FINALISTS FOR THE 2025 songwriting competition

In alphabetical order:

ALT BALLAD / ALT ROCK        
Did We Quit Too Soon – Tina Pettaras    
Livin’ a Country Song – Jaxson Renshaw, Brendon Warmsley
Start Again – Pat Kenny, Kelsey Berrington
Storytellers – Bruce Mackay, Anthony Snape
Wildflowers – Ian  Burns, Lyn Bowtell

COUNTRY ROCK        
Collide – Shanleigh Carey    
Make My Way – Amber Kenny, Lyn Bowtell
That Old Life – Catherine Lehnen, Michael Lehnen  Lachlan Bryan
Pink Is My Colour – Coral Renee    
Up On The Row – Pat Kenny    

GOSPEL SPIRITUAL        
Below An Open Sky – Brendon Walmsley    
Broken – Brendon Walmsley, David Carter, Merleyn Carter
The River is Risin’ – Kerrie Gambley    
Sitting On Empty – Peter Shurley    
Who’s That Walking On The Water – Peter Shurley    

LOCAL HEROES and EVENTS        
Baby Goanna – Paul Ricketts, Lindsay Waddington
Behind the Scenes – Lloyd Back, Lindsay Waddington
If He Could Talk – Wendy Wood    
The Horses Stay Behind (One Last Ride) – Kerrie Gambley    
The Boy From Birchip – Matt Scullion    

LYRICS ONLY        
Can’t Hold onto Time – Russell Leeming    
I’m Coming Home – Mark Rigney    
Kelly Dixon – Kevin Pye    
This Old Dog of Mine – Kevin Pye    
Who’ll Sing Australia Now – Brooke Seabrook    

NOVICE        
Dusty Hill – Josephine Lemon, Ian Hallett
Goodbye Tula – Craig Wilson, Maria Kelsall
Singer of Renown – Len Conner, Colin Fraser
Still in Love – Guy Italiano    
Stockman’s Pirouette – Joy Hendon    

YOUTH        
Bloody Hands – Ellerie-Rose Armstrong-Kearns    
I Thought I had it all figured out – Lucy Beveridge    
Movie Of Us – Aaliah Skuse, Regan Farrell
When you Learn to Let go – Lucy Beveridge    
Waiting On The Rain – Jack Gregory    

TRADITIONAL        
Behind the Scenes – Lloyd Back, Lindsay Waddington
Golden Handcuffs – Matt Scullion    
Road To Riverleigh – Brendon Walmsley    
Saltbush Sally – Alice Benfer, Sam Hawksley
The Window Seat – Savannah Sharpe, Lyn Bowtell

COUNTRY BLUES        
Everybody Knows Your Name – Lucie Tiger O’Connor    
Festival Blues – Peter Campbell    
Road Trip – Jeannie Kleynhans    
Segregation Blues – Peter Campbell    
Viking – Neil McCann, John Littrich

OPEN         
Harvest Moon – Lucie Tiger O’Connor, Mark Narmore, Stephanie C. Brown
Love Can Fool You – Ava Bizzanelli, Allan Caswell
Moth To A Flame – Ava Bizzanelli    
Skin And Bones – Janine Garvey, Janine Garvey, Eric Collier
What I Deserved – Beth Compton    

BUSH BALLAD        
Australia My Home – Katelann Grealy    
Chasing Rabbits in Her Sleep – Terry Bennets    
Dead Man’s Hill – Peter Coad    
My Country My Australia – Kathy Carver, Clem O’Dea 
Singer of Renown – Len Conner, Colin Fraser

NEW SONGWRITER of the YEAR        
Barefoot On The Dirt – Paul Ricketts    
Beautiful Girl – Tina Pettaras    
Flowers – Crystal Robins    
Masquerade – Coral Renee    
Vase – Tamsin Lancaster

COUNTRY SONG of the YEAR            
Presented at the awards show