Top 10 results of the 2025 Australian Songwriting Contest are now available – in case you weren’t at the Awards this week! Congratulations to all who managed to obtain a spot in these prestigious placings. 

Australia Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 The Australia I Know Renee Jonas  
1 Ocean Obi Sun; Melani Miller; Damion Pritchard
3 Sound of the Rain Ian Beer  
4 A New Era Sandy McNaughton Michele Hetherington
5 Sally Storm Heidi Luckhurst  
6 Take me to the beach Jenny Mason  
7 Woolloongabba Lachlan Hurse Sue Monk
8 The Highway Man Paul   White  
9 My Love, He Drives The Nullabor Tonight Wendy Wood  
10 The Drought Song John Ross Sally Ross
         
         
         
Ballad Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 If Time Was An Ocean  Pete Hawkes  
2 Summer Wonderland Elizabeth Usher Emily Anderson
3 Sun Comes Shinin’ Christine Wallis Alan Caswell

Eightball Aitken
4 Are you OK Tim Lane N/A
5 Stay David Campbell Adam Pendergast
6 Suitcase Ana Bogdanovic  
7 Ballad of The Aussie Bluesman Pete Hawkes  
8 Let’s Not Be Late Julie Cairns Ben Snelling
9 My World is Getting Smaller Every Day Elizabeth Usher Chrissy Roberts

Michael Scherer
10 Ornaments Tamsin Lancaster Tamsin S. Lancaster

Max Jackson
         
         
         
Comedy/ Novelty Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Big Lips, Big Flavour Ella Watkins  
2 ‘Boy’ Band  Rod Crundwell; Stafford Sanders; Kim Constable; Peter Cox; Dennis Aubrey
3 The Truth is just a State of mind Steve Montgomery  
4 Dead Shit Dad  John Givins  
5 Gordon Ramsay Ella Watkins  
6 Spanking My Monkey Gary Murphy  
7 Talkin’ Robert Zimmerman Blues Stuart McCullough Katrina Nolan
8 My Man in Red Renee Jonas Elizabeth Usher
9 Wrinkles Brooke Seabrook  
10 Can I Have a Midlife Crisis Too? Stuart McCullough Katrina Nolan
10 Ruby Tim  Darby Sean Burke
         
         
Contemporary/ Pop/ Dance  Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 You’ve Got The Magic Elizabeth  Usher Emily Anderson; F-M Cossey
2 Unpredictable Gianni Corvaia  
3 Going Under Over You Michael McGee; Angel Pontier; Hannah Richardson
4 Alone Bianca Schembri  
5 Dare Emma Whybrow; Robert Pippan
6 Psycho Tamsin Lancaster; Nick Zaharias
7 The Long Way Home Nicholas Pound; Aria Cook 
8 All In Oliver Teh Howell; Vo Nguyen
9 Clouds Agree Zella Benko  
10 Go Be A Good Thing Lola Brinton; Luke O’Shea
10 Here Comes The Sun Gary Murphy  
         
         
Country Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Lipstick and Boots Sandee Facy Michael Saleta; Lynn Wilbanks
2 Ain’t My First Rodeo Sandee Facy Michael Saleta
3 She’s The One Ronnie Joudo  
4 Jacky D Tina  Pettaras  
5 Let’s Get Crazy Brendan McMahon; Felicity Urquhart
5 The 8th Day of the Week Michael (Max) McGee; Michael Dubacher
7 Because You’re Mine Wendy Wood  
8 Hard Things Julie Cairns; Ben Snelling
9 Chasing Rabbits In Her Sleep Terry Bennetts  
10 Workin’ Folks Catherine Lehnen; Michael Lehnen
         
         
         
Folk/ Acoustic Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Gaza – Thank God (But Don’t Mention the War) Steve Montgomery  
2 Easy Aesy Elizabeth Usher; Emily Anderson; F-M Cossey
3 I’d Do It All Again Esme Macdonald  
4 Old Girl Huckleberry Mo  McMorrow  
5 Just One Tree Simon Strauss  
6 A Crack In The Lens David Campbell; Adam Pendergast
7 Lady Lucy Tony Brennan  
7 Paris In Spring Vanessa Delaine  
9 If Time Was An Ocean  Pete Hawkes  
10 Last Page Nat Stewart  
10 Not A Song For Sara Gary Murphy  
         
         
Instrumental / World Music Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Slab Hut Gully Terry Bennetts  
2 Outside the Circle Fiona Joy Hawkins  
3 Nightfall Setmund  Leung Kam  Biu  
4 Uncle Who Marcela Taylor  
5 Revelation  Pete Hawkes  
6 El-Toro Peter Salata  
7 The Striptease (Version 3) Pete Hawkes  
8 A Gentle Invocation Pete Hawkes  
9 Rhapsody in Rag Tom Anderson  
10 Short Story Jordan E. Spivack  
         
         
         
Lyrics Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 I Can Get There From Here  Steve Montgomery  
2 Wrong World Kirsty Gill  
3 I Tossed A Stone Across The Lake      
4 Coober Pedy Kupa Piti Terry Bennetts  
5 Ruby Ruby Susan Muranty  
6 Hidden Enemy Kirsty Gill  
7 The Pastures of Heavenly Peace Alec Raymer  
8 Letters in the Hallway Jane Cameron  
9 Last  Summer Steve Montgomery  
9 Don’t Leave Me Lonely Steve Montgomery  
9 Black Dog Joe Ciangura  
         
         
Open Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Brown Hair Green Eyes Gianni Corvaia  
2 You’ve Got The Magic Elizabeth  Usher Emily Anderson; F-M Cossey
3 You Know You Kinda Like It Bailey Perrie  
4 Cry Baby Julie Cairns; Brendan Berne
5 One Love Many Names Brian H Ward  
6 Way Too Personal Christopher Richter; Jasmine Aleisha Richter
7 Runaway Lover Renee Jonas; Sven Tydeman
6 Moth To A Flame Ava Bizzanelli  
9 Life Sandra  Doolan  
10 Miss Missing You Ralph Mills; Peter Lewis; Steve McNaughton
         
         
         
Rock Indie Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Taken Kelly Hamilton  
2 If You Were The Man Patrick Chung  
3 Devil’s Telephone Lucie Tiger O’Connor  
4 What Makes a Hero Deanna Curulli; Cammi Kol; Stu Watts
5 I Can See Julie Cairns  
6 Started Off With Lies Shannon Smith  
7 A Little Bit Sean Griffiths  
8 Love’s A Suck Scott Thomson; Suzanne Ellen Whitehead;
Darren John Bennett
9 Normal Guy Gary Murphy  
10 Bravest Dead Man      
10 Every Day Thomas Libreri  
10 What It Takes Brett Voss  
         
         
Songs for Children  Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 My House (The Three Little Pigs) Stephen Kiely; Roxanne Kiely
2 Frog on a Log Donna Dyson  
3 Honey Bees (Kiely version) Stephen Kiely; Roxanne Kiely
4 The Aussie Bush Dance Stanley Lenz  
5 Happy Happy Happy Little Pigs Stephen Kiely; Roxanne Kiely
6 B is for Bear Donna Dyson  
7 The Last Angela Small  
8 Take Action Donna Dyson  
9 Boppin Bunny Donna Dyson  
10 Freak Donald Cowling  
10 Honey Bees  Donna Dyson; Wil Hughes
10 Swimming Song Donna Dyson; Wil Hughes
10 When We’re Indoors Stephen Kiely;

Roxanne Kiely

 
Spiritual Category Song Title Firstname Lastname Co-writers
1 Carry That Cross Brian Henderson Ward  
2 Sacrifice of Love Jacques Gentil  
3 Gaza – Thank God (But Don’t Mention the War) Steve Montgomery  
4 His Angel Faye Nikakis  
5 Let Me Carry You Renee Jonas; Elizabeth Usher; FM Cossey
6 That’s How Heaven Works Jacques Gentil; Lloyd M Clarke
7 Two Sparrows For A Penny Jacques Gentil  
8 Is There A God ? Allan Harper  
9 Weary The Traveller Craig Keating  
10 A Newborn King Mark Baumgarten  
10 Jealous of the Angels Angelica  Greening; Graeme Webb