We are thrilled to announce THOMAS GURN as the winning recipient of the 2025 Deep Creek Residency Fellowship.
Tom will be the fourth South Australian writer to be supported with time, space & mentoring via this Fellowship. Tom will be mentored by the wise and wildly talented, Favel Parrett, and will work on his project in a beautiful bush setting at Grass Tree Gully, Deep Creek, in November.
“This year’s diverse and beguiling shortlist included a range of narrative voices with an emphasis on memoir or autofiction, revealing current trends in reflective, even self-reflexive pieces of writing. We loved bearing witness, in particular, to experiences of transition and transformation, as well as authors troubling the understanding of what home might mean in contemporary Australia.
The winning submission, Pugholes, by Thomas Gurn is a work of fiction, however, and stood out to the judges for its originality of voice and style, its South Australian suburban setting, and its casual wry humour while dealing with significant experiences such as loss and heartbreak, love and share houses. We are thrilled to see how the work, a collection of dynamic linked stories, will deepen and crystallise through the mentoring relationship with Favel Parrett.”
Judging panel, Matilda Bookshop.
“I am incredibly excited to be involved with this prize. I know how much mentoring helped me get my first novel into better shape” Favel Parrett, mentor
“I’m so grateful and so honoured and beyond excited for this priceless opportunity. When I read the email [that I had won] I gasped so loud it was like somebody opened the emergency door on an airplane. Not a joke. I think I scared my housemates … from the bottom of my heart, thanks so much for giving me cause for hope.” TOM GURN, DCRF winner 2025
The Deep Creek Residency Fellowship is one of the most rewarding bookshop projects we’ve ever undertaken and we’re very proud of our achievement in making it happen.
We would not have been able to provide this amazing opportunity without the generous support of our partners Writers SA, Ultimo Press, Favel Parrett and Grass Tree Gully, and we thank them all from the bottom of our bookshop hearts. Thanks also to all of the shortlisted authors, as well as everyone who submitted and shared their work with us
