Tales of the Sea

Flash Fiction Challenge

 

The Queenscliffe Maritime Museum in partnership with the Queenscliffe Literary Festival, presents a Flash-Fiction Challenge – Tales of the Sea.
Celebrate maritime heritage & connection to our coastal history through storytelling.

The challenge will culminate in the publication of a print and digital anthology, launched during Queenscliffe Maritime Week in March 2026.

Rules and conditions:

1. Stories must be up to 300 words.
2. Stories should be inspired by maritime themes, including (but not limited to):
   • Shipwrecks & lifeboats
   • The Rip & coastal waters
   • Stories of the beach & fishing
   • Sailing journeys & saltwater legends
   • Under-the-sea adventures
   • Love, courage, loss, and rescue at sea
3. Entries will be judged anonymously
4. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into
5. One entry per person
6. Three sections:
   • Primary school
   • Secondary school
   • Open
7. Tales of the Sea entries must be original and the entrant’s own work.
8. Competition opens on 1st November 2025 and closes at 11:59pm 13th December. Late entries will not be accepted.
9. Those selected for publication in the Tales of the Sea anthology will be contacted by email by 10th January 2026.
10. Email addresses of Open section entrants will be added to Queenscliffe Maritime Museum’s subscription list (you may unsubscribe easily later, but we’d love you to stay)
11. Entries may be used by QMM in social media, website, and/or print media
12. Open only to Australian residents
13. To enter, click and complete this form online: Competition Entry Form