Readings New Australian Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist announced

Readings has announced the shortlist for the 2026 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize.

This year’s 6 shortlisted titles are:

• Desolation (Hossein Asgari, Ultimo Press)
• Mantle (Romy Ash, Ultimo Press)
• Arborescence (Rhett Davis, Hachette)
• Plastic Budgie (Olivia De Zilva, Pink Shorts Press)
• Learned Behaviours (Zeynab Gamieldien, Ultimo Press)
• Henry Goes Bush (Wayne Marshall, Picador).

Established in 2014, the prize celebrates “outstanding new Australian writing” with a focus on “supporting debut and emerging authors and offering rich, varied reads to our community”.

The winner of the New Australian Fiction Prize will be announced in October 2026. This year, the YA Prize has been merged into the Gab Williams Prize and the winners of the Gab Williams Prize and the Children’s Prize will be announced separately in early 2027. The winners of each prize will receive $5,000.

Last year’s winner of the New Australian Fiction Prize was Dominic Amerena for I Want Everything (Summit Books).

Category: Awards Local news