ACTATE congratulated all the winners in our 2026 LitLinks Writing competition at an Online Ceremony today. There were 222 entries this year across the Years 7 & 9, Years 9 & 10, Years 11 & 12 and the Teachers As Writers categories. The judges said:

Across all categories, judges were united in commending the original voices and imaginative approaches used to tackle the themes in their storytelling. From humanity and mortality to bake-offs and an otherworldly gnome, from pernicious technologies and corruption to outback ‘Australian Gothic’ crimes, perfection was not the goal; writing from the heart and mind with a unique voice certainly was! We thank all students who entered, penning stories from scratch, and showing us writing that was alive:  the antithesis of the cliche that comes with resorting to AI.

The LitLinks Team would like to thank all the students and teachers who entered, the coordinators at ACT Schools, the ceremony presenters and our wonderful sponsors. Awards and Certificates will be delivered to schools this week.

Click here to: 

• Read the 2026 Winning Entries
• Check out the Ceremony Slides
• Access the LitLinks Archives to read stories from previous winners.