The Department of Tourism and Culture’s Northern Territory Library’s Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award is open for submissions.

The Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award 2018 celebrates the most significant historical book about the NT that was published in 2017, with the winning author receiving $1,000.

Entries officially opened Thursday 1 February and run through to midnight Wednesday 21 March 2018. The shortlist is announced each year in June.

Department of Tourism and Culture, Northern Territory Library Director, Patrick Gregory, said the Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Awards was an important annual event to recognise those who do a wonderful job documenting and narrating the Territory’s rich history.

“I’m thrilled to again launch the submission period for the 2018 Chief Minister’s History Book Awards, as we look to celebrate those who’ve channelled their passion into immortalising the Territory’s vibrant history.

“Last year we received 15 exceptional entries; covering beautifully-presented pictorial works to detailed academic texts.  There was a wide range of works which examined political, personal and military history in many regions of the NT.

“I again look forward to receiving a strong number of high quality publications about the Northern Territory; a place of rich history and stories, with many still untold,” said Mr Gregory.

Criteria to apply for the award include: books must be a work on NT history, written in English, offered for general sale, and published between 1 January and 31 December 2017.

The 2017 winner was Stuart Traynor, who published Alice Springs: From Singing Wire to Iconic Outback Town, with finalists including Deborah Bisa (Remember Me Kindly: A History of the Holtze Family in the Northern Territory), Claire Lowrie (Masters and Servants: Cultures of Empire in the Tropics), and Charlie Ward (A Handful of Sand: The Gurindji Struggle, After the Walk-Off).

The Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award has been administered by the Department of Tourism and Culture’s Northern Territory Library since 2004.

The prize will be awarded at a ceremony at Parliament house on 4 July 2018.

To learn more or to enter, visit https://nt.gov.au/leisure/arts-culture-heritage/chief-ministers-northern-territory-history-book-award

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Media interview
Department of Tourism and Culture, Northern Territory Library Director, Patrick Gregory.