Editorial - Overland literary journal

In Overland’s 243rd issue, we’re proud to print the results of the inaugural Kuracca prize established honour of Aunty Kerry Reed-Gilbert. We received an enormous number of submissions from writers of all levels of experience, and each of our veteran judges, Jeanine Leane, Elena Gomez and Justin Clemens remarked on the breadth and quality of submissions. Our winning entry came from Adam Brannigan, a registered nurse and previously unpublished writer; his poetic narrative ‘Great grandmother Arrabrilya’ is a powerful reminder of the healing possibilities of language and culture, which so many of us — currently languishing in lockdown — might need. It’s conventional at the moment to opine on the hidden costs and generational sacrifices of the pandemic, which are of course, terrible. Robbo Bennett’s essay ‘The Bridge and the Fire’ articulates a new history of solidarity marginal to headline news, and perhaps points towards other narratives of care and decency currently being written.

Solidarity,
Evelyn Araluen & Jonathan Dunk

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Evelyn Araluen

Evelyn Araluen is a Goorie and Koori poet, researcher and co-editor of Overland Literary Journal. Her Stella-prize winning poetry collection DROPBEAR was published by UQP in 2021. She lectures in Literature and Creative Writing at Deakin University.

More by Evelyn Araluen ›

Jonathan Dunk

Jonathan Dunk is the co-editor of Overland, a widely published poet and scholar. He lives on Wurundjeri country.

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256 Spring 2024

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Overland 256 is the third issue in a suite of four special editions dedicated to commemorating 70 years of Overland. Inside its pages you'll find: Daniel Browning on the politics of memory, Antonia Pont on impatience, Sarah Wehbe on Palestinian fury and joy, and a special editorial by our departing poetry editor Toby Fitch. There's also new short fiction from Rowan MacDonald, Bethany Lalor and Amalia Stone, and new poetry from Josie Suzanne, Tim Loveday, Lulu Houdini and more.