Central Queensland University announces its literary magazine, Idiom 23, will host the 9th annual Bauhinia Literary Awards. More than $1,200 in prizes will be awarded to winning writers.

Contributors from around Australia and the world are showing keen interest in submitting entries this year according to editor Liz Huf. “The quality of work entered in the competition so far has been quite outstanding,” Huf said. “Anyone with an interest in writing poetry or short stories should consider entering the competition,” she said. Information on and entry forms for the Bauhinia Awards are now available from Leonie Healey (l.healey@cqu.edu.au). The deadline for receiving material either by mail or email is June 28. Winning and commended entries will be published in the next Idiom 23, Volume 15.

In the meantime, Idiom 23 staff are working on a website that will be uniquely designed to showcase emerging writers, especially regional Queenslanders, to a wide and varied audience. The magazine's website address is http://www.ejournalism.au.com/Idiom/index.html Last year’s poetry winners included Elaine Hempton, The Breaking of the Drought; Jean Renew and Muriel Courtenay, Winter Garden, Spinster Aunt; and Ben Jones, Lovers Dance. Short story winners were Ross Watkins, Nanyah Gawan; Pat Skinner, Sheridan; D. Esmond, Scene Through a Window; and Alice Buckingham, Apassionata. Judges also highly commended regional and open writers Isabel Hoch, Rita Treka, Kristy Richardson, Kristin Hannaford, Terril George, JodieVan deWetering, Heather Bird, Judith Eburn. Those works appear in the current edition of Idiom 23, available through the CQU Bookshop.

Idiom 23 's office is located at CQU’s Rockhampton City Campus. Staff, students and enthusiastic volunteers compile the magazine, first published in 1987. The CQU Bookshop, Commonwealth Bank, The Morning Bulletin and Bassetts Consulting Engineers sponsor its publication.