Clare Wright wins top prize at NSW Literary Awards for 'powerful' history book Näku Dhäruk The Bark Petitions
Clare Wright has won the top prize at the NSW Literary Awards for her book Näku Dhäruk The Bark Petitions, which details the Yirrkala bark petitions and their significance in the fight for Indigenous land rights. The book has received widespread recognition, including the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction, bringing her total winnings to $50,000. Wright expressed her gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing the importance of sharing the stories of Indigenous peoples with a broader audience.
- ▪Clare Wright's book Näku Dhäruk The Bark Petitions won Book of the Year at the NSW Literary Awards.
- ▪The book details the 1963 Yirrkala bark petitions presented by Yolŋu Elders to the federal government.
- ▪Wright's work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the non-fiction award at the Queensland Literary Awards.
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Clare Wright wins top prize at NSW Literary Awards for 'powerful' history book Näku Dhäruk The Bark PetitionsBy Hannah StoryABC ArtsTopic:BooksMon 18 May 2026 at 7:30pmMon 18 May 2026 at 7:30pmMon 18 May 2026 at 7:30pmHistorian Clare Wright has won the top prize at the NSW Literary Awards for her meticulously researched account of the Yirrkala bark petitions. (ABC News: Teresa Tan)abc.net.au/news/nsw-literary-awards-clare-wright-naku-dharuk-bark-petitions/106692244Link copiedShareShare articleWhen Clare Wright moved to Arnhem Land, in the north-east of the Northern Territory, in 2010, she didn't know it would inspire her latest book.She moved there with her then-husband, Damien, and three children, after Damien, a craftsman, was invited to help the community make furniture out of the…
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