The winners of the 2024 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge were announced at a celebration held at the Yankalilla Library on 11 September. 

A joint initiative of District Council of Yankalilla, City of Victor Harbor and Alexandrina Council, the Challenge encourages school aged children from reception to year 10 to let their imaginations run wild and share stories through creative writing. 

There were 226 entries from District Council of Yankalilla, 430 from the City of Victor Harbor and 446 entries from Alexandrina Council. 

More than 100 people from across the Fleurieu attended the announcement to recognise the work of all the entrants. 

Individual category winners received a $50 book voucher, with the overall winner from each council area gaining an additional $50 book voucher. 

The school of each overall winner also received $1000 from their council and Home School student winners will be invited to select up to $1000 worth of books or library resources for their local council library. 

The mayors from each council presented the awards, praising the children who took up the challenge and demonstrated their creative writing skills. 

They also thanked the three public libraries for their coordination of the challenge and principals, teacher-librarians, teachers and student service officers who played a key role in encouraging their students to enter and showcase their talents. 

The prizes were provided by the respective councils and Friends of the Library groups. 

2024 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge Winners 

Category         Alexandrina Council    City of Victor Harbor District Council of Yankalilla

Reception to Year 2  Amaya Baker  Annelise Ashby  Lucy Almering 

Year 2 Year 2 Reception

Mount Compass Area School  Encounter Lutheran Collage  Yankalilla Area School 

Year 3 to Year 4  Tallan Pingel Serville Taylor Queenie Hunt 

Year 4 Year 4 Year 4

Tyndale Christian School Victor Harbor Primary School Rapid Bay Primary School 

Year 5 to Year 7  Buffy Hamer Dal Pont  Samuel Watters Addi McArdle 

Year 5 Year 7 Year 5

Home School  Victor Harbor High School  Rapid Bay Primary School 

Year 8 to Year 10  Jonathon Green  Alannah Falanga 

Year 9 Year 9

Home School  Encounter Lutheran College 

Special Options  Shiloh McKenzie  Taj Hird 

Year 3 Year 11

Tyndale Christian School Strathalbyn  Victor Harbor High School - SESS 

Overall Winner Buffy Hamer Dal Pont Alannah Falanga Addi McArdle

Year 5 Year 9 Year 5

Home School Encounter Lutheran College Rapid Bay Primary School