Awards officer Brittany Riley said the optional theme - 'in my opinion' - is sure to stir the imagination in the current world climate.

"We're always surprised and intrigued by how the theme is interpreted every year, and it is optional. With this year's theme, we're hoping the kids write persuasively and creatively about the issues that affect them," she said.

"Now with the war and COVID and stuff, we'll see what comes out."

Ms Riley said there had been renewed interest in the competition because of national coverage of the late poet's family homestead Kurrumbede near Gunnedah, and the striking silo art mural on Barber Street, which is up for two awards. The society has already received an Australia Day award for the monument.

Even the COVID-19 pandemic has had a positive effect on the competition - entries were up by more than 500 in 2021 and 2020 - a positive change after dwindling entry numbers in previous years.

"We definitely have seen a resurgence and we'll have to see how it goes," Ms Riley said.

The Kurrumbede Award was added to the categories in 2020 to encourage more local youth and schools to enter the long-running competition. It is aimed at schools within a 100km radius of Gunnedah and there is a prize for the best primary school and best secondary school.

Other award categories include lower primary (K-year 3), upper primary (years 4-6), assisted learning primary and secondary, junior secondary (years 7-9), senior secondary (years 10-12), then schools' award, and the David Maher Award.

In 2021, Gunnedah High School's Holly Munday scooped the Kurrumbede Award's secondary category and Fairfax Public School's Eileen Murphy won the primary category. Curlewis Public School's Cooper King-Seach was the assisted learning primary winner.

This year, primary school entries will be judged by poets Michelle Taylor and Ross Clark, and secondary school entries will be judged by fellow author Sherryl Clark.

It is uncertain at this stage if this year's awards ceremony in September will be virtual again.

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