Michael King Writers Centre
APPLICATION: Varuna, Australia Residency – Monday 20 October to Monday 17 November 2025
The Michael King Writers Centre in association with Varuna, The National Writers House in Katoomba, NSW is again offering a residency in Australia for New Zealand writers.
This four week residency is open to mid-career or established writers who have had a book published in the last two years. Applicants must be a New Zealand citizen or have New Zealand permanent residency.
The writer awarded the residency will receive return economy airfares to Sydney, a writing studio and accommodation with all meals included. The writer will also appear at the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival (31 October – 2 November), during the residency.
We actively seek and encourage all writers—diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective—to apply.
Applications close on Monday 31 March 2025 and the selection is expected to be announced in May.
All applicants must read and understand the Application Criteria, Terms & Conditions (PDF below). We encourage you to print or download this PDF so you can refer to it easily whilst completing the application form.
Click here to download Application Criteria, Terms & Conditions
Before starting the application (below) please ensure you have all supporting documentation:
- A writing CV and publishing record.
- Detailed synopsis of the project you intend to work on during the residency. This must include a paragraph on what you hope to achieve during your time at the House. Maximum 500 words, double-spaced, 12-point type.
- A sample of your writing (preferably of the project you intend working on during the residency) or a sample of recent work: four poems, or up to 2,000 words of prose. Prose should be double-spaced and in 12-point type.
This programme is a partnership between the Michael King Writers Centre, Varuna the National Writers’ House of Australia and the Blue Mountains Writers’ Festival, Katoomba.