Varuna Residential Fellowships
Varuna Residential Fellowships offer two to three weeks of full board and accommodation at Varuna, in the beautiful surrounds of the Blue Mountains. Originally the home of writers Eleanor Dark and Dr Eric Dark, the house and gardens were gifted to the Australian public in 1989 by their son, Mick Dark, to be used as a retreat for writers.
Residency dates: Between January - September 2026
Applications open: 4 March 2025
Applications close: 5pm AEST 5 May 2025
Places: Thirty-eight fellowships will be awarded
Who should apply: All writers are invited to apply. We have Flagship fellowships specific to certain genres, identities, regional areas and career stage.
Fees: Application fees are $70 per application, unless you are a financially current alumni member using your annual fee waiver. If you have a Healthcare card, the application fee is $40. If you are experiencing financial hardship, you can have your application fee waived via the Varuna Equity Fund.
Application fees are used to pay a team of professional assessors to read your work.
FAQs: Please read the FAQs before you apply.
Varuna Residential Fellowships offer uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio and a one-hour mentorship conversation with a Varuna consultant. All food is provided, with an evening meal prepared by our chefs Jane, Sheila and Dionne, to be enjoyed with the companionship of your fellow writers - at any time, there are six writers-in-residence at Varuna.
Varuna residencies offer not only time and space to write, but inspiration, a stunning landscape to explore, networks and connections, and the prestige of having your work selected by an exemplary panel of assessors, from hundreds of applicants. We welcome manuscripts from writers working in all creative forms, including fiction, short stories, screenplay/drama, poetry, children’s books, and narrative non-fiction.
For more information about Varuna Residential Fellowships:
In 2026, Varuna will offer 38 Varuna Residential Fellowships. From among these fellowship recipients, 15 writers of outstanding talent will be awarded a Flagship Fellowship, which may include a longer residency or extra funding for travel and expenses. When completing the application form, writers will have the opportunity to put their work forward for certain fellowships based on genre, identity, cultural background, life circumstances, career stage or where you live. In 2026, these flagship fellowships include:
A number of our flagship fellowships are supported by donations from members of the community or Varuna’s alumni. If you would like to donate towards a new fellowship opportunity, please get in touch.
TESTIMONIALS
“I’m working on the most difficult project of my career, and if I can successfully complete it, much of the credit will go to the extraordinary two weeks I spent at Varuna.”
“An extraordinary gift. The Varuna residential fellowship dignifies the work of writing, and offers the most precious things writers can ask for - time, peace, and respect for their labour.”
“Everything at Varuna seems meticulously planned to allow its residents to focus on their creative work. The accommodation, grounds, and location near walking trails were all perfect. Naturally, rhythms developed, with the day for writing (and perhaps a short walk), and the evening for exchanging ideas with fellow writers. All supported by Varuna’s staff and the wonderful meals!”
HOW TO APPLY
Artistic merit is the most important criterion for our assessors, who, depending on genre, are looking for sound structure, compelling themes, a distinctive and engaging voice, vivid imagery, strongly written characters, social and cultural relevance, and/or the work’s capacity to connect with readers. Our assessors also consider the potential of your manuscript, based on the experience of the writer and their work plan.
Writers who have been awarded a Varuna Residential Fellowship in the last three years are not eligible to apply.
You will need to send us between 7,000 and 10,000 words from the beginning of your manuscript, as well as answer questions about your experience and practice. For poetry, you need to send us a selection of 10 poems; for plays and screen plays you may send a sample of 10 pages, or more if it doesn’t exceed 10,000 words; for graphic novels a sample of 10 pages; for children’s picture books you may send us a full manuscript.
Please refer to Varuna’s general submission guidelines for any questions on formatting your work.
TRAVEL COSTS
Fellowship recipients will need to meet their own travel expenses to and from Varuna. Healthcare card owners can apply to the Varuna Equity Fund for a travel subsidy of up to $350.
Writers awarded a Flagship Fellowship will receive a travel subsidy of $350 if they live more than 300 km away, and writers receiving the Jill Dark Fellowship, Ray Koppe Young Writer’s Fellowship, Parent / Carer’s Fellowship or Henry Handel Richardson Fellowship will receive full reimbursement of travel expenses.
UPCOMING COURSES, FELLOWSHIPS AND EVENTS
