Twelve fellowships will be awarded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers from anywhere in Australia, for a one-week residency at Varuna, either 24 November – 1 December 2025 or 1 – 8 December 2025. Writers will be allocated a fellowship week based on how their work might align for collaboration, or their availability.
This fellowship program is open to writers of all genres, including fiction, narrative non-fiction, poetry, children’s books, graphic novels, dramatic/screenwriting, writing for radio, translation, young adult, essays or short fiction. This program has been expanded in 2025 to include an additional fellowship week and six additional fellowship places. These additional places allow us to broaden our focus to include more non-fiction work, such as language preservation projects, family histories, and culturally significant research. Submissions in language are welcomed.
The fellowship includes:
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A one-week residency at Varuna, including all food and a prepared evening meal, with uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers
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Travel costs reimbursed between your home and Katoomba
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A one-on-one conversation with a First Nations mentor, and group reading sessions, in a culturally safe space
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A BBQ at the house for the local community
KEY DATES
Residency dates: 24 November – 1 December 2025 or 1 – 8 December 2025
Applications open: 6 February 2025
Applications close: 5pm AEST 7 April 2025
Places: Twelve writers will be selected
Who should apply: First Nations writers working in any genre, at any career stage.
FAQs: Please read the FAQs before you apply.
TESTIMONIALS
“I wanted to mandaang guwu (thank you) for the amazing time I had a Varuna, having the privilege of connecting to such an amazing group of mob writers. I knew it would be something that would affect my heart and spirit. It did. It provided a beautiful safe space to connect to mob, to beautiful Dharug Land, to write, learn and stretch myself. ”
— Deb Roach, First Nations fellowship recipient 2024
“Varuna was a life-changing experience. I left having made lifelong friendships and felt thoroughly nurtured as an emerging writer.”
— Sharleigh Crittenden, First Nations Fellowship recipient, 2024
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