‘I often find myself asking: what is photograph? But I do not ask what is a water colour or a pen and ink sketch or even a print from an etched plate or woodblock. What is it that I understand about these latter images that I do not understand about a photograph?’

Christopher Race poses the question in his book The Missing Photograph, a collection of photograph-accompanied stories and essays. In some pieces, the photograph is an enigma, only made sensible by the accompanying text. In others, the photograph is a clear launching point for a story, remaining virtually untouched.

Through depictions of family, friends, fate and identity, Christopher explores how images and words refract off one another, re-framing stories, memories and even our self-perceptions.

We’re pleased to share an extract of one of the essays from his collection: ‘Destiny’.

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the September WWWC: Chloe Staykov! Responding to the prompt ‘the things you learn’, Chloe’s story is a humorous, touching exploration of grief and making your own rules for life.

Read her winning entry below.

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the August WWWC: phil saunders! Responding to the prompt ‘news from afar’, phil’s triptych of postcards home deftly combines poetry and prose.

Read his winning entry below.

In July, friends and family of historian Julie Marcus gathered at the Arkaba Hotel for the launch of Sex and Savagery in the Good Colony: South Australia 1836–1901. Launched by Katrina Schlunke, the event celebrated an important, wide-ranging and accessible account of our colonial past.

We are pleased now to be able to share Katrina’s launching speech.

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the June WWWC: Leah Rosebrock! Responding to the prompt ‘time waits for no one’, Leah’s winning piece is a mediation on living life to the fullest, even when there’s not much of it left.

Read her winning entry below.

Manual of the Practice, Procedure and Usage of the South Australian House of Assembly is the definitive work on procedure in the Parliament of South Australia’s House of Assembly. This hefty tome, edited by Rick Crump with assistance from David Pegram and Joshua Forkert, is an important update to the previous edition.

At the launch in early June, editor Rick Crump spoke to the importance of the Manual. We are pleased to be able to share his speech in full below.

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the May WWWC: Bethany Lines. Responding to the prompt ‘where there’s smoke there’s fire’, Bethany weaves a hazy tale of grief and teen rebellion.

Read her winning entry in full below.

We’re pleased to announce the winner of the April WWWC: Mike Ladd. Mike’s response to the prompt ‘turning a corner’ is short in length, but not on emotion. An impossible sighting makes Mike question reality and confront his grief.

Read his winning entry, ‘Not Turning a Corner’ below. This is Mike’s third WWWC win – find his winning response to ‘glimmer of light’ here, and ‘funny thing happened the other day’ here.

Last week, Stephanie Radok’s Under the Bed was launched at the State Library of South Australia by Melinda Rankin, Director of Fabrik Arts + Heritage in Lobethal. Attendees were surrounded by etchings from Stephanie’s exhibition, Inside a Book, showing until Wednesday 30 April 2025.

We’re pleased now to be able to share Melinda’s thoughtful launch speech, which celebrates Stephanie’s knack for finding the beauty in the mundane.

Read Melinda’s speech in full below.