The ARA Historical Novel Prize is the richest individual literary prize in Australia and New Zealand with prize monies of $150,000 across two categories. The winner of the Adult category receives $100,000 with the Children and Young Adult winner receiving $30,000. The two shortlisted authors in each category receive $5,000 each, while the winner of the Reader's Choice Award also receives $5,000. The prize is run by the Historical Novel Society Australasia in partnership with the sponsor, ARA Group.
The 2020 Prize only awarded novels in the Adult category. The Children and Young Adults category was introduced in 2021 and the Reader's Choice Award was first awarded in 2025 for longlisted novels in the Adult category.
Definition
The Historical Novel Society Australasia explained the boundaries of the prize as follows: "The definition of the genre set by the Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA) is a novel in which the majority of the narrative, ie more than 50% of the events described, has taken place at least 50 years before publication.
"Historical sub-genres considered to be historical fiction include historical mystery, historical romance, and historical fantasy and alternate history. Time-slip novels, multiple-time period novels, and parallel narrative novels are also considered historical fiction with flexibility to crossover between eras stretching from 50 years or more in the past until contemporary times provided more than 50% of the events described take place at least 50 years before publication."
Announcement The longlists for the ARA Historical Novel Prize are announced in September, the shortlists in early October and the winners later in the same month.
Prize winners
Year Category Author Title Publisher2025AdultRobbie ArnottDuskPicadorTasma WaltonI Am NannertgarrookBundyiChildren and Young AdultSuzanne LealThe Year We EscapedHarperCollinsReader's ChoiceEmily MaguireRaptureAllen & Unwin2024 Adult Melissa Lucashenko Edenglassie University of Queensland Press Children and Young Adult Beverley McWilliams Spies in the Sky Pantera Press2023 Adult Gail Jones Salonika Burning Text Publishing Children and Young Adult Amelia Mellor The Bookseller’s Apprentice Affirm Press2022 Adult Tom Keneally Corporal Hitler's Pistol Vintage Children and Young Adult Katrina Nannestad Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief HarperCollins2021 Adult Jock Serong The Burning Island Text Publishing Children and Young Adult Katrina Nannestad We are Wolves ABC Books 2020 Adult Mirandi Riwoe Stone Sky Gold Mountain University of Queensland Press
Shortlisted and Longlisted works
Adult category
Year Author Title Publisher Result2026Bernice BarryThe Names of a HareFremantle PressShortlistedLauren KeenanThe Other CatherinePenguinFiona Kelly McGregorThe TrapPicadorJeffery BuchananThe Birds Began to SingText PublishingLonglistedLauren KeeganThe Woman in the Seal SkinAffirm PressWayne MarshallHenry Goes BushPicadorHeather RoseA Great Act of LoveAllen & UnwinA RushbySlashed BeautiesHQ FictionFrancesca de ToresCast AwayBloomsbury2025Robbie ArnottDuskPicadorJoint WinnersTasma WaltonI Am NannertgarrookBundyiMalcolm KnoxThe First FriendAllen and UnwinShortlistedMatthew HootonEverything Lost, Everything FoundFourth EstateLonglistedLauren KeeganAll the Bees in the HollowsAffirmEmily MaguireRaptureAllen and UnwinDebra OswaldOne Hundred Years of BettyAllen and UnwinJane YangThe Lotus ShoesSphereEmma Pei YinWhen Sleeping Women WakeHachette2024 Melissa Lucashenko Edenglassie University of Queensland Press Winner Lenny Bartulin The Unearthed Allen and Unwin Shortlisted Tony Birch Women & Children University of Queensland Press Shortlisted Lauren Chater The Beauties Simon & Schuster Longlisted Stephen Daisley A Better Place Text Publishing Longlisted Kate Grenville Restless Dolly Maunder Text Publishing Longlisted Jane Harrison The Visitors HarperCollins Longlisted Natasha Lester The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard Hachette Australia Longlisted Catherine McKinnon To Sing of War HarperCollins Longlisted2023 Gail Jones Salonika Burning Text Publishing Winner Fiona Kelly McGregor Iris Pan Macmillan Shortlisted Jock Serong The Settlement Text Publishing Shortlisted Robbie Arnott Limberlost Text Publishing Longlisted Robyn Cadwallader The Fire and the Rose HarperCollins Longlisted Robert Drewe Nimblefoot Hamish Hamilton Longlisted Alison Goodman The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies HarperCollins Longlisted Fiona McFarlane The Sun Walks Down Allen and Unwin Longlisted Pip Williams The Bookbinder of Jericho Affirm Press Longlisted2022 Tom Keneally Corporal Hitler's Pistol Penguin Books Winner Geraldine Brooks Horse Hachette Australia Shortlisted Robyn Mundy Cold Coast Ultimo Press Shortlisted Karen Brooks The Good Wife of Bath HarperCollins Longlisted Lauren Chater The Winter Dress Simon and Schuster Longlisted Steven Carroll Goodnight, Vivienne, Goodnight HarperCollins Longlisted Portland Jones Only Bird Above Fremantle Press Longlisted Kim Kelly The Rat Catcher Brio Books Longlisted David Whish-Wilson Sawdust House Fremantle Press Longlisted2021 Jock Serong The Burning Island Text Publishing Winner Anita Heiss Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray Simon and Schuster Shortlisted Gail Jones Our Shadows Text Publishing Shortlisted Stephen Conte The Tolstoy Estate HarperCollins Longlisted Kate Grenville A Room Made of Leaves Text Publishing Longlisted Anthony Hall The Last Convict Penguin Books Longlisted Robert Horne The Glass Harpoon Ginninderra Press Longlisted Ian Reid The Madwoman's Coat Framework Press Longlisted Lyn Yeowart The Silent Listener Penguin Books Longlisted2020 Mirandi Riwoe Stone Sky Gold Mountain University of Queensland Press Winner Sienna Brown Master of My Fate Penguin Books Shortlisted Catherine Jinks Shepherd Text Publishing Shortlisted Nigel Featherstone Bodies of Men Hachette Australia Longlisted Dominic Smith The Electric Hotel Allen and Unwin Longlisted Christos Tsiolkas Damascus Allen and Unwin Longlisted Pip Williams The Dictionary of Lost Words Affirm Press Longlisted Tara June Winch The Yield Penguin Books Longlisted
Children and Young Adult category
Year Author Title Publisher Result2026Meg CaddyA Flash in the DustUniversity of Queensland PressShortlistedJackie FrenchCleopatra: The Girl Who Would be KingHarperCollinsClaire HalifaxA House DividedWalker BooksMaria GillA Flame in the DarkOne Tree HouseLonglistedLucie StevensNanny Tobbins and the Midnight PlanHarperCollinsSue WhitingHill End GoldWalker Books2025Suzanne LealThe Year We EscapedHarperCollinsWinnerAnna CiddorMoonboyAllen and UnwinShortlistedJudith RossellThe MidwatchHGCPHelen EdwardsOn Gallant WingsRivetedLonglistedSophie MassonOur History: Bold Ben HallWalker BooksCatherine NortonHester Hitchins and the Falling StarsHarperCollinsLucie StevensRIP Nanny TobbinsHarperCollinsMarly & Linda WellsDesert TracksMagabala Books2024 Beverley McWilliams Spies in the Sky Pantera Press Winner Jackie French Secret Sparrow HarperCollins Shortlisted Rebecca Lim Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky Allen and Unwin Shortlisted Nicki Greenburg The Detective’s Guide to Paris Affirm Press Longlisted Katrina Nannestad Silver Linings ABC Books Longlisted Catherine Norton The Fortune Maker HarperCollins Longlisted Jackie Randall Only Two Self-Published Longlisted2023 Amelia Mellor The Bookseller's Apprentice Affirm Press Winner Suzanne Leal Running with Ivan HarperCollins Shortlisted Katrina Nannestad Waiting for the Storks ABC Books Shortlisted Jackie French The Great Gallipoli Escape HarperCollins Longlisted Ellie Marney The Killing Code Allen and Unwin Longlisted Lystra Rose The Upwelling Hachette Australia Longlisted Pamela Rushby The Mud Puddlers Walker Books Longlisted Philippa Werry Iris and Me Ahoy! An Imprint of The Cuba Press Longlisted Sue Whiting Tilda Walker Books Longlisted2022 Katrina Nannestad Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief HarperCollins Winner Brian Falkner Katipo Joe: Wolf’s Lair Scholastic New Zealand Shortlisted Claire Saxby The Wearing of the Green Walker Books Shortlisted Felice Arena The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan Penguin Books Longlisted Meg Caddy Slipping the Noose Text Publishing Longlisted Chloe Gong Our Violent Ends Hachette New Zealand Longlisted Lauren Keenan Amorangi and Millie’s Trip Through Time Huia Publishing Longlisted David Metzenthen Augustin and the Hot Air Balloon Ford Street Publishing Longlisted Pamela Rushby The Secret Battle Eagle Books Longlisted2021 Katrina Nannestad We are Wolves ABC Books Winner Amelia Mellor The Grandest Bookshop in the World Affirm Press Shortlisted Pamela Rushby The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle Walker Books Shortlisted Anna Ciddor The Boy Who Stepped Through Time Allen and Unwin Longlisted Jackie French Night Ride into Danger HarperCollins Longlisted Suzanne Gervay Heroes of the Secret Underground HarperCollins Longlisted Nicki Greenberg The Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel Affirm Press Longlisted Cameron Nunn Echo in the Memory Walker Books Longlisted Richard Yaxley Harmony Scholastic Longlisted
References