If the touches of gold in the trees hadn’t alerted you already, Autumn is upon us. Here, in the Central Goldfields VIC, the Aboriginal season of Kooyang (season of eels) seems to be giving way early to Gwangal Moronn (season of honey bees). It’s a time of slowing down, breathing out, reflection, gratitude.

This year, let’s take some time out to reflect on our own special trees. We all have one (or several). They stay with us throughout our lives, whether they live or not, whether we’re near them or not. They shape and change us in fundamental ways we don’t always stop to think about. Maybe it’s the special daydreaming tree you climbed as a child. Maybe it’s the first time you stared up a redwood trunk, awed beyond comprehension. Maybe it’s a stand of ghost gums frozen in a divine ancient dance. Trees are part of the fabric of all our lives, and we want to hear your story.

So we thought we’d have a flash fiction competition! Tell us a tiny story about your special tree, or trees. Flash fiction is little but fierce, tiny but mighty, small but significant, a poem in a paragraph, a story that fits in the palm of your hand. The winner will receive a lovely package of eco-goods from our beautiful supporters. Entries will judged by Gabriel Tyrone Filippa, a young and upcoming Melbourne writer, who loves the outdoors (as long as it isn’t too hot, too cold or too windy … it’s hard to be indy, when it’s windy).

We are so excited about this and cannot wait to hear your stories! Get thinking and get scribbling!

Competition details

Theme: Trees from the Heart
Word limit: no more than 100 words
How to enter: post your entry below, in the comments. We may also share your words on our social media.
Who can enter: anyone!
When does the competition close: Earth Day, April 22nd 2020
Winner announced: end of April.

Winner receives:

A plethora of eco-gifts from some of our favourite suppliers. Beautiful organic teas from Tea Associates (Bendigo), luxurious body wash and lotion from BASK Aromatherapy (Coburg), smooth drinking chocolate from Grounded Pleasures (Ballarat), Grounded. A Companion for Slow Living by Anna Carlile (Melbourne), chocolate from our favourite supplier Pana Organics, a keep cup from Earth Bottles (Torquay), a very clever and stylish reusable container from Retub and 15 trees planted on your behalf to help reduce the carbon footprint of your car. All up almost $300 of divineness.

STOP PRESS WE HAVE A WINNER: 

Congratulations to Nicola Nixon (QLD) for her entry into our Fast Fiction Competition. Here is the winning entry.

I found you, sheltered in the garden like a secret. You were smooth when I touched you, but life crept from you – delicate, colourful.

I climbed you, over and over, till I was sure my feet knew every crease and one day I climbed taller than the house and I stepped too far and crack –

I landed: back flat, wide-eyed, toes numb, and stared at the jagged remains of your branch.

A broken limb: a broken back.

I watch you now, cocooned like a moth in my bed, and I ache to sprout new leaves like your limb.

Huge thank you to everyone who entered, we are planting 28 trees this season, one for every entry. Stay tuned for a link to your trees.