Winner announced for the 2019 Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award
The Honourable Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory announced the winner of the 2019 Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award in a ceremony at the Library today.
Northern Dreams: The Politics of Northern Development in Australia written by Lyndon Megarrity was selected out of three finalists and from a field of 16 entries. Megarrity’s book traces the political history of northern development in Australia, with a focus on the Northern Territory, North-Western Australia and Northern Queensland.
Mr Megarrity was unable to attend the Award ceremony and Dr Steven Farram, fellow 2019 entrant and Senior Lecturer in North Australian and Regional Studies (History) at Charles Darwin University, accepted the Award on his behalf.
The panel of judges said there was an exceptional range of writing styles across a broad variety of genres in the entries this year. The judges also described Megarrity’s book as well-researched and thoroughly engaging.
“Megarrity’s work is a valuable contemporary contribution to our understanding on the development of Northern Australia, it will be an important reference work for future generations. His poetic writing style animates what can be a dry topic.” the panel said.
2019 marks the 15th year of the Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award. Lyndon Megarrity will now join a host of exceptional writers as a recipient of the Award.
The books shortlisted for the Award were:
- Found in Translation: Many Meanings on a North Australian Mission by Laura Rademaker
- Northern Dreams: The Politics of Northern Development in Australia by Lyndon Megarrity
- Teaching "proper" drinking? Clubs and pubs in Indigenous Australia by Maggie Brady
Special mentions were given to three entries that the judging panel felt deserved notable recognition:
- Forgotten Country: A Short History of Central Australia by Alan Powell for his contribution to central Australian history.
- Olive Pink: Artist, Activist and Gardener by Gillian Ward for her work in showcasing flora and fauna of the region through the work of Olive Pink.
- Walking with camels - the story of Bertha Strehlow by Leni Shilton for her work in sharing the story of a lesser known character in Central Australia and presenting history through poetry in first person narrative.
Administered by Northern Territory Library, the Award recognises the most significant historical book about the Northern Territory published in the previous calendar year.
