The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were started by the Victorian Government to help people know more about modern writing by living authors and Australia's book industry. In 2013, it was reported to be Australia's most valuable literary award, with the top winner receiving A$125,000 and winners in other categories receiving A$25,000 each.
The awards were created in 1985 by John Cain, who was the Premier of Victoria at the time, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the births of Vance and Nettie Palmer. These two writers and critics were well-known in Australia and made important contributions to the country's literary culture.
From 1986 to 1997, the awards were part of the Melbourne Writers Festival. In 1997, the responsibility for managing the awards was given to the State Library of Victoria. By 2004, the total prize money awarded was A$180,000. In 2011, the Wheeler Centre began managing the awards.
Winners 2011–present
In 2011, the awards were changed into five categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Drama, and Young People's. Each winner receives $25,000. One of these five winners is chosen as the overall winner of the Victorian Prize for Literature and receives an extra $100,000. Two other categories have different prize amounts: an Honorary People's Choice Award, which is voted on by readers, and an Unpublished Manuscript Award, which gives $15,000. In 2022, an Award for Children's Literature worth $25,000 was added, with entries accepted in 2023. Another category, the John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing, was added in 2024. This prize honors satirist John Clarke and includes works in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Shortlists for each category are listed in the main article.
Earlier awards were based on the year a book was published.
For winners from 1985 to 2010, see the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction.
For winners from 1985 to 2010, see the Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction.
For winners from 1985 to 2010, see the C. J. Dennis Prize for Poetry.
For winners from 1985 to 2010, see the Victorian Premier's Prize for Young Adult Fiction.
For winners from 1985 to 2010, see the Louis Esson Prize for Drama.
Earlier awards were based on the year a book was published.
For winners from 2003 to 2010, see the main article. No award was given in 2011.