and our current issue!) that would look fabulous on your bookshelf (or coffee table)!
Please consider purchasing a copy on our website, especially any issues in this photograph.
Your support means the world to us!
Love,
Southerly team

Enjoy this selection from Southerly 80.1, the re-launch of Australia’s oldest literary journal.
To read more of Australia’s finest writing and most courageous voices considering ‘First, the Future’, grab your copy at southerlylitmag.com.au/shop-subscri...
#southerlylitmag #australianvoices #writing

Southerly 80.1, First, The Future, strongly affirms the crucial importance of imaginative work through language, and the importance of the role that literature plays in the passing down of knowledge between generations.

Buy a copy of Southerly today at: southerlylitmag.com.au/shop-subscri...

We’re back!
After pestilence, after pain, after wholeness, after emptiness, after life, after death, after a long hiatus, Southerly, Australia’s oldest literary journal, has returned with issue 80.1 ‘First, The Future’.
Purchase a copy of Southerly today: southerlylitmag.com.au/shop-subscri...